Reza Pahlavi, the Current Crown Prince of Iran, was born in Tehran, Iran, on October 31, 1960. He was the heir to Mohammad Reza Pahlavi, the Shah of Iran, and Farah Pahlavi, the Empress of Iran. He was officially named Crown Prince at his father's coronation in 1967.
In 1978 AD, at the age of 17, he left Iran for jet fighter training in the United States Air Force at Reese Air Force Base in the city of Lubbock, Texas. During this period, escalating concerns in Iran led to the royal family's departure in January 1979. In the ensuing instability, the government of Iran was taken over by Islamists who established a theocratic regime, preventing Crown Prince Reza Pahlavi's return to his homeland. After successfully finishing the United States Air Force Training Program, Crown Prince Reza Pahlavi promptly reunited with his royal family.
On July 31, 1980, in Cairo, far from his homeland, at the age of 21, Crown Prince Reza Pahlavi declared his readiness, in accordance with the constitutional law, to accept his responsibilities and obligations as the lawful King of Iran. Considering the circumstances at the time, he postponed the oath-taking ceremony stipulated in the constitution to a future time and conditions.
During his early years, he pledged allegiance under the three-color flag of the lion and sun, dedicating his life to serving the nation, defending its independence and sovereignty, and safeguarding the legitimate rights of Iranians. In this way, he stood as a guardian of the Iranian monarchy.
During his first exile years, he continued and completed his higher education with a degree in political science from the University of Southern California. As an accomplished jet fighter pilot, Crown Prince Reza Pahlavi volunteered to serve his country’s military as a fighter pilot during the Iran-Iraq War but was declined by the clerical regime. Despite being forced to live in exile, Crown Prince Reza Pahlavi’s commitment and patriotic duty to Iran endures. For almost four decades, Crown Reza Pahlavi has been a leader and advocate of the principles of freedom, democracy, and human rights for his countrymen. He maintains constant contact with his compatriots and opposition groups, both inside and outside the country.
Crown Prince Pahlavi travels the world meeting with heads of state, legislators, policymakers, interest groups, and student groups speaking about the plight of Iranians under the Islamic regime in Iran. He consistently speaks out against the widespread abuse and oppression of the Iranian people and calls for the establishment of a secular democracy in Iran. He calls for regime change through non-violent civil disobedience, and for a free and open referendum on a new government of Iran. In addition to numerous articles published, Crown Prince Reza Pahlavi has written three books on the state of affairs in Iran:
Gozashteh va Ayandeh (Kayhan Publishing, 2000)
Winds of Change: The Future of Democracy in Iran (Regnery, 2002)
The Deciding Hours (Denoël, 2009)
He also has a featured column in The Huffington Post.
Crown Reza Pahlavi has lived in exile since 1979. He married Yasmine Etemad-Amini on June 12, 1986. They have three daughters:
Noor Pahlavi (born April 3, 1992), Iman Pahlavi (born September 12, 1993), and Farah Pahlavi (born January 17,2004)
Crwon Reza Pahlavi strongly believes in the inherent equal rights between men and women and, as such, has stated that his daughters Noor, Iman, and Farah are, successively, his heirs. Princess Yasmine Pahlavi graduated from George Washington University in Washington, DC, obtaining a B.A. in Political Science; and later, a Doctorate in Jurisprudence from The George Washington University Law School.
She worked for ten years as a staff attorney for the Children’s Law Center in Washington, DC, representing the rights and cases of hundreds of youth in the DC family court system. In 1991 she co-founded, and for 23 years was the Director of, the Foundation for the Children of Iran. The purpose of the Foundation was and remains to provide critical healthcare services to Iranian children or children of Iranian origin regardless of race, color, creed, religion, or political affiliation. Princess Yasmine is currently a vocal supporter of the democratic movement in Iran, appearing at pro-democracy rallies, events, and panels in many cities through the years. Crown Prince Reza Pahlavi’s four siblings include
Half-sister, Shahnaz Pahlavi(October 27, 1940), Sister Farahnaz Pahlavi (March 12, 1963), Brother Ali-Reza Pahlavi (April 28, 1966-January 4, 2011), Sister Leila Pahlavi (March 27, 1970 - June 10, 2001).
The official website of Crown Prince Reza Pahlavi.
