Objective of the visit: renewing the relationship between the Iranian people and the people of Israel –

Israeli Intelligence Minister Gila Gamliel will host this week in Israel Iranian Crown Prince Reza Pahlavi, the son of the Shah, with the aim of creating a bridge between Israel and the Iranian people, and expressing joint opposition to the Ayatollah regime.

Reza Pahlavi is the most senior Iranian personality to ever pay a public visit to Israel.

Minister Gamliel said : “I am honoured to host Iranian Crown Prince Reza Pahlavi and appreciate his brave decision to visit Israel for the first time. The Crown Prince symbolizes a leadership different from that of the Ayatollah regime, and champions values of peace and tolerance, in contrast to the extremists who rule Iran. Our nations have enjoyed good relations for thousands of years since the time of Queen Esther who thwarted the evil Haman’s plot to destroy the Jews in Persia. Today, we are taking the first step in rebuilding the relationship between our nations.”

Crown Prince Pahlavi,who lives in the United States since the Islamic Revoluyion of 1979 in Iran, stressed that ‘’the Iranian people aspire to a government that respects its heritage, with the preservation of human rights and respect for religious and cultural diversity, among other things, through the restoration of peaceful and friendly relations with Israel and Iran’s other neighbours.’’

He added, ‘’Millions of my compatriots still remember living alongside their Jewish-Iranian friends and neighbours, before the Islamic Revolution tore the fabric of our society apart. They reject the regime’s murderous anti-Israel and antisemitic policies and long for cultural, scientific and economic exchanges with Israel. A democratic Iran will seek to renew its ties with Israel and our Arab neighbours. In my opinion, that day is closer than ever.”

The Crown Prince will be visiting Israel with the aim of expressing solidarity with the citizens of Israel in light of the attacks by terrorist organizations operating under the auspices of Iran, renewing the relationship between the nations and building an economic relationship with a focus on water technologies.

He will also honour the victims of the Holocaust as part of Holocaust Martyrs’ and Heroes’ Remembrance Day events, and to denounce the antisemitism and Holocaust denial of the Ayatollah regime.

He will participate in the official opening ceremony to mark Holocaust Martyrs’ and Heroes’ Remembrance Day, visit a desalination plant in order to learn about Israel’s advanced water technologies as a possible response to the collapsing water infrastructure in Iran, visit the Western Wall, meet with the Baha’i community and with members of the Jewish-Iranian community in Israel.

Iran recognized Israel as a state in 1950 and maintained diplomatic representation in each other’s country until 1979. Diplomatic relations extended to economic cooperation and even limited security ties. This ended in 1979 when Ayatollah Khomeini came to power and declared Israel ”the eneùmy of Islam.”