CRC: We are in contact with the Pahlavi family, staff and related Iranian organizations in the diaspora

HKRV
Jan 12
3 min read

CRC welcomed the efforts of HIH Reza Pahlavi, his staff and related organizations for the right to self-determination, parliamentary monarchy, and personal and religious freedom and protection of Christians in Iran. "The ties between Croats and Iranians are historic and deep"

We are entering the third week of the outbreak of protests that have already grown into an uprising of Iranians against the Islamist regime of the Mullahs in Iran. Unfortunately, the numbers of those killed and injured exceed half a thousand people. Due to the serious situation and protests around the world and in Iran, the Croatian Royal Council is in contact with the Pahlavi family, their staff and related Iranian organizations in the diaspora. On this occasion, the leadership of the Croatian Royal Council sent a letter of support to HIH Prince Reza Pahlavi and praised his efforts for reform, general personal and religious freedom, parliamentary monarchy and self-determination of the Iranian people. The deep and historical connection between Croats and Iranians was particularly emphasized, namely one of the basic theses on the origin of Croats, in addition to Slavic, is also the Iranian theory, which was confirmed by the discovery of the Tanais Tablets and the permeation of the Croatian national name with Iranian origin. Croats are the only European nation who have such distant and historical ties with the Persians and other Iranian peoples. The CRC praised the HIH Reza Pahlavi's program for the Prosperity project of Iran in three phases, the first of which is achievable within 180 days of the transition from the Islamic Republic to the referendum on the parliamentary monarchy. The plan is established on several points that guarantee the stabilization of society and the state, and the adjustment to the abolition of the regime. We particularly praised the points related to religious minorities and freedom of religion, which guarantees Christians the right to free public action, and especially protects Christian converts from Islam, of whom it is estimated that there are over 3 million in Iran today. They, along with women, are the greatest victims of the regime of the Islamic Republic, which in 2024 alone sentenced Christian converts to 263 combined years in prison. In addition to the above, there is a very strong system of destroying all freedom of speech and thought, monarchism is banned with threats and even the death penalty, and women are persecuted to the extent that not wearing the hijab (which became the symbol of the regime) is the cause of persecution, arrest and even torture and death of women by the Islamic Republic.

The issue of security is not only at the national level of Iran and its surroundings, the Islamic Republic is a source of funding for terrorist organizations and Islamist groups around the world, especially Hezbollah in Lebanon, Hamas in Palestine and the Houthi forces in Yemen. In neighboring Bosnia and Herzegovina, the influence of the Iranian Islamist regime is also long-lasting, from financing the Bosniak Muslim - Army BiH in the fight against Christians (especially Croats) during 1992-1995, to the construction of Islamic centers and financing terrorist cells, which still pose a serious security threat to Croatia and Bosnia and Herzegovina today.

We are currently in contact with related Iranian organizations in the diaspora who convey to us the difficult situation in Iran, therefore we appeal to the Government of Croatia to provide full assistance and make itself available and protect the Iranian people in a coalition of other EU countries, the USA, the UK, Canada, etc.

Croatian Royal Council