Prince Reza Pahlavi: Jalal Motini was 'noble-minded, truthful, and righteous'

On Thursday, January 24, Prince Reza Pahlavi shared a post on social media in memory of the late Jalal Motini, stating: 'The late Jalal Motini was a noble-minded, truthful, and righteous servant of Iran, whose love for the homeland was evident throughout his life.' He continued, 'Whether in Iran or in exile, Jalal Motini utilized his deep knowledge and insight in Iranian studies, history, and Persian literature in service of national ideals, expressing his Iranian beliefs candidly and without pretension.' Prince Reza Pahlavi also referred to Motini's expulsion from Ferdowsi University of Mashhad 'after the catastrophe of 1979' and the publication of two journals, 'Iran Nameh' and 'Iranology,' abroad by Motini, wishing for 'the continuation of his true path in service to Iran.' Jalal Motini, an Iranian scholar, Shahnameh researcher, and professor of Persian language and literature, passed away on January 19, 2024, at the age of 96 in Maryland, USA. He served as the president of Ferdowsi University from 1975 to 1977 and emigrated to the United States after being expelled from the university in 1979, where he taught at the University of California, Berkeley. His works include specialized journals 'Iranology' and 'Iran Nameh,' summaries of 'Bijan and Manijeh' from Ferdowsi, 'Vis and Ramin' by Fakhruddin As'ad Gorgani, 'Leyli and Majnun' by Nezami, and 'The Wisdom of the Elders,' a Persian text seemingly from the 5th century AH, along with dozens of various works in Persian and English. The passing of Gholamreza Afkhami, a senior social sciences researcher, was also lamented by Prince Reza Pahlavi. The death of Khosrow Bitalahi, a former pilot of the Imperial Air Force and one of the designers of 'Operation Mask,' was noted. A memorial ceremony for Dr. Hormoz Hekmat, a writer, researcher, and political activist, was held at Georgetown University.