Jerusalem, April 17. Iranian Crown Prince Reza Pahlavi arrives in Israel today for a visit to underscore the close alliance Iran and the Jewish state had, broken with the 1979 Islamic Revolution that toppled his father.

The son of the last Shah of Persia is making his first visit to Israel at the invitation of the Minister of Intelligence, Gila Gamliel, who stressed that his figure “symbolizes a leadership different from the regime of the ayatollahs” which embodies “the values ​​of peace and tolerance, unlike the extremists who rule Iran.”

According to the Israeli authorities, Reza Pahlavi is “the highest Iranian figure to pay a public visit to Israel”, and during his stay this week, they will seek to “create a bridge between Israel and the Iranian people” to “express their common opposition .” to the Islamic Republic.

Over the past few decades, Iran has become Israel’s main enemy in the region, and the two countries are embroiled in a covert war that in recent years has involved cyberattacks, attacks on Israeli-owned ships in the Persian Gulf or Israeli bombardments against Iranian positions. in Syria.

There have also been sabotages and deadly attacks on senior Iranian military officials or nuclear scientists blamed on Israel.

During his visit to Israel, Reza Pahlavi will take part in the Holocaust Remembrance Day events, which begin today at sunset.

He will also seek to “rekindle” ties between Israel and Iran, visit a desalination plant, walk past the Western Wall (Judaism’s holiest place of worship) and meet members of the Bahai community, a group cleric from Iran. which has its holiest place in the Israeli city of Haifa.

During the shah’s time, Israel maintained close ties and a strong regional alliance with Tehran which was interrupted by the Islamic revolution. The two countries had close ties politically, economically or in areas such as security and intelligence. ECE

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