Reza Pahlavi, the son of Iran's last shah, will visit Sweden and give a speech in the parliament on April 13. He has been invited by the parliamentary groups of the Christian Democrats and the Sweden Democrats. Pahlavi has lived in exile since the Iranian revolution in 1979 and is currently based in the United States.
During recent large protests in Iran, parts of the opposition have highlighted him as a potential future leader for the country. According to Magnus Berntsson, the foreign policy spokesperson for the Christian Democrats, Pahlavi is seen as someone who can unite the opposition in Iran, and the visit is important due to Sweden's large Iranian diaspora, which desires democratic governance in Iran. Pahlavi has advocated for non-violent resistance and secular democracy over decades as part of the Iranian opposition.
Pahlavi is seen as someone who can unite the opposition in Iran, and the visit is important due to Sweden's large Iranian diaspora, which desires democratic governance in Iran.