Reza Pahlavi: 5 things to know about the man who wants to be Iran’s next leader
2. His entry into public life came unusually early and under intense national expectation
Pahlavi, 65, was formally named crown prince at the age of 7, during the 1967 coronation of his father, Mohammad Reza Pahlavi.
Riding in a horse-drawn carriage through Tehran during the celebrations, he later recalled realizing that crowds were cheering for him as well, a moment he said made him aware of the expectations attached to the role, according to The Telegraph.
His upbringing inside the royal palace combined formal education with briefings on royal protocol and frequent appearances at official ceremonies alongside his parents.
He later developed a strong interest in aviation and began flying lessons as a teenager, completing his first solo flight on a military trainer aircraft before leaving Iran for advanced pilot training in the U.S.
