Zelenskiy meets Iranian opposition figure Pahlavi
World
Born in 1960, Pahlavi was declared crown prince in 1967 at his father's coronation in Tehran
KYIV (Reuters) - President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said he held a meeting with Reza Pahlavi, the exiled son of Iran's last shah and a prominent voice in the opposition, on the sidelines of the Munich Security Conference on Friday.
"We discussed the importance of strengthening sanctions against the Iranian regime and any other dictatorial regimes," he said on X, adding that they both condemned cooperation between Russia and Iran.
Pahlavi has frequently called for change, particularly during bouts of unrest, including mass demonstrations in 2009 over a contested election and nationwide protests in 2022 over the death of Mahsa Amini, a young woman who died while in detention for allegedly violating Islamic dress codes.
In those protests, there were few obvious signs of momentum in support for a man who the exiled royal court in 1980 declared shah after his father's death from cancer in a Cairo hospital.
Born in 1960, Pahlavi was declared crown prince in 1967 at his father's coronation in Tehran.
Images show him sitting beside his father's jewel-encrusted throne in a child's version of the shah's uniform, peaked cap on his lap and gold brocades on his small shoulders.
The monarchy's lavish style at that time helped fuel discontent when Iranians compared it to their own hardships, with surging inflation and a big wealth divide as the shah's bid to modernise the oil-powered economy left many people behind.
Iranians also sought an end to repression by the shah and his feared security apparatus, SAVAK.
Pahlavi left Iran before his father was forced out, heading to the United States to train as a fighter pilot.
He studied political science at university.
From exile, Pahlavi, who is married with three children, has garnered support in the diaspora, including Iranians in the US, with his criticism of Iran's rulers and calls for change.
