On June 24, hours before the Iran-Israel ceasefire, Iran’s self-proclaimed Crown Prince Reza Pahlavi said in a press conference in Paris, “This is our Berlin Wall moment.” He called on Iranians to take to the streets to take a stand against the government and urged the United States not to resume nuclear talks with Iran.

But the public did not respond to his call. Instead, after more than 935 Iranians were killed in a recent Israeli attack, many ordinary citizens united in nationalist sentiment and turned away from anti-government sentiment. Criticism grew when Reza Pahlavi sided with Israel instead of condemning the attack.

“When our apartment buildings are being bombed, he comes on TV and speaks out for Israel—his political credibility has been severely damaged,” said analyst Trita Persi.

Reza’s family history is also controversial. His grandfather Reza Khan and father Mohammad Reza Pahlavi were the rulers of the Savak intelligence agency, which carried out a brutal repression. The luxurious lifestyle and indifference to the people were among the reasons for the 1979 revolution.

Reza Pahlavi was photographed with Netanyahu during a visit to Israel in 2023. During that visit, he only visited the Western Wall but did not visit the Al-Aqsa Mosque, the holiest site for Muslims—which further hurt the feelings of Iranians.

In addition, an attempt to impose his views at an opposition meeting in Washington led to the collapse of the ‘Alliance for Democracy and Freedom in Iran’.

According to analysts, Reza Pahlavi is currently being used for Israeli political interests, which is further alienating him from his own people.

Source: Al Jazeera

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