Exiled Iranian prince Reza Pahlavi said on Friday that Iran’s resources should be directed toward peace rather than conflict once the Islamic Republic ends, calling for a new framework he described as the “Cyrus Accords” to follow the 2020 Abraham Accords.
Pahlavi made the remarks during a ceremony in Toronto marking Cyrus the Great Day, an annual commemoration of the founder of the Achaemenid Empire. The event, attended by Iranian-Canadian artists and members of the diaspora, featured musical performances and speeches highlighting Iran’s pre-Islamic heritage.
He said that under a new government, Iran could “turn its resources from supporting violence to advancing peace” and contribute to regional stability. “Iran will elevate the Abraham Accords to the Cyrus Accords,” he said.
The Abraham Accords, brokered by the United States under President Donald Trump in 2020, normalized diplomatic relations between Israel and several Arab states, including the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain. Later joined by Morocco and Sudan, the accords opened direct air links and expanded trade and defense cooperation. They represented the first major diplomatic rapprochement between Israel and Arab nations in decades.
Pahlavi invoked Cyrus the Great as a historical figure symbolizing tolerance and national identity. He said the principles attributed to Cyrus, “Iranian identity, humanity, freedom, and tolerance,” were essential to rebuilding Iran’s political and social order.
The son of Iran’s last Shah said national sovereignty must be returned to the people. He described the Islamic Republic as “corrupt and malevolent” and said its end would allow Iran to rejoin the international community “as a force for peace.”
“Iran is under the occupation of Islamists,” he said, adding that the country’s “window for rescue is limited.” He said Iranians must be prepared to “take responsibility for their destiny” and rebuild a government based on freedom and respect for human rights.
