The U.S. Must Engage with Reza Pahlavi
The Late Shah’s Son Could Be a Coalition Builder as Many Iranians Reconsider the Monarchy as Iran’s Golden Age
Reza Pahlavi, the son of the late shah, has nationwide name recognition, and his reputation grows more positive as the Islamic Republic’s failures lead Iranian citizens to look at the monarchy as Iran’s golden age. Some Iranians try to dismiss Pahlavi based on criticisms of his father, but this is not fair. Not only are they not the same person, but Pahlavi has consciously learned from the past. He acts more as a coalition builder than a claimant. Ignoring Pahlavi’s potential signals that Washington is prepared to make the same mistake three times
A democratic Iran aligned with the West would reshape the Middle East’s strategic balance. It would dismantle the Islamic Republic’s terror network, and enable countries like Lebanon, Iraq, and Yemen to return to normalcy.