Who is Reza Pahlavi? A royal in exile, Iran’s youngest pilot, and a potential successor after Khamenei’s death

As uncertainty grips Iran following reports surrounding the death of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, exiled former crown prince Reza Pahlavi has stepped forward, positioning himself as a potential transitional leader if the Islamic Republic collapses. In an opinion piece published in The Washington Post, Pahlavi sought to reassure the international community, declaring that Iran would not repeat the aftermath of the US-led invasion of Iraq. “Iran is not Iraq.”

Pahlavi also unveiled what he called the Iran Prosperity Project, outlining a roadmap for political transition and national recovery.

Iran’s exiled opposition forms provisional government

As the Iran war continues, Iran’s opposition figures are urging unity. Maryam Rajavi, president-elect of the Paris-based National Council of Resistance of Iran (NCRI), called for the complete overthrow of Iran’s clerical establishment and the creation of a democratic republic, as tensions intensified over Tehran’s nuclear and missile programs following US-Israeli strikes.

“Khamenei’s death is the death of religious tyranny and the end of the regime of Velayat-e Faqih. Now is the time to establish freedom and the sovereignty of the people of Iran,” she wrote in an X article before announcing the formation of a provisional government.


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Reza Pahlavi urges unity

Reza Pahlavi declared that Iran’s supreme leader, Ali Khamenei, had been “erased from the face of history,” claiming that his death marked the effective end of the Islamic Republic. He said any attempt by the regime to appoint a successor would lack legitimacy and fail.

Calling on Iran’s military and security forces to abandon the collapsing system, Pahlavi urged them to side with the people and support a peaceful transition. Addressing Iranians, he said the moment could mark the start of national liberation but warned that the struggle was not over, urging unity and readiness for decisive action in the streets, adding that “the time for a widespread and decisive presence in the streets is very near.”


In his opinion piece, Reza Pahlavi sharply criticized Iran’s ruling system: “For nearly half a century, the Islamic Republic has not behaved as a state among states. Instead, it has operated as an expansionist revolutionary enterprise, subverting neighbors’ sovereignty, fueling conflicts around the world, and pursuing nuclear weapons and the long-range missiles to deliver them.”

He also thanked US President Donald Trump, expressing hope that “a free Iran will resume, after decades, its formerly warm ties with the United States." Here is what to know about Reza Pahlavi, one of the potential candidates to run Iran if the Islamic regime falls.

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Who is Reza Pahlavi?

Reza Pahlavi is the eldest son of Mohammad Reza Pahlavi, the last shah of Iran, and Farah Pahlavi. Born in Tehran on October 31, 1960, he was officially named crown prince in 1967 during his father’s coronation.

From a young age, Pahlavi was raised within the royal household and trained in languages, history, court etiquette, sports, and aviation. At 13, he began flight training and, in 1977, completed his first solo flight in an F-5 fighter jet at Dezful Air Base, becoming Iran’s youngest pilot.

Reza Pahlavi: Exile, education, and life abroad

In the summer of 1978, Pahlavi traveled to the United States to complete his flight training at Reese Air Force Base in Texas. As unrest intensified in Iran and the monarchy collapsed, he was unable to return home.

He later pursued higher education in political science at the University of Southern California, earning his bachelor’s degree in 1985. Fluent in Persian, English, and French, Pahlavi has remained active in political advocacy while living in exile.

In 1986, he married Yasmine Etemad-Amini, a law graduate from George Washington University and an attorney focused on children’s rights. The couple has three daughters.

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Reza Pahlavi's political activism

According to his official website, Reza Pahlavi has spent more than four decades advocating for Iran’s freedom, insisting that his goal is not to restore the monarchy but to allow Iranians to choose their political future through democratic means.

During this period, he endured significant personal and political losses, including the assassination of family members, the Iran-Iraq war, mass repression inside Iran, and the deaths of his siblings in exile.

Public support for the Pahlavi name resurfaced during nationwide protests in 2017, 2019, and during the 2022 uprising following the killing of Mahsa Amini, when chants in support of Reza Pahlavi were heard across Iranian cities.

On November 14, 2024, Pahlavi announced in a video statement that, at the request of supporters, he was prepared to lead Iran’s national revolution and oversee a transition period. He also unveiled a five-pillar strategy aimed at democratic transition, national unity, and post-Islamic Republic reconstruction.