Exclusive | Prince Reza Pahlavi: The Price Paid by Iranians Must Be Transformed into a 'Higher Purpose'

Prince Reza Pahlavi told Voice of America that he hopes that 'on the eve of the anniversary of Mahsa', Iranians inside and outside the country will 'show' that they want to eliminate 'all discriminations and crimes', including 'ethnic, religious, sexual, and political' ones for the future of Iran. On Wednesday, September 13, during a visit to the 'Blossoms of Courage' exhibition, a photo exhibition of the victims of the nationwide protests in Iran held at the U.S. Congress by the 'National Union for Democracy in Iran' (NODFI), he told a VOA reporter that in facing the images of the victims, there is primarily 'sorrow and anger', but 'this energy' and 'all these casualties and the price they have paid' must be transformed into 'a higher and noble goal'. According to him, today's young generation of Iranians, after all these years, 'generation after generation hears where our country could have been and where it is now and where they want to go, putting all their motivation' towards 'liberating themselves from this situation', and 'although they have suffered casualties and endured so much oppression, this has actually motivated them more than ever'. Prince Reza Pahlavi emphasized that 'compatriots inside and outside the country are following up' and 'want to do something', stating that 'especially now that we are on the eve of Mahsa's anniversary, I hope that once again our compatriots show' that they want 'to reach a point where all these discriminations and crimes, whether ethnic, religious, sexual, or political, are truly eliminated', and this is 'the price that must be paid for freedom'. He stressed that 'we must only rely on ourselves', adding: 'But our task will be much simpler and less costly if the free world supports us. I hope this exhibition will be impactful in the perception that lawmakers in this country have and understand that the issue of Iran is not just about missiles and nuclear weapons, it is a humanitarian issue. It is genocide. It is a crime against humanity.' The U.S. House of Representatives on Tuesday passed the 'Mahsa Law' with 410 votes in favor and three against. This law will require the government to sanction senior officials of the Islamic Republic, including Ali Khamenei, for 'suppressing the protests of the Iranian people' and 'violating human rights'. Prince Reza Pahlavi also responded to another question regarding the U.S. government's agreement with the Islamic Republic of Iran for prisoner exchanges and the remaining dual nationals in Iranian prisons, stating that those whose 'family members have been taken hostage by the regime, their main question is why is the blood of my father or mother less valuable than those who have been freed? If you are going to negotiate, you must release everyone. Why have some been released and others not? This is actually more divisive and fundamentally wrong in my opinion.' The spokesperson for the U.S. State Department said on Tuesday that Iran's blocked funds, which are transferred from South Korean banks to accounts in Qatar, are kept there 'under very strict supervision of the U.S. Treasury' and 'can only be used for humanitarian purposes'. Matthew Miller emphasized: 'We will remain vigilant and will monitor how this money is spent and can re-block it if necessary.'