Persian Realm

He is not responsible for the past.

Not only he is not responsible for his father and also is not responsible for the past, otherwise there are millions of people responsible for changing Iran from 20th century  to 7th century and modern Regime to Stone Age Regime. Reza Pahlavi is the most honest person among all those who claiming freedom for our country and I wished all Iranian would been so forth coming and clear and honest for their agenda, I am not his or any persons fans, but I am Iranian and I wish that all Iranian would be honest with themselves and unite under one umbrella and Prince Pahlavi is the great leader for freedom movement and right person to carry the flag and setup the forum that includes all parties for free Iran.  

Well, it's too little too late for the old regime

However, I don't think he should be "accountable" for anything since he was real young. His mother however, had numerous chances to object and affect policy, which she did not and she has no similar confession. It's only because Iranians are sexist (especially the Pahlavist kind) that nothing has ever been expected of her.

It wasn't just grotesque torture: it was corruption, extrajudicial killings, kidnapping, rape/sexual crimes, and terrorism. SAVAK was an instrument of terror and it lived up to its US/Israeli training. Many of the exiles were the direct economic beneficiary of these policies so not much gets mentioned. So if RP wants to open this can of worms, I welcome it.

Many thanks Darius

Can someone call me Brad Pitt, then?

People should be addressed in the manner they want, when feasible. Does Reza Pahlavi want to be addressed as "your Majesty"?

Never increase, beyond what is necessary, the number of entities required to explain anything.

Ari Jaan I would love to see you interview His Majesty ... ;0)

I can try to use my connections to that effect but I cannot promise you it will work. His secretariat is not the most cooperative and I blame us Monarchists for our incompetance on this front and no one else.

I will see what I can do but cannot vouch for it. But if Pejman Akbarzadeh of Radio Zamaneh (see photo  here with the Shahbanou whom I helped put in contact with her secretary Kambiz Atabai for the purpose of Pejman's excellent documentary on Hayedeh) was able to interview him (Listen here) I do not see why another intelligent and talented columnist on Iranian.com like you couldn't be given the possibility to interview him ? ...

As to your question on the Mosque debate on "Ground Zero" ... I do not see how that is an issue of concern to Iranians per se or rather to their struggle for democracy in IRan. I am sure he has an opinion as a residing Washingtonian but that does not particularly define his political outlook on IRan. I should think his response would be even predictable as was when asked about the Palestinian-Israeli crisis by a French journalist quite recently where he said that regardless of the Plight of the Palestinians with which he sympathizes ( As did his father during his rule : pictory: (SURPRISE) Shah and Sadat Pro Palestine Statement (1975) ) he cannot speak for them nor accept that Iranian money be wasted on the Hamas and Hezbollah and Iran's security be jeapodized by it's government's irresponsible involvement in a conflict of no direct concern to them. In addition Unlike Shirin Ebadi,  His Majesty does not claim to represent the Muslim community worldwide but merely her countrymen and women of different faiths, ethnic backgrounds or whatever you wish to call a would be King ...

The Pahlavis have always been protectors of all faiths including the Baha'is during their reign ( Shahyad Monument was built by a Baha'i after all ).

I do not see why RP 2 would behave differently on this matter. His Own Father is Buried in a Muslim Mosque ( where as his grandfather's shrine in Iran visited by our dear Richard Frye in the past was demolished by the Revolutionaries back in 1979) and Even his own Daughter Noor has learned to speak Arabic ( in addition to their Original Persian, English and French) and all three children inlcuding his own mother have Arab Names ( to some of our own Self Proclaimed "ARYAN" compatriots' dismay) Princess' Noor, Iman and little Farah ( like her grandma affectionately called Grandma Yaya by the three children ).

The only difference with his Mystical minded father ( albeit for political pretense and maybe some genuine spiritual personal need and conviction in the Shah's case) I believe will be that in a Secular Democratic State not just him but the government and institutions will have to behave accordingly to the Secular Concept of the Separation of Religion and State. Which from that point of view will actually be in accordance with the Secularist Nature of the Founding Father of the Pahlavi Dynasty but with a more tolerant attitude ( which as a matter of fact was the case under his father's rule: pictory: Girls in Bikini vs Veiled Women on Caspian Sea, Babolsar (1971)) but may less be the case for Iranian Society in a Post IRI Iran already fed up with Religious hypocrisy. That is where the country's laws, justice department, and civil society and activists at large will have their share of the job like in any free society to debate on all social issues and struggle against prejudice be it religious, ethnic or cultural and through their democratically elected representatives make sure that the laws voted are compatible with Universal Norms of Human Rights and democratic values.

