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CNN Live At Daybreak
America Strikes Back: Discussion with Exiled Crown Prince of Iran
Aired November 01, 2001 - 06:36 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
LEON HARRIS, CNN ANCHOR: The U.S.-led war against terrorism may have to include what some are calling the Iran factor. Now many consider Iran a major sponsor of terrorism - the U.S. does in fact. But the son of a late Shah of Iran says (INAUDIBLE) said that the U.S. should not align itself with the Iranian bureaucracy in Tehran.
Crown Prince Reza Pahlavi who has lived in the U.S. since 1984 spoke at Yale University on Tuesday and he joins us this morning from our Washington bureau. Your majesty, we thank you very much for taking time to come in and speak with us this morning and educate us, we hope on what exactly is happening and the dynamics between Iran and Afghanistan and the U.S. Good morning and greetings to you.
REZA PAHLAVI, EXILED CROWN PRINCE OF IRAN: Good morning Leon. Thanks for having me.
HARRIS: So why is that you say that the U.S. should be very cautious and not actually trust Iran here as an ally in this case.
PAHLAVI: Well clearly the signals we have received from Tehran are indicative of an attempt to - for double-talk in that confusing the outside world, the U.S. included into any kind of a appeasement (INAUDIBLE) which is facing inevitable (INAUDIBLE). Under the current circumstances, we have to focus on how important it is to separate the people of Iran from the ruling of popular regime.
Only yesterday, there was yet again another example of clear demonstrations by the people of Iran following the soccer match, asking for change, asking for democracy, asking for freedom, asking for (INAUDIBLE) referendum and all of this is indicative of the fact that they are trying to send a signal to the outside world that it is about time after 23 years of being the first victims of terrorism at home to finally be acknowledged, and I think the policy of the - this country should be aimed at sending a message that this country and its people stand with the people of Iran and not against them in the presence of reform.
HARRIS: Now you mention these massive demonstrations that have been taking place after soccer games in Iran. But as I read it, I'm seeing reports that these demonstrations actually have been incited by you - you've actually been pleading for people to do this (INAUDIBLE) in the states or from some other points. Is that true and if so, why? PAHLAVI: The people of Iran have taken matters into their own hands in demanding their right for freedom. There has been communication both with the inside and outside, which will be (INAUDIBLE) and my compatriots. We have, of course, a number of (INAUDIBLE) that's in Tehran by radios that are set up abroad. In fact, predominantly in California, that communicate with the people at home and give them a platform to which they can express their desires.
My message of support for their cause and encouraging them in taking whatever action to make the world realize what it is that they've been asking for has been part of our campaign to inform the outside world as to what is happening within Iran (INAUDIBLE).
HARRIS: What do you say then to those who may be a bit skeptical about your cause for democracy and by move that is by the people to take over the government there in your home country when they consider the fact that your father, (INAUDIBLE) ran a rather repressive regime and did not do anything towards actually generating any democracy in Iran at the time.
PAHLAVI: Well Leon, I think that history has to observe what has happened in the past and whether its full judgment - it is not my case here to start analyzing what happened and what didn't happened or what goes right or what goes wrong. But I have often said this is not about the past or about the monarchy, it's about the future of Iran the opportunity that the Iranian people deserve in determining democratically the future type of government and regime they would like to have through a national referendum, which is part of what my campaign stands for in terms of making this democratic process of change.
I - my campaign is geared around a non violent civil disobedience movement that will peacefully aim at putting an end to the current bureaucracy, which is in conflict with democracy principle and allow for self-determination to be manifested by as such reelections on their international observations.
HARRIS: Let me ask you something else Your Majesty, that it's something else I found in reading this morning that struck me as very interesting. I understand that Iran right now - the leaders of that country, are really dead set against the former king of Afghanistan returning to his position. In fact, they don't even like the use of his name, King Zahir Shah. They don't even like the word Shah being used when describing his name or actually mentioning him.
Why is it that they would actually have resistance to the king coming back to Afghanistan?
PAHLAVI: Well in the - in the case of Afghanistan, clearly in a post Taliban alternative, we all are rooting for the Afghan people to (INAUDIBLE) within the nation of their homeland and to be able to determine their future the same way I hope the Iranian people will determine their future.
If in this case, King Zahir Shah (INAUDIBLE) of a leader as a catalyst to bring together such a coalition, in order to help in this transition to (INAUDIBLE) that option, clearly that option would be observed in a place like Afghanistan and I can think of what (INAUDIBLE) for instance.
Now if the outcome is to be democratic next door to Iran, obviously we can understand why the regime of Tehran would be nervous and this is precisely what the Iranians have been facing and the double-talk we've been hearing that on the one hand, they're talking about putting an end to the Taliban only because they can't control it, and they would like to have some kind of a proxy next door.
However, if they can not control the outcome in the way they would like to see it happen and there's a general democracy next door, which I clearly understand why the (INAUDIBLE) will be on them.
HARRIS: So you see it then, that a case were perhaps in the king of Afghanistan is returned to his position there, that you can be returned to a position in Iran next door.
PAHLAVI: Well what I'm hoping that I can do today as my sole mission in life is to help my compatriots in a unified movement under a national consensus, which is - which is our common denominator, which is secularism and democratic government.
What form of democratic government the people of Iran would like to choose in the future should be entirely up to them, and I believe that those options are available between, for instance, having the constitutional monarchy or a republic. But today it's not about determining the type of regime. It's about aiming for self- determination that can only occur if you ultimately succeed as a nation to seek pure self-determination in a secular type of system whether it's true separation of clergy from the state and the reason why (INAUDIBLE) remains in this misery because it's been living under bureaucracy that ultimately is incompatible with democratic government.
HARRIS: I think we're just now beginning to see the complex nexus there is between these different nations and regions and the wider implications of politics involved.
Crown Prince Reza Pahlavi thank you very much for your time. Sir, we greatly appreciate it.
PAHLAVI: Thank you for having me.
CALLAWAY: You know Leon it is complex and it's so interesting to hear the Crown Prince's thoughts on the first Taliban-Afghanistan.
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