Ask Onix
Who is Reza Pahlavi?
Reza Pahlavi, the 65-year-old son of Iran's last monarch, has re-emerged as a symbolic figure amid ongoing protests in Iran. Once groomed to inherit the Peacock Throne, he was training as a fighter pilot in the U.S. when the 1979 revolution overthrew his father, Mohammad Reza Shah Pahlavi. Now living in a Washington, D.C., suburb, Pahlavi has positioned himself as a potential leader for a transitional government if the Islamic Republic collapses.
A life in exile
Pahlavi was born in Tehran in 1960 as the shah's only son. Raised in privilege, he was educated by private tutors and prepared from childhood to defend the monarchy. At 17, he was sent to Texas for military training but never returned to serve. Instead, he watched from abroad as his father, once backed by Western powers, fled into exile and died of cancer in Egypt in 1980.
The revolution left Pahlavi stateless, relying on a shrinking circle of royalist supporters. Personal tragedy followed: both his younger sister and brother died by suicide, leaving him as the symbolic head of a dynasty many considered obsolete. He later studied political science, married Iranian-American lawyer Yasmine, and raised three daughters in the U.S.
From symbol to political figure
For decades, Pahlavi maintained a low profile, often seen without security at local cafés near his home. In 2022, when asked if he saw himself leading Iran's protest movement, he and his wife reportedly replied, "Change has to come from within." However, his tone shifted after Israeli airstrikes in 2025 killed senior Iranian generals. In a Paris press conference, he declared his readiness to lead a transitional government and unveiled a 100-day plan for an interim administration.
"This is not about restoring the past. It's about securing a democratic future for all Iranians."
Reza Pahlavi, Paris press conference
Support and skepticism
Pahlavi's popularity inside Iran has fluctuated. Some Iranians associate the Pahlavi era with modernization and Western ties, while others remember it for censorship and the brutal Savak secret police. His 1980 symbolic coronation in Cairo, where he declared himself shah, drew criticism for undermining his later calls for democracy. Despite efforts to build opposition coalitions, including the 2013 National Council of Iran for Free Elections, most initiatives have struggled with internal divisions and limited domestic reach.
Unlike groups such as the Mojahedin-e Khalq (MEK), Pahlavi has consistently rejected violence, advocating for a peaceful transition and a national referendum on Iran's political future. Recent protests, including those following Mahsa Amini's death in police custody in 2022, revived chants praising his grandfather, Reza Shah, and thrust him back into the spotlight.
Controversies and challenges
Pahlavi's 2023 visit to Israel, where he attended a Holocaust memorial and met Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, polarized opinion. Supporters called it pragmatic diplomacy; critics saw it as alienating Iran's Arab and Muslim allies. After recent Israeli airstrikes in Iran, he faced scrutiny over his stance. In a BBC interview, he stated that "anything that weakens the regime" would be welcomed by many Iranians, a remark that sparked debate.
Detractors argue he lacks a durable organization or independent media after four decades abroad. While Iran's government portrays him as a threat, his true support remains unmeasurable without open political space or credible polls. Some Iranians revere his family name; others fear replacing one unelected ruler with another, even under a democratic framework.
A democratic vision or a monarchy revisited?
Pahlavi now presents himself as a figurehead for national reconciliation, not a king-in-waiting. He advocates for free elections, the rule of law, and women's rights, leaving the monarchy's fate to a nationwide vote. Supporters view him as the only opposition figure with name recognition and a long-standing commitment to peaceful change. Critics, however, question his reliance on foreign backing and whether Iranians, weary of political turmoil, would trust an exiled leader.
His father's body remains buried in Cairo, a symbol of the dynasty's unresolved legacy. Whether Pahlavi will ever return to a free Iran-or play a role in its future-remains uncertain.
