Heir apparent of the exiled Iranian monarchical dynasty, Reza Pahlavi has urged Iranians to continue their mass protests until the 47-year-old Islamic republic has fallen. The son of the last shah of Iran has called for a referendum to determine the polity of a successor regime and pressed monarchists to take part in the demonstrations. During his father’s coronation in 1967, Reza Pahlavi was named crown prince. When his father went into exile in Egypt, Reza Pahlavi enrolled at the American University in Cairo but did not complete his degree. After his father’s death in 1980, Pahlavi, then aged 20, proclaimed himself shah of Iran.

Source: The Irish Times January 13, 2026 06:48 UTC