Earlier this week, Pahlavi addressed the Riksdag, Sweden’s Parliament in Stockholm, where he he strongly criticized Europe. “For decades, Europe has appeased and encouraged this terrorist regime. A policy that has helped it survive and kill its own people,” he lamented.

 

Reza Pahlavi, Iran’s crown prince in exile, has declined an invitation by the European Parliament to speak this week alongside other Iranian opposition  representatives.

Pahlavi, on a European tour, was invited to address the EU Parliament’s foreign affairs committee and the parliament’s delegation for relationswith Iran. The debate also featured interventions by representatives from other parties and personalities opposed to the Iranian Islamist regime, including  Shirin Ebadi, Sakharov and Nobel Peace Prize laureate, Mustafa Hijri (leader of the Democratic Party of Iranian Kurdistan), Abdullah Mohtadi (leader and secretary general of Komala Party of Iranian Kurdistan), Saeed Bashirtash (leader of the political organisation the 7 Aban Front) as well as artist and journalist Sanaz Behzadi.

But Reza Pahlavi declined the invitation. ‘’Due to previous commitments, he is not able to attend,” announced said German MEP David McAllister, chairman of the foreign affairs committee.

But according to Darya Safai, a Flemish right-wing MP in Belgium, who is of Iranian origin, quoted by Euractiv, his decision not to attend was ”understandable.” . Inviting Pahlavi to appear shows a lack of “respect” for him as the legitimate leader of a transition to democracy, she said.

“We accept everyone but a revolution has only one leader,” Safai said in a statement of support to Pahlavi.

Earlier this week, Pahlavi addressed the Riksdag, Sweden’s Parliament in Stockholm where he was  invited by the Sweden Democrats and Christian Democrats. There he strongly criticized Europe. “For decades, Europe has appeased and encouraged this terrorist regime. A policy that has helped it survive and kill its own people,” he lamented.

‘’When I look at Europe, I see ambivalence and a continued inability to see the reality of the street in Iran. I am disappointed yet not surprised,’’ he said.

He described the Iranian regime as a direct threat, not only to its own people, but also to Europe and Sweden, and urged all European countries to stand with the Iranian people against the current regime.

“The Europe I believe in is supposed to defend human rights, equality, and democracy,” he declared. “It has a glorious past: the fight against apartheid in South Africa, support for the Solidarność movement in Poland, backing for the Ukrainians in their struggle for sovereignty. Why should Iran be any different?”

Pahlavi also met Italian MPs in Rome, saying that Italy “stands with the people of Iran” and pledged to raise the voice of Iranians seeking human rights, the release of political prisoners and an end to the Islamic Republic.