The Israeli government announced on Sunday that "Reza Pahlavi, the son of former Iranian Shah Mohammad Reza Pahlavi, will visit Israel this week," describing him as "the most prominent Iranian figure ever to publicly visit Israel."
Israel stated in a statement: "The purpose of Reza Pahlavi's visit, who is currently in exile, is to create a bridge between Israel and the Iranian people, and to express a shared opposition to the Ayatollah regime."
The Israeli statement quoted Pahlavi as saying, "When Iran becomes a democratic country, it will seek to renew its relations with Israel and our Arab neighbors. In my opinion, such a day is closer than ever."
Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Nasser Kanani refused to discuss the matter when asked about the visit at a press conference, saying, "Neither the person you mentioned (Reza Pahlavi) nor the purpose of this visit nor the place he wishes to travel to is worth discussing."
Pahlavi is expected to participate in an official Israeli ceremony commemorating the Nazi Holocaust during his visit.
Israel and Iran enjoyed warmer relations during the Shah's regime, which was supported by the United States, before being overthrown by the Islamic Revolution in 1979. Since then, the two countries have been in enmity.
