Iranian exile prince Reza Pahlavi has been invited to the Swedish parliament by the Christian Democrats and Sweden Democrats. KD leader Ebba Busch defends the invitation, stressing the need for dialogue with the Iranian opposition. Green Party's Jacob Risberg calls it stomach-turning.
On Monday, Reza Pahlavi, son of Iran's last shah Mohammad Reza Pahlavi, will visit Sweden and the parliament. He has been invited by the parliamentary groups of the Christian Democrats and Sweden Democrats. Pahlavi, who resides in the US, represents opposition advocating free elections in Iran.
KD leader Ebba Busch welcomes the visit. "Of course we should have dialogue with them," she says about forces fighting for a free and democratic Iran. Busch notes there is an opportunity to meet various parts of the opposition but would not refrain from engaging those supporting democracy.
Busch has previously shown support for Pahlavi. At a demonstration in Stockholm a few weeks ago, she ended her speech with "long live the shah." She compares the phrase to "Slava Ukraini" and stresses that the Iranian people should choose their leader in a free Iran.
The Green Party's foreign policy spokesperson Jacob Risberg is critical. "He is the son of a former dictator and causes much controversy and division among exile Iranians," Risberg says, calling the invitation stomach-turning.
