The news coming out of the Mideast over the last 24-plus months has been nothing to celebrate.
U.S. President Joe Biden's administration hasn’t lifted a finger to advance the historic Abraham Accords, ushered in during the Trump administration; nor has Team Biden done anything to get, and remain, tough with the world’s leading fiscal sponsor of terrorism.
We speak of the Islamic Republic of Iran.
When we look around globally, our adversaries such as China, Iran, Russia, and others grow stronger daily, while it appears America grows weaker, both diplomatically and economically.
In just the last couple of months, we’ve witnessed;
- The Islamic Republic of Iran supplying drones to Russia.
- The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) Air Force buying advanced fighter jets from Russia.
- China brokering a normalization agreement between the Islamic Republic of Iran and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
- An American contractor killed and U.S. military personnel injured in Syria.
Everywhere we turn and look upon the global stage, Biden’s failed foreign policy agenda is on display for all to see.
Yet, this past week, there was something that happened inside Israel, the world’s only Jewish nation giving this writer reason to rejoice!
We witnessed a glimmer of what the future might look like once the Ali Khamenei regime is finally brought down.
The Islamic Republic of Iran would become Iran once again; this means and they would go from funding terrorist proxies inside Israel to restoring diplomatic ties with Israel.
It would mean the ending of funding for terrorist groups.
This writer refers to the exiled Crown Prince Reza Pahlavi and Princess Yasmine Pahlavi’s historic visit to Israel. I discussed this visit on Newsmax TV with Jerusalem correspondent Daniel Cohen.
However, in spite of that recent appearance, a deeper dive is warranted regarding this historic visit.
Pahlavi’s visit started with a warm welcome on the tarmac at Ben Gurion International Airport, by Israeli Minister of Intelligence Gila Gamliel.
He would subsequently visit with Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his wife, Sara Netanayhu, along with Israel’s President Issac Herzog.
Pahlavi and his wife visited the Kotel, also known as the Western Wall.
He tweeted out a picture of his hands on the wall with these words: "2,500 years ago, Cyrus the Great liberated the Jewish people from captivity and helped them rebuild their Temple in Jerusalem.
"It is with profound awe that I visit the Western Wall of that Temple and pray for the day when the good people of Iran and Israel can renew our historic friendship."
Adding to these powerful comments from Pahlavi is my friend Len Khodorkovsky, who accompanied the delegation in Israel. Khodorkovsky is the former senior adviser to Special Envoy to Iran Brian Hook.
Khodorkovsky served in the Trump administration.
Khodorkovsky told this writer, "Iran’s Crown Prince Reza Pahlavi is the most prominent Iranian to visit Israel in history. What made the trip especially significant is it defied the Islamic Republic’s genocidal threats, pathological anti-Semitism, and Holocaust denial."
He added, As Pahlavi said during his visit, a free and democratic Iran will seek to re-establish its ancient ties with Israel and Iran’s Arab neighbors — 'perhaps as part of a future Cyrus Accords.' In his view, 'that day is closer than ever.'"
Pahlavi and his wife would later visit Yad Vashem as the Israeli people observed Yom HaShoah (Israel’s Holocaust Remembrance Day) and he had this to say on Twitter:
"Haunting visit to Yad Vashem. We must #NeverForget the lessons of the Holocaust. Anti-Semitism is evil. It’s not just a Jewish problem.
"It’s a problem for all humanity.
"Together with my Iranian compatriots, I condemn the Islamic Republic’s genocidal Jew-hatred and Holocaust denial, and commit to never allow such an unconscionable atrocity to ever happen again."
This tweet and his visit to Yad Vashem serves as direct contrast to the Khamenei regime to hold annual Holocaust cartoon contents while refusing to acknowledge the Holocaust ever took place .
Speaking of this evil, recently three Jews were murdered leaving a father without his wife and two daughters. Pahlavi paid a shiva call of sorts to Rabbi Leo Dee along with Efrat’s Mayor Oded Revivi.
I caught up with my dear friend Mayor Revivi and asked him what this visit meant to the family and his community. He told me:
"Leo Dee, the husband of Lucy Dee and the father of Mai and Rina who were brutally murdered by Palestinian terrorists has inspired people from around the world with his poise and grace in the face of such a tragedy. One of the most poignant moments during the formal week of mourning, was a condolence visit by Crown Prince, Reza and Yasmine Pahlavi."
Mayor Revivi went on to tell me, "The grace and genuine concern that the couple expressed left a very strong impression on the family and is hopefully a harbinger of the type of relationship that Israel can have with the people of Iran."
Pahlavi also visited the Sorek Desalination Plant to learn how Israel has used water technology to advance the Jewish nation. This is something that he promised to partner with the Israelis on should he ever return to power.
Later in the visit, Pahlavi traveled to the spiritual and administrative heart of the Baha’i community in Haifa which was yet another powerful moment because the Baha’is back in the Islamic Republic of Iran. It has faced constant persecution and discrimination from the Khamenei regime, going back to1979.
Finally, in almost every TV interview, tweet or radio interview, Pahlavi stressed something this writer has spoken about, at length, over the years; that is, the Iranian people seek peace with the Israeli people.
The Khamenei regime that chants for "Death to Israel" and denies the Holocaust took place is not representative of the millions of liberty-seeking Iranian people.
Pahlavi’s final tweet to cap-off the visit was so powerful but the message he left in Yad Vashem was perhaps the most powerful: "We will never forget this visit. In our hearts forever!"
For the first time ever, we are witness to a strong and credible alternative to the Khamenei.
Many have argued that even if the Khamenei regime was toppled that another hardliner would be the "the next man up."
Well, after witnessing Pahlavi in action this past week in Israel, it can be confidentially said that he is the leader Iranians so desperately need and deserve.
He is the leader who can forge relationships globally, to put the interests of Iranians first.
As we say in Hebrew, Kol Havkavod Mr. Pahlavi.
Well done indeed!
We should pray for the day when Israelis and Iranians can break bread together in Jerusalem and Tehran, and continue to do so forever.
Bryan E. Leib is the former Executive Director of Iranian Americans for Liberty. He has also served as the National Director for Americans Against Antisemitism. In 2018, Mr. Leib was a GOP Endorsed Congressional Candidate (PA-03). He tweets at @Bryan_E_Leib. Read Bryan E. Leib's Reports — More Here.
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