PAHLAVI

Mammad

So, so long as he does not acknowledge the atrocities of his father and the Pahlavi family, he, as a political figure, should be held accountable POLITICALLY for his father's crimes. In my opinion, he has no political future in whatever capacity. I doubt that he is a competent person anyway.

So, So long as Mammad does not acknowledge the atrocities of the IRI for the past 30 years as vigorously, Mammad, as a credible commentator,should be held accountable for his double standards. In my opinion, Mammad has no monopoly on the truths.

I doubt that he is a non-partisan person anyway.

Having said that, I do agree that Reza should acknowledge, defend, condemn, support his father's legacy in a comprehensive way. If he can't do that then he is as inept as the regime apologists.

Reza is not guilty?

Reza Pahlavi - the Iranian citizen - should not be held accountable for his father's crimes. In addition, he has lived all of his adult life outside Iran.

But, Reza Pahlavi - the political person - is talked about and is somebody only and purely because of who he is - his father's son. Otherwise, he, as a person, has no accomplishment in life to even be somebody of some stature, given tens of thousands of Iranians who have astonishing accomplishments and are politically much more savy than him.

Reza Pahlavi got his BS degree from USC in Los Angeles, presumably because his father gave USC $7 million in early 1970s. Otherwise, as far as I know, he never set foot in USC campus. He has not worked even one day in his life to make a living and, therefore, does not even know what it is like to work for a living. He has been living off the wealth that his father left for him, whose origin is questionable at best.

He emerged after 9/11 terrorist attacks to opportunistically take advantage of the situation. On that same day, he went on an Iranian radio station ion Los Angeles, and advocated implicitly attacks on Tehran. That is who he is. I wrote an article right then and responded to him. Then, his attacking dogs, instead of denying that he had said that, only justified what he had said and barked.

Worse, while he has no hesitation condemning and attacking the Iranian Revolution of 1979 that overthrew the Pahlavi dynasty 30 years ago, he always evades the question of the 1953 coup that happened 55 years ago, and always says that history should judge it!! He has never acknowledged any crime by his father, and at most has said that he made some "mistakes."

So, so long as he does not acknowledge the atrocities of his father and the Pahlavi family, he, as a political figure, should be held accountable POLITICALLY for his father's crimes. In my opinion, he has no political future in whatever capacity. I doubt that he is a competent person anyway. 

Mammad

To King of all Kings

Dear sister

It is not up to me alone, it is not up to you alone either, it is up to millions of people who should choose, if they're ever given the chance to freely choose, whether they want monarchy or republic for Iran. In either case, if the system is truly a representative system of government, the form would not matter that much.

based on your logic if we are to go forward and not backwards, then we should go with a system which is neither a monarchy nor a republic, after all what we've got now is an Islamic REPUBLIC, isn't it?

To Sister Anonymou123

I am sorry if I have that effect on your lungs, dear. If you called yourself an Iranian (instead of Persian) then maybe you could develop a higher tolerance to reality than you exhibit.

I beleive you had a question for me. You asked "Is it fair to assume that whoever works for the government in Iran now is a ruthless criminal, or a corrupt morally bankrupt animal?"

Answer: No. It's not. These are the same people (like you and me) who worked under shah and would continue to work under any other clawn. We did and continue to do this because we have to make ends meet.

I do think however, that whoever supports either the Monarchy or the IRI for personal financial reasons is a corrupt thief or a no good freeloader who only got what they got through family connection and nepitism.

You see, dear, to me two wrongs don't make a right.

We need to look forward and not backwards. Manarchy has no place in our future.

Incidently, I too have been to Iran a few times in the past few years. While almost everyone I talked to didn't like the IRI, not too many of the them wanted to replace the IRI with another manarchy. We all know IRI is a bad system- but all Kings are still Pigs.

To King of all Kings

Dear sister

It is people like you with your prejudiced minds, grudges, inferiority complexes, and sometimes hidden agendas who make me barf up a lung. ARGH!

