NEW DELHI,17 Jan 26 : Iran’s exiled crown prince, Reza Pahlavi, who is aiming for a potential return to his erstwhile kingdom amid anti-government unrest, says a “democratic Iranian state” under him would seek close and cooperative relations with India, citing long-standing cultural, civilisational, and historical ties between the two countries.
Speaking at a crowded news conference in Washington, Pahlavi recalled that relations between India and Iran “go a long time” and said the connection extended well beyond modern diplomacy. “Culturally, it was many, many years,” he said, adding that Iran and India had enjoyed good relations in modern history as well.
Pahlavi’s potential return to Iran presents mixed implications for India, bringing both opportunities for closer technological and economic ties along with risks from a US-aligned, Pakistan-leaning Iran, potentially affecting India’s access to Chabahar Port.
Pro-Pak Iran: Historically, Iran’s royal family under Reza Pahlavi’s father, Shah Mohammad Reza Pahlavi, the last king of Iran from 1941 to 1979, maintained strong military, economic, and diplomatic ties with Pakistan, viewing it as a vital buffer state for Iranian security and regional influence.
The Shah openly backed Pakistan in both the 1965 and 1971 Indo-Pakistani wars against India. Under the Shah, Iran strongly supported Pakistan’s position on Kashmir, openly accusing India of being the aggressor on international platforms. This contrasted sharply with the post-1979 Islamic Republic’s generally neutral stance on the issue.
Though Pahlavi promises democratic reforms and cooperation, his return could take Iran back to pro-Pakistan stances on Kashmir.
Pahlavi said a democratic Iran would be committed to building partnerships based on shared values. “It’s natural, as I said, that a democratic Iran is committed to having the best possible relationship in the context of sovereignty and liberty to have the best possible relationship with any country that adheres to the same values and can work with us and can partner with us in many different domains,” he said.
He argued that global challenges required deeper international collaboration and said India would be an important partner in addressing them. “We have so many challenges to face on our planet. We have issues of energy, and we have issues of population. We have issues of energy shortages. We have a water crisis,” he said.
Pahlavi also highlighted India’s technological strengths and said, “India is one of the leading countries when it comes to technology, when it comes to expertise. I think these are the kind of things that will help us in every area that we need to focus on.”
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