But bear in mind that in a Constitutional Monarchy the King or Queen Reign and do not rule:

RESTORATION: Prince Charles, The Meddling Prince (5 Parts)

And that is as a matter of fact one of the challenges of RP even today where given his situation as an Opposition figurehead he is Politicized even if he does not wish to be which puts him in a specifically contradictory situation given the exceptional circumstances of being a prince in exile.  

As Such the Job of the future Constitution will also be to create that necessary BUFFER ZONE or Threshhold if you will that protects the Royal Family from entering the Political Arena and guarantees the Prime Minister's Impartiality to run the country based on his or her political program for which he is elected by a majority of the voters:

HISTORY FORUM: How Truly Democratic is The British Monarchy ?

But that is nothing new if one is familiar to the constitutional movement's history. Belgium (the constitution of which inspired our 1906 Constitution) is precisely going through an Institutional Crisis which prompted King Albert II to enter the political scene in order to choose a Prime Minister amongst the Opposition. In the above documentary you will also notice that the Queen of England also used that Prerogative in 1964 for similar reasons and in the mid Seventies which prompted the Political elite to make sure that such an embarrassing situation does not occur again. Yet the Queen has that Prerogative in very exceptional cases. Same thing for Spain's King Juan Carlos who after Franco's death had to work hand in hand with the conservatives and the largely leftwing Republican faction of the Parliament to guarantee a peaceful transition towards democracy in his country. He was also to grant political amnesty to all republican opposition forces in exile who were thus able to return.

So as such the Royal Head of State DOES have PREROGATIVES. The Prime Minister Acts upon his name but his obligations are towards those who voted him in office.

Another delicate issue relative to the Monarchy is also that the King or Queen are head of the Army and are all subject to a Military training ( less the case for Queens as may be let's say for RP2's Daughter if she is to succeed to him). In Spain Juan Carlos is still very much the head of the Army ( which if you recalled helped him counter the Parliamentray Coup  in the early 1980's by taking a public stance through a Television broadcast from his palace) but he is not in charge of purchasing Arms or the Ministery of Defence which have all the task of actually running the Army's budget etc while the Prime Minister is also the Only Person who can decide to send his troops to Afghanistan or bring them back. Naturally Given our own History of the Coup of 1953 this will indeed be a delicate matter and testing challenge for any Pahlavi King or Queen in the future if their dynasty is restored. I think we monarchist and our Crown Prince are all fully aware of that challenge which in a democratic Iran will definitively be used by any Republican aka Jomhurykhah at worst as a recurrent political argument against his Reign or at best as a pretext to limit his Royal Prerogatives which again is often the case including is Great Britain or Spain by those who fear Royal absolutism. Again I think such concerns are not only legitimate but healthy to any democratic society ( if we ever end up to have one that is) since in Both Great Britain and Spain One can be Republican while being Loyal to the Royal Institutions per se. That has actually often been the case since in Spain the staunchest Royalists paradoxically happen to be former Republicans and the Left wing part leaders:

Zapatero defends King Juan Carlos in his Firm response to Venezuela's Chavez who was accusing Zapatero's predecessor ( Aznar) of being a Fascist:

//www.youtube.com/watch?v=X3Kzbo7tNLg

Same thing in Great Britain during the Thatcher years where the Unionists wives sollicitated the Queen's support at the pinnacle of the Crisis ( during which the Queen was said to have given her silent endorsement to letter opposing a petition to be submitted by the government and passed in Parliament which was deemed unjust by the unionists) :

//www.youtube.com/watch?v=rp9xnDudw6U&feature=related 

Same thing if IRan were to become a Nuclear Power, it is the Prime Minister who will be in charge of pushing the Red Button if necessary:

Yes, Prime Minister - Nuclear deterrent :