You think whoever supports Monarchy or RP for Iran is a corrupt thief and a no good freeloader who only got what they got through family connection and nepitism (which is much more prevalent in Iran now).

Is it fair to assume that whoever works for the government in Iran now is a ruthless criminal, or a corrupt morally bankrupt animal? Tell me!

Unbeknownst to you, a whole lot of people during the Shah's time worked hard day in day out and achieved what they achieved based on merit and competence which is more than I can say for a whole lot of government officials in Iran's current system.

I've been to Iran so many times in the past few years to know that contrary to your hateful diatribe here, a whole lot of people and their children dream of RP going back one day to rescue them and their children's future from the clutches of mullahs.

To anonymous observer: that's just your opinion

I could care less whether Monarchy returns to Iran or not 'cuz I ain't never going back to live there any way, but I believe considering Iranian culture, no matter what form of government Iran might end up having (if Iran can ever get rid of the Velayat-e-Faqih system), it will turn into a dictatorship, whether a Republic or a Monarchy. The essential factor will be then whether the system will be a benevolent dictatorship like the Shah's or a malevolent one like the one we've got now.

btw, contrary ot your opinion, Monarchy is alive and thriving in half of the countries around the world and I should add that a whole lot of those monarchies are parliamentary democracies.

Monarchy Is Obsolete...But

Monarchy is an obsolete system of governance that has no place in the 21st century (neither does "velayat-e-faghih" for that matter).  Additionally, I am no fan of Reza Pahlavi.  That being said, in the interest of fairness, it should be emphasized that Reza Pahlavi has said that he is interested in a public referandum and does not want to return as king.  Also, the guy should not be demonized for what his father did or did not do....who knows, perhaps he has some worthwhile ideas.  BTW, what his father did is child's play in comparison to what has happened in the past 30 years...which, as I have said before, makes the 1979 orgy of a "revolution" an extremely bad bargain!!   

ali1348: thank you and...

You said:

and these guys are still saying he [reza shah] was a pet of the british!

Islamists with evil intentions have repeated lies about (all) iranian shahs so many times that we tend to believe them even if truth turns out to be the opposite. That is the only way that they can justify their black revolution that brought us nothing but misery and cultural defeat.

I thought I should let you know of an outstanding iranian researcher, Prof. Homa(youn) Katouzian who has done in depth research into British documents unclassified a couple of years back, specially about rise and fall of the great reza shah. He claims with confidence and evidence that such claims about reza shah are mostly the opposite of truth. He has written many books too. Unfortunately his books are rather expensive but I have a short lecture of him on tape that analyzes sources forwarded from the time of reza shah and how mullas opposed a republic reza shah wanted to establish similar to attaturk's turkey and that British had a cold reception of reza shah's becoming head of state.

Iraj, Can we just get along?

Iraj: Your question is a valid one. Why can't people on this website conduct a civilized discussion about the pros and cons of constitutional monarchy instead of all this childish and sick name calling?

If the supporters of our great monarch could learn to talk (or write) like mature adults, we could do just that. But instead they base all their expressions on personal emotional experiences from a short prosperous time in Iran's history, which happened to coincide with part of late Shahs reign. Pahlavi's supporters who seem to be very few in numbers inside Iran confuse good times with good governance. They reminisce about the good times, the food, the TV programs, the travel... I'm sorry Iraj, but to me they just sound childish...

I am not a supporter of IRI. I am a supporter of Democracy in Iran. In my view, the IRI is the cost that Iran is paying during this time in its history to free itself from 2500 years of being ruled by kings. During this log history, we had our kings and our kings had their subjects. It was NEVER a good system. So why go back?

Some of us do not like to be subjects to any unelected officials and like our freedoms. We don't like the IRI but more importantly, for us there is no going back to having a king.

So my question for you is, instead of pros and cons of constitutional monarchy, why don't we look into pros and cons of representational democracy for Iran?

