International Workers' Day Message, May 1, 2026

On International Workers' Day, I salute every one of you—the hardworking and courageous workers of Iran.

In these hard and grueling days—the product of forty-seven years of the Islamic Republic's devastation—I stand at your side. I know that you workers and laborers, like most of our compatriots, are under crushing economic pressure and struggling to make ends meet; your tables grow smaller and emptier by the day, while the Islamic Republic squanders our national wealth on warmongering and on bankrolling terrorist groups.

This is no condition worthy of an Iranian worker or citizen; and it will end with the overthrow of this regime and the fulfillment of the sacrifice and the pure blood of the tens of thousands who gave their lives for Iran's freedom.

Reaching this goal requires the participation of every single one of us. At every moment and with every step, let us ask ourselves: does this act prolong the life of the regime, or does it help bring victory to the Lion and Sun Revolution? Every act, however small, that disables the regime's machinery of repression makes a difference in deciding the fate of a great and historic nation.

From the teachings of Zoroaster to the proud era of the Achaemenids, the standing of work and of the worker—as one of the principal arms of development, prosperity, and welfare—has always been honored and revered in Iranian history and culture. More than 2,500 years ago, Darius the Great personally attended to the affairs of the men and women working at Persepolis and ordered that their wages be paid directly. In modern times, too, we witnessed the revival of this ancient culture. My grandfather and my father always paid special attention to work and to workers. In my father's time, with the White Revolution of the Shah and the People, the welfare and livelihood of workers became a central focus: from giving workers a share in factory profits, to easing home ownership, to creating educational, recreational, and sporting facilities for workers and their families.

The question of economic and industrial development, of work and entrepreneurship—centered on the welfare, comfort, and dignified life of workers—is also of special and fundamental importance to me. That is why my team in the Iran Prosperity Project has focused on this matter fully and deliberately, carefully studying, examining, and presenting ideas and solutions suited to Iran's circumstances.

I believe that once Iran is set back on the track of progress and development, and prosperity and reconstruction return, the country's workers and their honorable families will once again enjoy the respect, welfare, and dignity that all Iranians deserve.

Long live Iran,

Reza Pahlavi