The oldest son of the last Shah of Iran, Crown Prince Reza Pahlavi, visited Israel for the first time this week, marking a historic event between the Jewish State and the ancient Persian dynasty. Pahlavi met with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu during his time in Israel and attended a Holocaust Memorial event.
Pahlavi, who has lived in exile in America since his father had to flee Iran after the Islamic Revolution in 1979, is the leader of the National Council of Iran, a group inside and outside of Iran opposed to the current power structure of the Islamic Republic.
As soon as he arrived in Israel, Pahlavi spoke on social media about the “biblical relationship over centuries” between Israel and Persia and hopes for future “Cyrus Accords”—a reference to King Cyrus of Persia who gave the decree for the exiled Jewish people to return to Jerusalem and rebuild the Temple.
“We are very happy to be here and are dedicated to working toward the peaceful & prosperous future that the people of our region deserve. From the children of Cyrus to the children of Israel, we will build this future together, in friendship.”
Yasmine and I just arrived in Israel. We are very happy to be here and are dedicated to working toward the peaceful & prosperous future that the people of our region deserve. From the children of Cyrus, to the children of Israel, we will build this future together, in friendship. pic.twitter.com/yN4UO3ecQ0
— Reza Pahlavi (@PahlaviReza) April 17, 2023
Pahlavi also said he felt it was his duty to be in attendance at a Holocaust Memorial event at Yad Vashem Monday night.
“My compatriots are very proud of their history, a history that dates back 2,500 years, when Cyrus the Great helped free Jewish slaves and helped rebuild their Temple,” Pahlavi said. “Today, when we have a regime that denies that the Holocaust ever occurred, it was my duty to be here, representing my fellow compatriots to honor the victims of the Holocaust and to pay my respects to this nation and its people.”
Israeli Intelligence Minister Gila Gamliel received Pahlavi and his wife, Yasmine.
“We appreciate the crown prince’s expression of solidarity with the citizens of Israel in the face of the severe terrorist attacks perpetrated by Iran, as well as his visit to Yad Vashem on the occasion of Holocaust Day in order to sympathize with the Jewish people, in contrast to Iran’s rulers who deny the Holocaust and encourage anti-Semitism,” Gamliel said.
After the ceremony at Yad Vashem, Pahlavi met with Prime Minister Netanyahu. No details were given about their conversation, but photos of the meeting were published.
Pahlavi says people within the nation of Iran are ready to topple the government, so rather than the US and other countries continuing to negotiate with the regime or Israel creating a direct confrontation, why not support the resistance from within? Including allowing those in exile to financially help the “good guys” inside the country.
“With the regime, negotiations don’t help anything. Obviously, no one wants war. Including Israel,” Pahlavi said. Therefore, we are left with the only option left – the Iranian people themselves. All the people of Iran are your allies. There is a popular army that exists in Iran. What frustrates the Iranian diaspora is the impossibility of helping.”
In addition to the memorial service and visit with Netanyahu, Pahlavi paid a call on and offered condolences to Rabbi Leo Dee, whose wife and two daughters were slain by terrorists in the West Bank during Passover. The Crown Prince and his wife also spent time in prayer at the Western Wall.
“So said Cyrus, the king of Persia, ‘All the kingdoms of the earth the Lord God of the heavens delivered to me, and He commanded me to build Him a House in Jerusalem, which is in Judea.’” – Hebrew Bible, Ezra 1:2
2,500 years ago, Cyrus the Great liberated the Jewish people from… pic.twitter.com/HIVOj5RvoZ
— Reza Pahlavi (@PahlaviReza) April 18, 2023
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