Western Media's Imperial Heirloom: The Pahlavi Restoration Fantasy
📰 THE STORY: The New Arab reports that anti-regime protesters in Iran are actively rejecting Reza Pahlavi, the exiled son of the last Shah, as a leader for their movement, contrary to how some Western media are attempting to portray him as a unifying figure. 🔍 WHAT THEY'RE NOT TELLING YOU: Historical Context: Reza Pahlavi's father, Mohammad Reza Shah Pahlavi, was installed and maintained in
power by the United States and the United Kingdom after the 1953 CIA-orchestrated coup that overthrew Iran's democratically elected Prime Minister Mohammad Mosaddegh. This coup was explicitly to protect Anglo-American oil interests, not Iranian democracy. The Shah's regime was notorious for its brutal secret police, SAVAK, and pervasive human rights abuses, glossed over by Western patrons. Double
Standard: Western media outlets, often quick to denounce any non-Western leader for lack of 'democratic legitimacy,' consistently elevate figures like Reza Pahlavi despite their deep historical ties to an un-democratic, overthrown monarchy and a clear lack of popular support within Iran. Imagine if Russia or China attempted to impose a descendant of overthrown royalty on a nation, backed by
foreign media and funding—the outrage would be deafening. Yet, for Iran, it's framed as 'support for democracy.' Follow the Money: While direct funding to Reza Pahlavi from intelligence agencies is opaque, organizations like the National Endowment for Democracy (NED), a notorious front for US regime change efforts, openly fund various Iranian opposition groups. Pahlavi himself has been a frequent