Since the overthrow of his father, Iran's last shah, Reza Pahlavi has spent nearly half a century exiled in the United States.
In uprisings in recent years, including at the start of 2026, Pahlavi has used his platform to call for greater action on the streets of Iran. As protests continue across Iran, he has cast himself as a pro-secular, pro-democratic voice in support of regime change.
Born in 1960, Pahlavi is the eldest son of Shah Mohammad Reza Pahlavi and his wife, Farah. He was formally named crown prince at the age of 7 during his father’s own coronation in 1967.