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Donning a maroon topi, his outstretched palms turned upwards as is the practice among Iranian Zoroastrians, Crown Prince Reza Shah Pahlavi stood before the kebla at the Bhandara Atash Kadeh in Houston while the Tandorasti prayers were being recited on April 6, 2024. Standing beside him, dressed fully in white, with a blue scarf covering her head, was his wife Yasmine. After the prayers both of them dutifully took the rakhia offered on a chamach and applied it to their forehead. They were also seen lighting divas in the sanctum.

The royal couple had graced the meet-and-greet luncheon hosted by Feroze and Shernaz Bhandara at the Zoroastrian Heritage and Cultural Center in Houston. Sending Parsiana a report, images and videos capturing the highlights of the "momentous occasion,” Feroze wrote, "Their visit served as a gesture of solidarity with the Zoroastrian community, reaffirming their commitment to inclusivity and cultural diversity…(while) highlighting the significance of preserving and honoring the rich history and traditions of Zoroastrians the world over.”

For the Crown Prince it was a welcome opportunity to be back in Texas as nearly five decades earlier he had undertaken his jet fighter training at the Reese Air Force Base in Lubbock. In his five-minute speech after the luncheon, he expressed his joy "to visit this beautiful facility and meet with my Zoroastrian compatriots and others who share this ancient Iranian faith.” He mentioned that during his interactions over the years with leaders and journalists, "I have found myself involuntarily offering them a history lesson about Iran and our civilization. There’s much to be proud of in Iran’s history but something in which I take particular pride is how Iranians of different faiths have lived peacefully side by side for centuries.” The soccer fan recalled the time when the Iranian national soccer team had "Muslims, Christians, Jews, Baha’is, Zoroastrians, all playing together for our country and for our flag. Today that has been taken from us. All Iranians face the indignity of discrimination and deprivation under this Islamic republic.”

He further expressed his concern for "the plight of our Zoroastrian community. They have been frequently denied the right to practice their faith freely and have faced routine harassment, insult and abuse by the current regime.” Elucidating on "this great faith and its role in our nation’s history,” he recounted the contribution of early leaders "from Cyrus the Great, our Zoroastrian king who was the first world leader to enshrine human rights, to 19th century Zoroastrian merchants like Arbab Jamshid and Arbab Jahanian (who supported the constitutional revolution of 1906)… The Iranian Zoroastrian legacy of freedom and valor has been evident across centuries. The impact has of course always spread beyond Iran’s borders where our brothers and sisters of the Parsi community have made immense contribution to countries like India and Pakistan.” 

He was confident Iran will "return to its natural course of progress and unity where religious freedom flourishes, and individuals of all faiths, including Zoroastrians are able to practice their beliefs without fear or prejudice.” Appreciating that Zoroastrianism has played "a critical role in the development and progress of our great civilization,” he was optimistic "that its impact will only continue to grow... For four decades the people of Iran have unfortunately become all too familiar with the real life Ahriman. More than ever they are looking to replace such evil with pendâr-e nik, goftâr-e nik, kerdâr-e nik (Persian terms for good thoughts, good words, good deeds).”

  Reza and Yasmine Pahlavi (siting 2nd to 4th from r)

According to the website of the Crown Prince, rezashah.org, "Despite being forced to live in exile, Reza Pahlavi’s commitment and patriotic duty to Iran endures. For over four decades, (he) has been a leader and advocate of the principles of freedom, democracy and human rights for his countrymen. He maintains constant contact with his compatriots and opposition groups, both inside and outside the country. He consistently speaks out against the widespread abuse and oppression of the Iranian people and calls for the establishment of a secular democracy in Iran. He calls for regime change through non-violent civil disobedience, and for a free and open referendum on a new government of Iran.” Both he and Yasmine hold degrees in political science. Yasmine later earned a Doctorate in Jurisprudence, worked for 10 years as a staff attorney for the Children’s Law Center in Washington, DC, and subsequently co-founded the Foundation for the Children of Iran that seeks to provide critical health care services to all children of Iranian descent.

Those attending the luncheon organized by the Bhandaras were given an option of paying $ 2,500 (Rs 2,08,822) per person if they wanted a seat at the table with the Crown Prince. Otherwise the rates were $ 500 (Rs 41,764) for confirmations before March 31 and $1,000 (Rs 83,528) for confirmations after April 4. The invite had specified, "The organizers will need to collect money for the National Union For Democracy in Iran (NUFDI) prior to the event.” This Union is a non-profit, non-partisan organization representing the Iranian-American community. They support the Iranian people’s ongoing struggle to reclaim Iran from the Islamic Republic and are simultaneously in pursuit of a US policy toward Iran based on the values of human rights and democracy. 

Lauding the support of "our Zoroastrian Association of Houston (ZAH) chairman Aderbad Tamboli, our Atash Kadeh chair Ervad Khushrav Nariman and NUFDI chairman Shahpar Razmzan… friends and community members,” Feroze reminded the gathering that "at the Bhandara Atash Kadeh (inaugurated in 2019) the flame has been burning continuously since its inception with daily boi prayers… Unlike the old world, our Atash Kadeh is open to all non-Zoroastrian family members, relatives and friends. Our donation to build the Atash Kadeh was conditioned on it being open to all.”

  

Estimating that there are about 25,000 Zoroastrians in North America, Feroze added, "Zoroastrians in the new world are learning to live and adapt in this multi-cultural and multi-ethnic melting pot. It is going to be a generational struggle to preserve our culture, religion and values. In some of our Zoro-American communities over 75% of our children are marrying outside the faith. My wife and I are the proud grandparents of Angela whose first language is Spanish. She is also fluent in English and goes to our Sunday School here at ZAH. We are hoping that she will keep our faith and traditions alive. We all love our children and wish that they will preserve and carry forward our faith and values.”

Feroze who hails from Pakistan observed that "less than one-tenth of our original pre-partition population remains there.” In India, it has reduced by more than half, he said, listing "a low birth rate, emigration to the West and non-acceptance of converts to the faith” as the principal factors. "Parsi women marrying outside the faith and their children are shunned...” he rued. 

Besides interacting with ZAH members, the Crown Prince evinced an interest in the centralized collection of print and electronic material on the Zarathushti faith and culture maintained at the ZAH Library for the FEZANA (Federation of Zoroastrian Associations of North America) Information, Research and Education System. Feroze conveyed that the royal couple "left behind a message of unity, resilience and hope… Their visit served as a poignant reminder of the role that cultural institutions play in bridging divides and fostering understanding in an increasingly interconnected world.”