As Iran’s leaders confront a serious challenge to their authority in the form of nationwide anti-government protests, the country’s exiled crown prince is trying to position himself as a key figure in his homeland’s future.
Reza Pahlavi, 65, galvanised protesters on Thursday night, helping to transform what started as grievances over the Islamic Republic’s weakened economy into a legitimate threat to the country’s theocracy.
But who is Mr Pahlavi, why has he lived outside of Iran for nearly 50 years and what are his chances of leading the country in the future?
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Who is Crown Prince Reza Pahlavi?
Mr Pahlavi was born on 31 October 1960 and grew up in luxury as the crown prince of his father, Shah Mohammad Reza Pahlavi, after he inherited the throne from his own father, an army officer who seized power with support from the UK.
Mr Pahlavi’s father’s power was shored up by a CIA-backed coup in 1953, and he went on to work closely with the US.
The young crown prince once played rock music in the Niavaran Palace during then-US president Jimmy Carter’s visit to Tehran on New Year’s Eve, according to a biographer of his father.
But problems lay ahead for the Peacock Throne.
The Islamic Revolution
Despite benefiting from rising oil prices in the 1970s, the shah’s rule was beset by economic inequality and fears surrounding his SAVAK intelligence agency, which became notorious for repressing and torturing political dissidents.
Millions protested against the shah, who was hampered by his inability to act and the poor decisions he made while secretly fighting terminal cancer.
A year after Crown Prince Reza left Iran for flight school at a US air base in Texas in 1978, his father fled the country during the beginning of the Islamic Revolution, which saw Shia clerics establish Iran’s theocratic government.
After the death of his father, an exiled royal court announced Mr Pahlavi had assumed the role of shah on 31 October 1980 – the day of his 20th birthday.
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Attempts to gain influence during nearly five decades in exile
Mr Pahlavi has attempted to gain influence in Iran during nearly five decades in exile, where he has mainly lived in the US, in Los Angeles and Washington, DC.
In 1986, The Washington Post reported the CIA had supplied the prince’s allies with “a miniaturised television transmitter for an 11-minute clandestine broadcast” from Mr Pahlavi, which pirated the signal of two stations in the Iranian Republic.
During the broadcast, he reportedly said: “I will return and together we will pave the way for the nation’s happiness and prosperity through freedom.”
Mr Pahlavi has maintained his voice in discussions about Iran’s future through social media videos, while Farsi-language news channels have highlighted his calls for further protests.
What are his ideas for the future of Iran?
In recent years, Mr Pahlavi has raised the idea that Iran could become a constitutional monarchy, perhaps with an elected ruler rather than a hereditary one, but has said it would be up to Iranians to choose.
However, while exiled Iranian monarchists have dreamed of a return of Mr Pahlavi’s dynasty, his attempts to garner a wider appeal have been stunted by several reasons, including unhappy memories of life under his father’s rule, concerns he and his family are out of touch with modern-day Iran, and younger generations in the country having been born decades after the end of the shah’s rule.
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He has also been criticised for his support of Israel, especially after the 12-day war between Israel and Iran in June last year. In 2023, he met Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in Israel, and the country has supported him in turn.
US President Donald Trump has indicated he is not currently inclined to meet Mr Pahlavi, suggesting he is waiting to see the result of the protests before he backs an opposition leader.
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While the outcome of the protests across Iran remains to be seen, it is unclear whether demonstrators shouting messages of support for the shah are backing Mr Pahlavi or voicing their desire to return to a time before the country’s Islamic Revolution.
