Farah Pahlavi, widow of Iran's last shah, told AFP in Paris that after nationwide protests there is "no turning back" and expressed confidence that protesters will ultimately prevail. She praised young Iranians' courage, called for sustained international solidarity, and urged opposition groups abroad to maintain strong links with those inside Iran. She said any future role for her son Reza Pahlavi should be decided by the Iranian people and expressed a deep desire to return after 47 years in exile.
Farah Pahlavi: "No Turning Back" — Exiled Empress Urges International Support After Nationwide Protests
Farah Pahlavi, the widow of Iran's last shah, was ousted from Iran with her husband in January 1979 during the popular revolution that brought the Islamic republic to power (JOEL SAGET)(JOEL SAGET/AFP/AFP)
Farah Pahlavi, the 87-year-old widow of Iran's last shah, told AFP in Paris that after a recent wave of mass demonstrations there is "no turning back" and expressed confidence that the Iranian people will ultimately prevail.
Background
Driven into exile with her husband in January 1979 during the revolution that established the Islamic Republic, Pahlavi spoke to AFP in writing in French and posed for photographs in her Paris apartment in front of Iran's former lion-and-sun flag. The protests began on December 28 with demonstrations over economic hardship and escalated into nationwide rallies on January 8, representing one of the most sustained challenges to Iran's clerical leadership in more than four decades. Rights groups say the crackdown on protesters has left thousands dead.
Message To Iranians
"One thing is now certain: there is no turning back. This path is one-way — it leads to freedom," Pahlavi said, acknowledging the heavy price paid by protesters and urging them to maintain hope and determination.
She addressed young Iranians directly, praising their courage and calling them "the victors of this unequal confrontation with the Islamic republic." She also expressed admiration for parents of demonstrators and referred to herself as the "mother of Iran," saying she longs to return and embrace "these exceptional children."
Role Of The Opposition Abroad
Pahlavi said opponents of the regime outside Iran have two essential duties: to strengthen links between Iranians inside the country and the peoples and governments of the free world, and to organise ever-larger demonstrations to show solidarity and keep international attention focused on events inside Iran.
On Foreign Intervention
Asked about external military intervention, including by the United States, she appealed to the international community's conscience to support Iranians and warned against indifference as many risk their lives. She argued that supporting Iran's democratic aspirations would ultimately contribute to greater peace and stability in the region, while stopping short of explicitly calling for foreign military action.
Reza Pahlavi And Returning Home
On the question of her son Reza Pahlavi's future role, she said any responsibility would be decided freely by the Iranian people and described him as a spokesperson for young Iranians until the day of freedom. Reflecting on nearly five decades in exile, she reiterated her deep desire and personal need to return to Iran and to be reunited with the new generation leading the protests.
Reporting by AFP; claims about casualties are attributed to rights groups.
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