Statement by Prince Reza Pahlavi regarding the mummy attributed to Reza Shah; We demand that his body be respected
In his latest stance on the discovery of the possible mummy of Reza Shah Pahlavi, Prince Reza Pahlavi issued a statement and called for the honor of the former Iranian king as a "soldier and servant of the nation and homeland."
Prince Reza Pahlavi wrote in his statement that after "examining all evidence and aspects," he and the royal family concluded that the body found "very likely" belonged to Reza Shah.
In recent days, the discovery of a mummified body attributed to Reza Shah, the founder of the Pahlavi dynasty, has made headlines in Iran and has drawn a reaction from Prince Reza Pahlavi.
Reza Shah Pahlavi died in exile in Johannesburg, South Africa, in 1945 , but was later transferred to Tehran and buried in the city of Rey.
After the 1979 revolution, Sadeq Khalkhali, one of the regime's hardline officials early in the revolution, attempted to destroy Reza Shah's tomb, but only managed to destroy the surface of the tomb. It was then that rumors spread that the royal family had removed Reza Shah's mummified body from Iran.
Prince Reza Pahlavi announced in a statement on Tuesday, May 24, that the body of Reza Shah was never transferred outside of Iran by Mohammad Reza Shah Pahlavi, and denied this claim.
In his statement, he called on the government and officials of the Islamic Republic to provide access to the body to doctors and scientific experts trusted and approved by the family, in order to clarify public understanding and remove any ambiguity.
Prince Reza Pahlavi wrote about his expectations regarding the discovered body: “The body of Reza Shah must finally be reburied in Iran and in the way it deserves and deserves. The tomb of Reza Shah – if not as the father of modern Iran or a king – but simply as a soldier and servant of the nation and homeland, must be marked and known to all.”
His statement concluded: "This is not just a personal or family issue, but an issue with national and historical dimensions. Reza Shah belongs to all the people of Iran and his lovers. From this day forward, I call on all the people of Iran, as the true guardians of his legacy, to honor his memory and name through social media and peaceful nationwide gatherings."
Two days ago, while digging near the shrine of Abdul Azim in the city of Rey, south of Tehran, workers found a mummified body after breaking through a concrete section. Rumors soon spread that the body belonged to Reza Shah Pahlavi, and a number of officials immediately implicitly confirmed this. Among them, Hassan Khalilabadi, a member of the Tehran City Council and head of the council’s Cultural Heritage Committee, said that there was a possibility that the body belonged to Reza Shah. He also said that whoever owned the body, it had heritage value and should be preserved.
After these comments, some state media outlets tried to deny the issue.
Earlier, Prince Reza Pahlavi reacted in a tweet to the news of the discovery of a mummified body in the city of Rey and the possibility that it belonged to Reza Shah Pahlavi, writing on his Twitter: "I am closely following the news about the discovery of Reza Shah's mummified body in Shah Abdul Azim. We are currently investigating the matter and await the truth to be revealed in the coming days. At the same time, I warn the responsible authorities against any concealment and lack of transparency in this regard."
The area under excavation belongs to the Shrine of Abdul Azim, which is a governmental and religious institution. In contrast, cultural heritage is considered a governmental institution.
The government of the Islamic Republic of Iran has been trying to negate the Pahlavi regime for the past four decades, but in the protests in January, protesters chanted slogans praising Reza Shah Pahlavi.
After abandoning the Qajar dynasty, Reza Shah Pahlavi established the Pahlavi dynasty in 1304 AH, which he himself remained in power until 1320 AH, and his son Mohammad Reza Shah Pahlavi remained in power until 1357 AH.
Source: Voice of America