It won't be easy- but freedom is not free.

I wonder if Sadegh.

I wonder if this hypocrite Sadegh would say the same things about IR. IR has stolen 100 times more from Iranian treasury than Shah did. I wonder if Sadegh would say the same thing about the "agha zadehs" running around in their Ferraris in Tehran which Iranians are poorer than ever. Shah was bad(I don't know about his son), but mullahs are pure evil.

NAPOLEON....YOU'RE THE MAN!!!

it's funny, but as I read your comments, it's like you were reading my mind! always right on the money!
you're exactly right about the examples of these individuals who have not learned the hard lessons of the fiasco of 1979!
they're still spewing bs about the nonsense that has been pounded into their heads by the akhoonds.
I wish for once that we could have a happy ending by going back to our beautiful homeland and work together to make it the best country it can be! like u said, IRAN should come first....these people are still bitching about the poor shah and his son- why would he go back and work his butt off for these types of ungrateful people?!! I wouldn't.....reza shah single-handedly saved iran from "tajzeeyeh" by the goddamn brits....he brought iran out of the stone age in less 25 years, and these guys are still saying he was a pet of the british!! give me a break.....as long as we have a buncha bee-vatans like that, iran is doomed
may god free iran very soon!

Reza Pahlavi

TO WHOM IT MAY CONCERN:

Why can't people on your website conduct a civilized discussion about the pros and cons of constitutional monarchy instead of all this childish and sick name calling? After 30 years some people still can not rise our of the gutter. Writing such stupid comments and engaging in name-calling instead of presenting logical arguments is a clear indication of weak logic and sick minds or the job of paid agents of the regime in Tehran. If you are doing this as part of your job because you need the money, try getting an honest job. But if you are doing it because it makes you feel good. Seek treatment!

Dear Sister Anonymou123:

People like you make me sick. You lecture me about sitting outside Iran in relative comfort of the West... How dare you? I've worked every day of my adult life. More than half of it in Iran. I work harder and smarter than you or any of your shahhee friends at comfort levels much lower than any of you could possibly imagine.

Why? Because I know freedom is not free. You work and you work and you work. I don't expect a hand-out from any of my country men or the government; either the US Government or the IRI or that Shah Naftee. If you think you are entitled to something you should go to the welfare offices in Los Angeles, Tehran or wherever the hell you are.

As for the people of Iran and their Children, they would laugh at your flunky shah and your entitled mentality. Long Live Democracy. Translation: All Kings are Pigs.

Re: Abarmard

The problem of Arabic-speaking societies as well as of some non-Arab Muslim societies will not be solved by military confrontations, security measures or economic rewards and/or punishments. None of these measures address the core issue, which is essentially one of culture and knowledge. Accordingly, the most effective way of dealing with the problem is by adopting a level-headed approach based on a thorough understanding of the reasons behind the distinctive characteristics displayed by the contemporary Arab mindset.--Tarek Haggi

...but , there are two different problems to be addressed. The root problem, which you note, is a problem of Arabs and Muslims: how to come to grips with modernity, and put aside tribalism and enforced ignorance. There is frankly nothing that can be done about this problem by anyone except those who have the problem. So in that sense, your statement is true : no outside force can solve that problem, so a level-headed approach is neither here nor there.

But that core problem leads to a second problem, and it is a shared problem between the political Arab/Muslim world (IRI) and everyone else; in other words, the Islamic republic's combative, belligerent, non-compromising agenda with the West.

To expect that the rest of the world will sit still and allow an entity like the IRI to be used as a Russia's proxy to do the biddig of Russia or china for them in the ME against the US interests, you're sadly mistaken. It is not going to happen.

No future for the youth with the current regime

It's so easy, selfish and self-fulfilling to sit outside Iran in the relative comfort of the West and reprimand those inside who long for the old days when they compare what they had 30 years ago to what they have got now, when they compare and ponder on what the future held for them and their children back then and what the future holds for them and their children now.

