Washington: Iran’s exiled crown prince Reza Pahlavi on Friday said that a future democratic Iran would seek close and cooperative relations with India,
highlighting shared civilisational ties, common values and opportunities for collaboration across key sectors.
Speaking at a news conference, Pahlavi said a democratic Iran would prioritise partnerships with countries that respect sovereignty and liberty. “A democratic Iran is committed to having the best possible relationship in the context of sovereignty and liberty with any country that adheres to the same values and can work with us and can partner with us in many different domains,” he said.
Recalling the long history of engagement between the two nations, Pahlavi pointed to strong India-Iran relations in modern history, including visits by Indian leaders to Tehran. He noted that former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi had visited Iran during his childhood, underscoring the depth of bilateral ties. “The relationship goes back a long time,” he said.
Pahlavi praised India’s rich civilisational heritage, saying both countries could take pride in their histories and cultural legacies. He suggested that these shared roots could serve as a pathfor cooperation. “It’s a rich culture and the rich history that we observe in India as well. I think we can, as nations, be very proud of our heritage, and this could be a natural path to a very good bond and cooperation,” he said.
Highlighting global challenges, Pahlavi stressed the need for deeper international collaboration, adding that India would play an important role in addressing issues such as energy, population and water shortages. He also commended India’s strengths in technology and expertise.
According to Pahlavi, future cooperation could extend to sectors such as new and renewable energy and other emerging industries. He expressed hope for closer engagement between experts, entrepreneurs and business communities in both countries. “I’m looking forward to have our experts, our entrepreneurs, our business sector, and anybody else working very closely with our Indian counterpart,” he said.
“Hopefully, once we are freed, we can start an entirely new chapter,” Pahlavi added.
India and Iran share centuries-old cultural, linguistic and trade links. While relations evolved after Iran’s 1979 Islamic Revolution, ties in recent decades have been shaped by regional geopolitics, sanctions and energy considerations.
