Crown Prince Reza Pahlavi at NUFDI Norooz in the picture
Reza Pahlavi came to Cairo, Egypt, in March 1980 with his family. When his father, Mohammad Reza Pahlavi, was ill and in the last weeks of his life, media reported that some monarchist elements had advised the Shah to oust Reza in favor of his younger son Ali-Reza (who was 13 at the time) and a regency council, suggesting that Reza’s background, training and interest in public affairs is too limited to become his successor. The Shah is understood to have rejected the idea, as well as to abdicate himself in favor of one of his two sons. When the Shah died on 27 July 1980, Farah Pahlavi proclaimed herself as the regent, a title in pretense.
