Former Crown Prince of Iran to visit Israel, says better days are ‘closer than ever’

Renewing the relationship between the Iranian people and the people of Israel – Reza Pahlavi, son of the Shah, is the most senior Iranian personality to ever pay a public visit to the Jewish state. 

By World Israel News Staff

Intelligence Minister Gila Gamliel will host former Crown Prince of Iran Reza Pahlavi, son of the Shah and the most senior Iranian personality to ever pay a public visit to Israel, Gamliel’s spokesperson announced Sunday night.

“I am honoured to host Iranian Crown Prince Reza Pahlavi and appreciate his brave decision to visit Israel for the first time. The Crown Prince symbolizes a leadership different from that of the Ayatollah regime and champions values of peace and tolerance, in contrast to the extremists who rule Iran,” Gamliel stated in a press release.

“Our nations have enjoyed good relations for thousands of years since the time of Queen Esther, who thwarted the evil Haman’s plot to destroy the Jews in Persia. Today, we are taking the first step in rebuilding the relationship between our nations,” she said.

“The Iranian people aspire to a government that respects its heritage, with the preservation of human rights and respect for religious and cultural diversity, among other things, through the restoration of peaceful and friendly relations with Israel and Iran’s other neighbours,” Pahlavi said.

“Millions of my compatriots still remember living alongside their Jewish-Iranian friends and neighbours, before the Islamic Revolution tore the fabric of our society apart. They reject the regime’s murderous anti-Israel and antisemitic policies and long for cultural, scientific and economic exchanges with Israel. A democratic Iran will seek to renew its ties with Israel and our Arab neighbours. In my opinion, that day is closer than ever.”

Pahlavi will arrive in Israel this week for the purpose of creating a bridge between Israel and the Iranian people and expressing joint opposition to the Ayatollah regime. The heir to the throne promotes discourse on the human rights situation in Iran and supports a democratic Iranian leadership.

“The Crown Prince will be visiting Israel with the aim of expressing solidarity with the citizens of Israel in light of the attacks by terrorist organizations operating under the auspices of Iran, renewing the relationship between the nations and building an economic relationship with a focus on water technologies. In addition, the Crown Prince will be honouring the victims of the Holocaust as part of Holocaust Martyrs’ and Heroes’ Remembrance Day events, and to denounce the antisemitism and Holocaust denial of the Ayatollah regime,” the press release said.

Pahlavi will participate in the official opening ceremony to mark Holocaust Martyrs’ and Heroes’ Remembrance Day, meet with Minister Gamliel and others, visit a desalination plant in order to learn about Israel’s advanced water technologies as a possible response to the collapsing water infrastructure in Iran, visit the Western Wall, and meet with the Baha’i community and with members of the Jewish-Iranian community in Israel.