//www.youtube.com/watch?v=IX_d_vMKswE

Yes, Prime Minister - The nuclear button:

//www.youtube.com/watch?v=DUzRJfAc-HU&feature=related

But only in the name of his sovereign ... ;0)

In anycase I will try to do my share in trying to convince his secretariat to grant you an interview but again I cannot gurantee it for 100 %, 

Best,

DK

Related Blogs:

ROYALTY AND FAITH:Ayatollah Jannati Kisses Shahbanou Farah's Hand (1970's)

ROYAL CHRISTMAS: Shahbanou Visits Church in Rezaiyeh (1970's)

Shah welcomes Pope

Armenian commemorative coin

Gold coin: Jewish

As official spokesperson of

As official spokesperson of his majesty, that's a deal! (for those who don't know me, I'm kidding!)

But regarding your suggestion, I don't think it has any impact one way or another. I personally believe that this was a big screw-up of Obama administration. It was conceived for sending a message internationally, without considering its impact internally. Of-course now that it is launched, it has to succeed. There is no way back. Otherwise it'd be a disaster in international field and an open season for minority discrimination internally. But that was a lousy lousy idea to begin with.

Benross

Ari

Call RP 'your majesty'. Then he might consider your suggestion.

Opportunity for RP

"In the end, we will forget the words of our enemies, but we will not soon forget the silence of our friends."  source.
 

RP II was already Accountable as Far back as 1986 ...

In his long interview with French Journalist Chistian Malar published as a Book (See Cover)

Available Here

as well as here

MALAR CHRISTIAN / RODIER ALAIN REZA PAHLAVI, LE FILS DU SHAH DE L'EXIL A LA RECONQUETE
ISBN : 2259014208. PLON. 1986.

Only YOU Jomhurykhah's Refused to Listen or Read Anything he said or wrote by PURE MALICE AND PREJUDICE !

Blinded by your very own Character Assassinations against Anything the Pahlavi's could represent !

RPII 's Concern for Human Rights does not Date from Today ...

Excerpt of Parisa Saed's Interview with Crown Prince Reza Pahlavi about Violation of human right in iran - may 29th 1993:

He even praised Dr. Mossadegh in his public speach during the Rally in LA back in the 1990's ...

So quite honestly massoud jaan it seems to me that it was the Jebheh Melli members or leaders ( Not Bakhtiar) which seem to have had deaf Ears by stubbornly Refusing any form of Cooperation with him for the past 25 , 20 , or even 5 years past ...

for those that are intrested

and who can read farsi, here is the download link for his book, it might answer a few other questions that you have.

//rezapahlavi.org/media/pdf/471_Zamane_Entekhab.pdf

p.s The French version of the book came out in Feb 2009, so this is old news!!

No place for beggers

How about it RP? Put Iran and Iranian first

That's exactly what he was doing all along. His remark also is not new, it was published in French version of his book a year ago for any decent curious to know. And it is in line with what he was saying for as long as I remember. So, you are far from being the spokesperson of 'Iran and Iranian' to tell him what to do.

A reminder: he is the king of Iran based on the only legitimate constitution of modern Iran. He will only renounce his crown at the will of Iranians in free Iran. Take it or leave it.

If you don't like how a business is run, run your own business. Not a new idea and we witness all these bankrupt businesses all around. But bankruptcy is not a reason to go to another business you don't want any part of, and tell how to run it! Not a convincing role model you'd be anyway!

It's not for me to say even one word on behalf of JM...

...or any other group, for that matter. But, 

"So it's Never Late for the Jebheyeh Melli and their Jomhurykhah likeminds  to Apologize too ..." 

This is truly a realistic statement. It's not and will not be late to apologize in a timely fashion. We owe it to ourselves first and foremost.

The first step though, in my opinion, is to prioritize our common agenda.

The proxy talks should stop, and an "active" united front should be established.  

Never increase, beyond what is necessary, the number of entities required to explain anything.

One thing is for sure...

The Shah was not torturing enough and all those being tortured were being tortured for all the right reasons. Had he tortured more, things would never have gotten to such a sorry state of affairs and there would never have been a devolution in '79 that has led Iran now on the verge of becoming nothing more than a client of callous Russian-Chinese expansionist and economic interests.