Yes. We can talk.

Its time to grow up people. Forget his majesty and his gang of thieves. My favorite phrase is "freedom is not free". Translation: kings are pigs. Whether it was that King George the Pig or that Pig of Pigs the MoRezShah of the great (delusional) Pahlavis.

Never forget that all kings are pigs and that our pigs were bunch of dogs too...

To Abarmard

"If you are truly concerned about the future of Iran and democracy, follow the trend of the countries that have successfully reached it. They took care of religion and fought against all the atrocious government actions and the dictators, independently as a society with time on their hand. No one can take that a way from them now."

Why don't you name those countries? which country/s was/were in the exact same prediacment as Iran has been in the last 30 years? how much time do you think is needed? Do you think countries which feel threatneed by the Islamic rulers of Iran now will wait that long?

Re: Deluded nonsense by

Everything that you say is utter non-sense and ONLY based on 70s-style empty hatred. You are also very naive about Obama and who and how he was elected.

We know where we would be for as long as we think that we have all the answers because we like this and don't like that with accusations. That only leads to, let's tolerate or reform IRI, an empty dream. Can you provide any evidence of any of your accusations OR provide an alternative to RP that can Work today before another 30 years pass away under IRI.

RP has not done much for iran, but is a totally innocent iranian who should enjoy the same rights as you do. His association with the shah is immaterial, the shah who brought the best days of iran in the last 200 years despite his short-comings, unless you view the shah as a barrier for sooner take-over and destruction of iran by the islamists or leftists or Yazdi-type pseudo intellectuals. That kind of guilt by association belongs to age of russian revolution and then iranian revolution, both tried to wipe out not only the culprit but all their relatives and associates, even the young children. If that still is your prescription for future of iran: i have news for you, we already took that road and we have the result in front of us.

It seems like all are accusing others of not knowing the 'average Hossein.' What if we let the 'average Hossein' decide if they want RP or Mostafa? Not only one time, as in IRI, but on an on-going basis. Maybe that is all that the author is asking for.

Ali1348: this type of persons is what I was just talking about, for whom emotions and ideology are far more important than iran.

Napolean well said

And to finalize what you have started, we need to have a more progressive, law obedient, civil society before thinking about a person who opens the basket of democracy to our country and nation.

Many of us have forgotten that "naa bordeh ranj, ganj moyasar nashavad". There are no easy way out. Get it out of your head. You may believe in lottery, but it's not the reality, certainly not for a rich country such as Iran.

Although I disagree with MRX1, but he is more realistic than some other people. He is the one who admits, we need a system to come, kill, torture, and abolish anyone who thinks otherwise...Kind of Reza Khan. Where would that go? Similar to history before, we probably round around and come up with another Khomaini...

If that's the democracy you are after, then solution is clear as MRX1 believes. If you are truly concerned about the future of Iran and democracy, follow the trend of the countries that have successfully reached it. They took care of religion and fought against all the atrocious government actions and the dictators, independently as a society with time on their hand. No one can take that a way from them now.

If you like to be like Egypt or Pakistan, continue your imagery road to democracy and freedom with a leader in the white horse who doesn't get corrupted by power and wealth. Good luck.

Deluded nonsense by

Deluded nonsense by politically illiterate Tehrangelesies. "Tina" please stop writing such drivel, it's embarrassing. Mohammad-Reza was a coward and a dictator and I'm pretty sure the apple doesn't fall far from the tree in the case of Reza who has about as much charisma and capacity for leadership as an old boot.

