Reza Pahlavi, Exiled Iranian Royal With Pro-Israel Leanings, Signals Desire To Return

“Now is the time to stand up; the time to reclaim Iran. May I be with you soon,” wrote Reza Pahlavi on X on Tuesday, as airstrikes continued between Iran and Israel.

The post sparked curiosity, with many users asking Grok: Who is this guy?

Born on October 31, 1960 in Tehran, Reza is the eldest son of Mohammad Reza Pahlavi, the last Shah of Iran, and Empress Farah Diba. As the former Crown Prince of Iran, he was poised to succeed his father until the 1979 Islamic Revolution toppled the monarchy, forcing the Pahlavi family into exile.

Now 64, Pahlavi resides primarily in the United States, where he has emerged as a prominent advocate for a secular, democratic Iran, leading the National Council of Iran, an exiled opposition group. As per reports, he also enjoys supports from most of the Western governments, and also Israel.

His life’s mission, as stated on his website, is to see Iran governed by a “national, democratic, and elected government”. Married to Yasmine Etemad-Amini, he has three daughters and maintains a public presence through speeches, interviews, and social media, particularly on X, where he commands a significant following.

Reza Pahlavi’s grandfather Reza Shah (L) and father Mohammad Reza Shah (R)

Pahlavi’s early life was steeped in privilege. Educated at the exclusive Reza Pahlavi School within the royal palace, he later trained as a fighter pilot in the United States and studied political science at the University of Southern California. Following the revolution, he settled in exile, first in Morocco and Egypt, then in the U.S. His father’s regime, which he defends as a period of modernisation, is remembered by critics for its authoritarianism, human rights abuses, and reliance on the notorious SAVAK secret police.

Pahlavi distances himself from these criticisms, positioning himself as a coalition builder rather than a monarchist claimant, advocating for a democratic Iran where the form of government—monarchy or republic—is decided by the people.

“The Islamic Republic has reached its end and is in the process of collapsing. Khamenei, like a frightened rat, has gone into hiding underground and has lost control of the situation. What has begun is irreversible. The future is bright, and together, we will pass through this sharp turn in history,” Pahlavi wrote in a recent post.

Reza Pahlavi with his late sister Leila Pahlavi

Since the 1980s, Pahlavi has campaigned against the Islamic Republic, which he deems “incompatible with the free world”. He has called for civil disobedience, labour strikes, and international support to topple the regime, particularly during periods of unrest, such as the 2022 protests following Mahsa Amini’s death.

In June 2025, amidst escalating Israel-Iran tensions, Pahlavi declared the Islamic Republic “on the verge of collapse,” urging military and security forces to defect and join a democratic transition. His strategy includes “maximum pressure” on the regime and “maximum support” for Iranian dissidents, including funding protests and leveraging technology like Starlink to bypass censorship.

“Now is the time to rise; the time to reclaim Iran. Let us all come forward—from Bandar Abbas to Bandar Anzali, from Shiraz to Isfahan, from Tabriz to Zahedan, from Mashhad to Ahvaz, from Shahr-e Kord to Kermanshah—and bring about the end of this regime,” his post said.

Pahlavi’s vocal pro-Israel stance has drawn significant attention and criticism. Historically, Iran under his father maintained cordial ties with Israel, cooperating on energy and security. Reza Pahlavi has amplified this alignment, notably during his April 2023 visit to Israel, where he met Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, prayed at the Western Wall, and expressed solidarity with Israel’s fight against the Islamic Republic. He has argued that a democratic Iran would be a “strategic partner” to Israel, citing shared interests in countering Tehran’s regime. At the Israeli-American Council summit in September 2024, he called for Israeli funding of Iranian civil disobedience, framing the Islamic Republic as a mutual existential threat.

Reza Pahlavi and wife seen here with Israel Prime Minister Netanyahu and his wife

This pro-Israel position has sparked fierce criticism. Iranian activists like Reza Khandan, husband of dissident lawyer Nasrin Sotoudeh, have labelled Pahlavi “opportunistic” and “disconnected” from Iranians, warning that his stance risks undermining the broader protest movement. Critics argue his alignment with Israel ignores Iran’s historical support for Palestine, alienating the majority who sympathise with the Palestinian cause. On X, users like @SinaToossi have accused Pahlavi of serving “Netanyahu’s agenda” with little domestic support, likening him to a propped-up figure like Ahmed Chalabi. Others have condemned his silence on Palestinian casualties, claiming he parrots Israeli narratives while ignoring the complexities of the Israel-Palestine conflict.

Within Iran, his monarchist supporters are seen as a diaspora-driven minority, with chants of “Down with the dictator, be it the Shah or the Sheikh” reflecting domestic rejection of both theocracy and monarchy.

Reza Pahlavi at Western Wall. He wrote: ” It is with profound awe that I visit the Western Wall of that Temple and pray for the day when the good people of Iran and Israel can renew our historic friendship”

His name evokes nostalgia for some, particularly among the diaspora, who view the Pahlavi era as Iran’s “golden age”. Yet, his overt pro-Israel stance and perceived detachment from Iran’s socio-political realities continue to limit his influence within the country, casting doubt on his viability as a unifying leader for a post-Islamic Republic Iran.