-

May we be amongst those who are to bring about the transfiguration of the Earth - Zoroastrian prayer

The Jomhurykhahs Accountability Is ALSO Long Due ...

For Not Only did Iran and Iranians come Second in YOUR Republic's Book :

But also Because of YOUR POOR CHOICE :

THEY Died ...

BOOK: EVEN AFTER ALL THIS TIME By Afschineh Latifi ( A Memoir )

JAVIDAN: Shah's Imperial Guard dies during an attack by Khomeini guerillas (1979)

JAVIDAN: Farokhroo Pārsā (1922-1980) 

JAVIDAN: Fereydoon Farrokhzad (1935-1992)

JAVIDAN: Generals Ayat Mohagheghi and Mehdi Rahimi

A Women for All Seasons: In Memory of Farokhroo Pārsā by Ardavan Bahrami

BOOK: EVEN AFTER ALL THIS TIME By Afschineh Latifi ( A Memoir )

The Generals Widow By Cyrus KADIVAR

Dialogue of murder:A cautionary tale that must not be forgotten By Cyrus KADIVAR

And I will stop the List there ! ...

So it's Never Late for the Jebheyeh Melli and their Jomhurykhah likeminds  to Apologize too ...

How about it RP? Put Iran

How about it RP? Put Iran and Iranian first. Who knows, maybe by taking this symbolic action, renounce the monarchy now, and you may in fact restore it for generations to come.

Aynak:

As we can see here, he has taken perhaps the first step in accepting the realities and facts of our recent history. I think he will gain many peoples respect in that regard and I wholeheartedly agree that by rejecting monarchy as a way for the future of Iran, he will gain far more respect and perhaps as real contender as leader. He will certainly step much closer to be my leader if he puts Iranian people first and equal to every one else.

Mehrdad

...

even if rp does not get a crown, this gesture helps him gain credibility as a compassionate iranian.  i wish he can investigate more on this matter as he has resources and connections and is in a position to reveal more about the subject.  even if he alienates many in his base, he has the potential to gain respect of many who are not.

thanks for the post dk.

Have to hand it to you,

Have to hand it to you, Darius, I've been snickering over RP's book title all day. :)

Such amusement. No, you just can't make this stuff up.

Let's not beat around the bush, Reza Pahlavi

has one clear choice to help Iran and be relevant.   That is, if he is sincere, he would --renounce monarchy--.   That can be his historical contribution.

Come out and say:

"No more monarchy!   We need a system where everyone in position of power is elected, accountable, and all citizen have equal rights and no --ruling-- privilage granted to anyone based on birth rights."

I can  think of this as a divisve issue, when the current regime falls.

He can certainly groom himself to become president.   But for heavens sake, in 21st century, faced with economic challgenges, creating jobs, environamental issues ..... and all that faces Iran, need we be focusing our focus and energy on wether to have a monarchy or not? 

I can say with certainty, a good 30-40 percent of people will be very much against Monarchy, may be even more.   It is not a matter of how nice he may be.  Will all those prisoners in Evin, all the expelled students all those who have lost a dear one to the current dictatorship, settle for the potentiality of another?

Frankly the way some of his supporters behve, Mr.Kadviar included, does not give me a warm fuzzy feeling about a tolerant future under his majesty.  Even if he is a good person, or at least not a bad person (like Shah was not a bad person between (1320-1332)  the brown-nosed, the leeches, the one who are ready to worship anyone to get  money, the one who have not put in an honest day of work in their lives, some of the ones with beared today who will shave them off in a jiffy.....  will make him a monster.

Monarchy will only work in a country where:

--Majority support it

--Minority is indiffernt to it

--It can have a unifying effect

In Iran none  is the case.   Most important, the most educated, are against this type of system.

Saying his father committed torture, is like TajZadeh or many of the reformists in Iran saying crimes were committed against political prisoners under Islamic Regime.   From that view, RP who is not even in power, is even one step behind the opposition in Iran.   Think about it.

For the sake of Iran, our future generation deserves better.   Bottom line is, both VF supporters and 1953 Coup supporters stand by their "leader" NOT based on validity of their actions, but by the unlimited power granted to them, as a person --ABOVE ALL-- in a constitution.

