Prince Reza Pahlavi, heir apparent to the throne of Iran, and his mother, former Queen Farah Diba have relayed a message celebrating the new Iranian year Norooz and wishing an end to “drought and degeneration” and attaining a “free Iran”.

In his video-taped message published in social media on Tuesday, March 20, Prince Reza Pahlavi, who is one of the leaders of the Islamic Republic’s opposition, has described Norooz (the first day of the new year in Persian) as the “epitome of national persistence”, “the source of hope” and “dominance over disintegration and evil”.

The exiled Prince has reiterated, “My new year’s wish is to see the end of the era of darkness and destruction through national will, enabling us to live beside our families in a flourishing, free and advanced Iran, in not so distant future.”

Former Crown Prince has also said, “My new year’s wish is witnessing the end of devastation, drought and water shortage, celebrating together the dawn of joy and reconstruction on our homeland’s pure soil.”

Anti-Islamic Republic rallies and demonstrations that broke out on December 28 and persisted for more than ten days in Iran were combined with chanting slogans in support of the Pahlavi royal dynasty, particularly its founder, Reza Shah.

The demonstrations, that started in Shi’ites’ holy city of Mashhad and soon spread to more than 100 other cities across Iran, were ruthlessly suppressed, with more than 25 dead and over 5000 detentions.

Referring to the protests and those who lost their lives, Prince Reza has insisted, “At the end of a winter that its Daymah (Iranian month coinciding with late December and early January) heralded the blooming spring, my heart is with those who departed to let us remain.”

Meanwhile, Queen Farah has also relayed a short New Year message, referring to Iranians efforts to achieve freedom and democracy, “May all of us Iranians’ wish for freedom, welfare and democracy be fulfilled in the new year, yokes depart the necks and our dear Iranian nation live in a progressive and safe Iran, in peace with all other nations of the world.”

Queen Farah has ended her message by wishing the new year to be the year of dominance of light over darkness, heralding better days for all Iranians.