REZA PAHLAVI

Reza Pahlavi, born in Tehran, Iran, in 1960, is the heir to Mohammad Reza Shah and Empress Farah Pahlavi. Exiled since 1979, he has advocated for secular democracy, freedom, and human rights in Iran. Named Crown Prince in 1967, he left Iran at 17 for U.S. Air Force jet fighter training. Following the 1979 Iranian revolution, the royal family departed, and a theocratic regime took power, preventing his return. During his early years in exile, Pahlavi completed U.S. Air Force training and earned a political science degree from the University of Southern California. A skilled pilot, he offered to serve in the Iran-Iraq War but was rejected by the clerical regime. For over four decades, Pahlavi has worked with opposition groups, engaged global leaders, and spoken out against the oppression of the Iranian people. He calls for regime change through nonviolent civil disobedience and an open referendum for a new Iranian Government. He is the author of three books, including Winds of Change: The Future of Democracy in Iran. Pahlavi has been married to Yasmine Etemad-Amini since 1986. They have three daughters—Noor, Iman, and Farah—whom he has named as his heirs, reflecting his belief in gender equality.