One "CON" Man Representing ANOTHER!

This is WAY....WAY...WAY TOO late in the game!  

These people are so CREDIBILITY DEFFIECIENT and suffer from such poor track record that NO one in his/her right mind would, could or should believe them!  

Declaring LOSS after you already know that you have LOST and LOST BIG is confession after the FACT, neither honest nor CREDIBLE and EXTREMELY SLEEZY…it is called MARRIAGE of convenience!!!  

What else did we expect him to SAY or DO when CAT has been out of the BAG, and despite that it took him “ONLY” 30+ odd years admitting it!    

As an optimist, ONE always thinks of the positive, except when it comes to this CRIMINAL family, and their HORRIBLE PAST HISTORY! 

Great Post DK.

This is a wise move by RP.

Obviously, being honest about the past mistakes would only help prevent mistakes being made in the future.

Most importantly,  the islamist regime having completely lost internal and external credibility, severly weakened by last year's popular uprising in Iran and recent UN led sanctions is only able to rule by fear and intimidation due to a very divided internal opposition force. A united yet politically diverce oppsition force is the nightmare scenario for khalifa khamenei and his vazir ahmadinezhad....

Thank You Dariush

Dariush jaan,

Thank you for the blog.

Such honest admissions by RP will go a long way in building trust. One should be honest and admit mistakes. One of my sources of suspicions of RP has been his replying to questions about the dictatorship of his family by saying it is up to historians to judge. That is NOT answering the question, it is avoiding it. It implies that RP did not take the dictatorship and torture by the Pahlavis seriously. Relatedly, one may logically conclude that if RP does not strongly and unequivocally condemn dictatorship and torture by Pahlavis, then he himself would engage in them for the sake of power.

Imagine if when he was asked such questions, he would simply and honestly say: dictatorship is wrong and I condemn it. My father and grandfather did not know how to reign constitutionally and democratically, which have caused much disappointment among the Iranian people. I wish they were truly democratic and constitutional monarchs. I hope we all grow and develop by learning from our mistakes.

Had RP honestly done this 25 years ago, 20 years ago, 5 years ago, by now he would have been regarded as one of the main leaders of the pro-democracy movement. Such admissions would be regarded as his bona fide democratic commitments and credentials.

If a person only condemns torture and atrocities of the IRI while remaining silent on those of the monarchy, he or she would be regarded as hypocrite. Or if a person condemns dictatorship of Pahlavis and remains silent on the dictatorship of the IRI (which has been a zillion times worse), then that person is regarded as a hypocrite.

It is never too late to admit wrong doings. If we are going to live in Iran together, we have to find ways of peacefully coexisting. Truth will help reconciliation as seen in the post-apartheid South Africa.

You are one of those rare monarchists that is decent and honest. If there were more like you, such intense animosities between melliun and monarchists would have dissipated long time ago.

Best,

Masoud

واقعا که یک مشت خوش خیالید

واقعا که یک مشت خوش خیالید

لطف کنید  اعلاحضرت رو بیارین ازشون بابت اینهمه راست گویی و
شفافیت تشکر کنیم. ` اگر` پای پدرم در میان بود؟ اگر؟؟ بعد از این همه،
تازه اگر؟؟؟

نخیر اون پای پدر پفیوز شما نبود. پای عمّه جان بنده بود.

Thanks, Mr. Kadivar

The excerpted quote is a promising sign of political maturity from the prince.

Never increase, beyond what is necessary, the number of entities required to explain anything.

I was shocked yet happy to read this blog

it is one step in the right direction by RP and his supporters

Mehrdad

DK - excellent start towards healing, unification & action

Next is what we have talked about, hopefully?

Good

Good, honest answer. Certainly much more honest than anything that can be said about almost all monarchists and royalists here who act as if the Shah was an angel and Iran was heaven, with the exception of DK himself who is honest in my opinion, even if I do not agree with most things that he posts and declares.

Mammad

Dear DK,I have more respect for RP for his reply about torture

Dear Darius, it takes courage to admit to one's parent 's wrongdoing. Especially, when we are talking about RP and his father. Now, only pro IRI people on this site could be so honest about torture and all other crimes happening now in Iran.