The insights presented in this article about Reza Shah II's vision stem from my analysis of several speeches, interviews, and his mission on the Phoenix projects.
The Crown Prince of Iran, Reza Pahlavi, has a clear vision for the future of his country. He believes that Iran can be a prosperous and democratic nation, but only if it is free from the current regime.
Crown Prince Pahlavi has been a vocal critic of the Islamic Republic of Iran since he was forced into exile in 1979. He has condemned the regime of human rights abuses, corruption, and economic mismanagement.
Crown Prince Reza Pahlavi's vision for Iran is based on three pillars: democracy, freedom, and prosperity.
Crown Prince believes that Iran can only achieve these goals if it is governed by a democratic system that respects the rule of law and the rights of its citizens. He also believes that Iran needs to be open to the world and to free trade in order to achieve economic prosperity.
Today, Crown Prince Reza Pahlavi's vision for Iran is shared by many Iranians. A recent poll found that 79% of Iranians believe that Pahlavi would be a good leader for their country. However, the current regime is unlikely to give up power without a fight. Pahlavi has said that he is prepared to lead a peaceful transition to democracy in Iran, but he has also warned that the regime may resort to violence to stay in power.
The current characteristics of Iran's economy, such as self-sufficiency and resistance economy against imperial capitalism, have led to corruption, inefficiency across all sectors, poverty, monopolistic growth for decades, unfair income distribution, chronic unemployment among the youth, creation of false jobs, uncontrollable inflation, a weak currency, and a struggling banking system, all stemming from the dominance of the state economy.
Moreover, semi-governmental and quasi-governmental organizations (foundations) control the economy, with the government's interference in credit and money markets, currency markets, goods and services markets, multi-rate currency labor markets, and capital movement. Despite fake privatization attempts, over 80% of Iran's economy remains in the hands of the government and semi-governmental and quasi-governmental organizations. The lack of significant production has been a consequence.
Yet, with Pahlavi in power, Iran can achieve its full potential.
Crown Prince Reza Pahlavi is a leading figure in the struggle for freedom and democracy in his country. He is a man with a vision for a better future for Iran, and he is determined to see that vision become a reality.
In addition to his vision for democracy, freedom, and prosperity, Crown Prince Pahlavi also has a number of specific policies that he would implement if he were to become the leader of Iran.
These policies include:
Enacting a new constitution that guarantees the rights of all Iranians, including women and religious minorities.
Separating religion and state.
Promoting economic development and job creation.
Improving education and healthcare.
Restoring Iran's international reputation.
Changing the economic system from state-controlled to private and liberalizing the economy (market freedom).
Restructuring international trade from a closed trade system to open trade (with a focus on export promotion).
Joining the global trade system.
Accepting and signing FATF (Financial Action Task Force) agreements.
With the acceptance of FATF, the influx of foreign investments into Iran's economy begins, leading to increased production, employment opportunities for the Iranian workforce, and a decrease in domestic prices.
Eliminating government control over markets.
Removing the role and presence of the government in various economic sectors and creating opportunities for private sector involvement in the economy.
The government should take responsibility for producing and providing desirable economic goods, such as offering free education, free healthcare, etc.
Providing subsidies to entrepreneurs, knowledge-based institutions, and small-scale companies to facilitate their entry and presence in the markets, resulting in increased production and employment.
Removing price controls, particularly price ceilings, from the markets and allowing price flexibility based on the invisible hand mechanism or supply and demand in the markets.
Reforming the country's banking system by completely revising banking laws.
Ensuring the independence of the central bank and refraining from printing money based on need or government orders.
The main objectives of the central bank should be reducing inflation and unemployment, and to achieve these objectives, it should implement appropriate contractionary and expansionary monetary policies using various tools at its disposal.
The central bank should assure the people that their deposits will not be harmed.
The central bank should not allow fraudulent or unhealthy loans to commercial banks by enforcing banking laws.
Reforming and changing the country's exchange rate system from a multi-rate system to a single-rate system by the central bank.
Instead of setting interest rates "by order," interest rates should be determined freely based on the market's deposit-investment mechanism.
Regulating banking laws in a way that eliminates quasi-banking operations, and cash or liquidity is solely attracted by commercial banks.
The central bank guarantees to the people that subsidies will not be eliminated in the short or medium term. In the long term, however, the level of production and incomes will increase to a point where the removal or reduction of subsidies does not adversely affect purchasing power and living standards, and even higher living standards can be achieved.
Reforming and rewriting the country's corruptive "tax" laws.
Supporting small enterprises with various financial policies, including tax exemptions for the first few years of their operation.
Relying on an export-promotion model after announcing the liberalization of Iran's economy, aimed at increasing employment or reducing unemployment among the large population of educated Iranian youth. Through increased competition in the markets, employment, production, and incomes will rise, leading to a decrease in unemployment.
Making use of the desert in Iran by creating Solar energy in the Lut Desert
Enhancing education quality and elevating Iranian universities to the top 100 global rankings
Fostering the tourism industry
Strengthening regional relations
Improving healthcare services
Expanding national railway and rail transportation networks
Enhancing air travel and upgrading the international airport in Tehran
Promoting development and investment in Chabahar
There have been extensive studies and research on the Phoenix Project, which aims to restore and repair Iran's natural environment, such as water scarcity and the loss of natural resources. The project has also addressed hundreds of other problems that have plagued Iran in the past 44 years. For more information on the Phoenix Project and its researchers, please visit their website.
Pahlavi's policies are visionary and groundbreaking, and they may be too much to achieve in the short term. However, given the damage done to Iran by the mullah regime over the past 44 years, they are necessary to build a better future for the country. Pahlavi is a man of action, and he is determined to make his vision for Iran a reality.