Please don't compare Obama with Reza Pahlavi. Obama is the son of a Kenyan immigrant, Reza, the son of a deposed despot who has a tiny and rather tragic following amongst the Pahlavi old-guard and one-time-Pahlavi-elite - not to mention the fact that this parasite continues to live off the wealth his father hoarded from the Iranian people into his many Swiss bank accounts in one final act of monstrous corruption and treachery. The former i.e. Obama is a reasonable choice elected via the ballot box, while the latter is the consequence of blind worship of a blood-line which is about as ancient as the modern automobile (Reza Khan was a peasant who rose to power via the Cossack Brigade, the murder of his political rivals and British support i.e. the British government working in concert with the Anglo-Persian Oil Company) - without the Pahlavi name, Reza jnr would be living in oblivion and no-one could even care less about his insipid opinions - he is truly the epitome of mediocrity. Reza has no rights to leadership and isn't wanted inside Iran - but since you probably haven't been to Iran lately, let alone travelled the country and spoken to the 'average Hossein' ("oh god forbid") I'm hardly surprised that you currently reside in Irano-Disney Land. 

Sadegh

ali1348

You said:

let's all put our differences aside for ONCE and save iran! I don't care if you're a mujahed, salatant-talab, jebhe-melli, etc. supporter- SAVING IRAN should be the priority and cutting the head of the monster which is the corrupt/murderous akhoond-dominated govertment should be the number goal.

I am wholeheartedly for what you say; BUT there are so many amongst us who never think of iran when its comes to their interests and their ideology. We need to review what happened to us in 1979 carefully and honestly to be able to avoid repeating the same mistakes. And when we do an honest analysis, we come to the conclusion that out of all those who demonized the shah for decades and all of those who staged and helped the revolution one way or the other, no more than a handful or two thought of iran, the rest, including a large portion of iranian population were after achievement of their own ambitions. Once the shah was out of the way, Islmaists, leftists, and intellectuals all tried to (1) get rid of anything related to the shah: they did that by committing murder in the day light with no conscious, and then (2) destroy other sides and get to the prize exclusively and sooner, the take over of the country, the power, and the wealth. All did the exact same thing, only that islamists won that game of brutality and self-serve.

That is the root of our problem, that we do not care about iran enough to be able to set aside our religion and our ideology and our personal interests. To have a decent country, one needs to put the welfare of the country ahead of his/her personal ambitions, we never did, and we still do not do, except for likes of a few of us here which are not willing to resort to violence to take over the country even if we could, and mullas will NOT leave iran until they are pushed out by force. Mullas are in a sense smarter than they have ever been and they learned from mistakes of the shah: (1) they destroyed anything iranian and humiliated iranian culture to create a mental dependency on clergy class. (2) Legalized their domination by codifying it in the iranian constitution for which 98% of iranians voted for without knowing of its consequences.

We simply do not have many deep-rooted and committed nationalists amongst us, even though we take so much artificial pride in our history and culture. Otherwise iran is unique in having all other elements of a progressive country: educated class, natural resources, four-season geography, etc. We must be no less than switzerland only if we could overcome the demons amongst us.

I HAVE A SUGGESTION.....

let's all put our differences aside for ONCE and save iran! I don't care if you're a mujahed, salatant-talab, jebhe-melli, etc. supporter- SAVING IRAN should be the priority and cutting the head of the monster which is the corrupt/murderous akhoond-dominated govertment should be the number goal.
our problem, myself included, is that for 30 years, we've bickered over small differences in ideolgy while iran is burning.
whether you agree with reza pahlavi or not, he should have a shot at running the country, like everyone else in a truly democratic goverment.
and although I thought his father should NOT HAVE SHOWED ANY MERCY TO THE AKHOONDS, he was definitely NOT A BUTCHER- all the bs that's been spread about cinema rex, jaleh square is nothing but lies- cinema rex was burned by the akhoonds to try to stir the people against the shah and savak- and felestini terrorists where shooting at soldiers in jaleh square. the dirty mullahs have committed the worst crimes in the 20th century just to get to and stay in power.
so, I let's just come together and save iran- worry about the differences until the free elections!
javid iran

He is fine but

He is fine but what Iran needs now is general Franco not khuan carlos if you catch my drift. you need some one kick ass to litteraly purge islamic roaches out of Iranian society, establish law and order, promote secualrism, reinvigorate Iranian identity and self worth, get the economey going again. Then you can have a moderate democrat ruler such as Reza pahlavi either as a king or president to run the show.

