Iran\u2019s exiled crown prince Reza Pahlavi has accepted a Coalition invitation to visit Australia, in what the opposition says is a response \u201cto Iranian-Australians who want their voices heard\u201d.<\/p>\n
Mr Pahlavi is the son of Iran\u2019s late autocratic shah \u2013 a pro-West monarch whose reign was defined by brutal repression and rapid modernisation.<\/p>\n
The shah and his family fled the country in 1979 amid mass demonstrations spurred by severe economic and religious tensions.<\/p>\n
That uprising birthed the current Islamist regime, which has enforced strict Islamic laws and killed tens of thousands of protesters while masterminding violence abroad, including in Australia.<\/p>\n
Mr Pahlavi, now living in the US, has become a prominent opposition voice calling for secular, democratic reforms in his home country.<\/p>\n
\u201cFor decades, the Iranian people have suffered under a brutal terrorist regime that represses its own citizens, exports terror abroad and denies its people basic freedoms,\u201d opposition foreign affairs spokesman Ted O\u2019Brien said on Thursday.<\/p>\n
\u201cMany Iranian-Australians look to Mr Pahlavi as an important voice of hope for a different future and the Coalition believes those calls for engagement deserve to be heard.\u201d<\/p>\n
He added that it was \u201cnot for Australia to determine who should lead Iran or what form its future government should take\u201d.<\/p>\n
\u201cIran\u2019s future belongs to the Iranian people,\u201d Mr O\u2019Brien said.<\/p>\n
\u201cBut we should be prepared to listen to credible voices advocating for a peaceful and democratic alternative to the regime in Tehran.\u201d<\/p>\n
A spokesperson for Foreign Minister Penny Wong said Australia \u201cstands with all Iranians, across all segments of society, in their fight against oppression\u201d.<\/p>\n
\u201cFor decades, the Iranian regime has been a destabilising force in the world \u2013 through its nuclear program, support for armed proxies, and brutal acts of violence and intimidation both at home and abroad,\u201d they said.<\/p>\n
While Mr Pahlavi is a popular figure outside Iran, not all opposition groups have rallied around him and his father\u2019s reign still lives in the memory of many inside Iran.<\/p>\n
Vice president of the Australian Iranian Community Alliance Suren Edgar noted the \u201cdifferent views about Iran\u2019s political future\u201d but said Mr Pahlavi \u201cis unquestionably one of the most prominent and internationally recognised figures in the Iranian opposition\u201d and welcomed the former royal\u2019s future visit.<\/p>\n
\u201cHe has significant support among Iranians, including many who see him as a potential leader during a transition from the Islamic Republic to a secular and democratic system,\u201d Mr Edgar told NewsWire.<\/p>\n
\u201cThat support is not limited to monarchists \u2013 there are also people who may ultimately prefer a republic but nevertheless see him as an important figure in bringing different parts of the opposition together during a transition.<\/p>\n
\u201cUltimately, Iran\u2019s future system of government must be decided freely by the Iranian people themselves.\u201d<\/p>\n
Speaking from an Australian perspective, Mr Edgar said that \u201cengagement with prominent democratic opposition figures is important\u201d because it \u201csends a message that Australia is listening not only to the Islamic Republic, but also to the voices of Iranians seeking fundamental political change, democracy and freedom\u201d.<\/p>\n
\u201cI very much welcome the visit and I hope there will be engagement with parliamentarians across the political spectrum, as well as with the Iranian-Australian community.\u201d<\/p>\n
NewsWire understands the Coalition did not consult with the Albanese government before inviting Mr Pahlavi and that no firm dates have been set.<\/p>\n
NewsWire also understands that government officials would meet with Mr Pahlavi if possible.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Iran\u2019s exiled crown prince Reza Pahlavi has accepted a Coalition invitation to visit Australia, in what the 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