Wishful thinking

Those mullahs are there to stay for ever and nobody dares challenge/stand up to them. People are scared shitless of them. Besides, average people have got used to all that misery and do not know any better.

Above all, a secular truly democratic regime plus Iran's vast natural resources plus Iran's highly intelligent worldly full of potential young population means progress and advancement for Iran without limits and that is not a good/profitable combination for the powerful industrialized countries of the world.

What they truly want is a mellowed-down Islamic Republic for Iran. That way, they can always keep Iran in check.

This is the future that America has in mind for Iran

Shirin Ebadi with Farid Zakaria in her recent interview with CNN:

"وى با بيان اينكه خود به جدايى دين از سياست قائل است، افزود: «به دليل حكومت اسلامى كه توسط مردم ايران انتخاب شده است، ما بايد به تفسيرى صحيح از اسلام دست يابيم تا در چارچوب حقوق بشر بگنجد و من فكر مى كنم كه اين كار واقع گرايانه و عملى است.»

People of Iran made a big mistake in 1979 and were easily tricked into choosing an Islamic form of goverment in 1979 by believing in khomeini's nonsense. Yet, I guess according to Ms. Ebadi, generations after generations have to keep paying for that mistake and live with what their parents and ancestors hastily chose any way.

She's still talking about the non-existent oxymoron "Islamic democracy" and fooling the world with that.

I don't know how one would be able to adapt the Islamic laws (where woman is worth half of man, etc. etc.) to the doctrines of the Universal Human rights. Can someboy please enlighten us?

Viva Reza Pahlavi

I am always hearing how great life when the Shah was in power. My youth was wasted under IRI.
If he is anything like the Shah,he has my vote.

Best choice!

I would support Prince Reza Pahlavi wholeheartedly, as President, or King!
Iran had it's best days under his father and grandfather.

Khomeini's Grandson... :-)

Khomeini's Grandson has a problem with our Iranian heritage and our Iranian identity. And alas, as innocent as a young man or woman can be, separated from his ancestors by the generations and hopefully by his own good deeds, one cannot stop from comparing the Khomeini dynasty with the Qajar dynasty in it's primitive brutality and its suppression of our march forward.


The past gives important lessons, but forward we must go and forward we will go. To an Iran "Better than Pahlavi and better than Islamic Republic!" as Nourfar puts it. An Iran lead by Reza Pahlavi the 2nd as the Shahanshah for a new century. The 26th century.


It is the lie that was the Islamic Republic that has opened our eyes to what the truth is and was.

Re: Hopefully...

666 said:

What we need is a progressive secular regime...

Yeah, haven't heard that shotor dar khaab binad panbeh daaneh, gahi lop lop khorad gah daaneh daaneh.

There are so many thugs lining up to replace the mullas if and when they are gone that we'll be lucky if someone as flawed as the shah, yet also as progressive as the shah ends up running iran before we all pass away.

What country are you talking about, iran or switzerland? The same iran whose people run after a mulla, yelling rouhe mani khomeini, and rahbar faghat rouhollah, when he was murdering our youth by hundreds by day, and sending iranian assets to palestine and lebanon by night.

The Running...

First... it is so good to see Tina back on the writing trail...I felt the gold was dripping from the tip of her pen

Second...I think it is quite appropriate for Mr. Reza Pahlavi to run for the office of president head to head with other candidates (e.g., Mr. Ahmadinejad).

Third... whether or not he succeeds to win the heart of Iranians in the presidential election bit remaines to be seen and whether or not there is genuine need and desire from the iranians people to transform his presidency to a sort of low key ceremonial kingsom is something that may occur in our time or in the next millennium...who knows..

Gas
Oil
Copper
Forest
Kaviar
White fish
Uranium
...
..
.