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Distinguished guests, dear friends, and fellow advocates of freedom and peace,

It is an honor to receive the Nixon Library’s "Architect of Peace" Award. I extend my heartfelt gratitude to the leadership of the Nixon Library, the Nixon Foundation, and all those who continue to preserve the legacy of a great statesman, President Richard Nixon.

This honor is especially meaningful, not only because of President Nixon’s towering contributions to global peace, but because of the deep, personal connection between President Nixon and my family. Tonight, as we reflect on the legacy of peace and diplomacy, we also recognize that standing for what is right sometimes requires standing alone—something President Nixon understood better than most.

When we think of President Nixon’s legacy, we naturally recall his groundbreaking foreign policy—his bold decision to open relations with China, his efforts to ease tensions with the Soviet Union through détente, and his tireless work to secure peace in the aftermath of Vietnam. But President Nixon’s vision extended beyond the immediate concerns of his time. He saw the Middle East as a vital region—one that held the key to stability in an increasingly interconnected world. And it was President Nixon who best understood the vital role Iran played in securing peace and security in that region.

Iran, under my late father’s leadership, stood as a pillar of stability in the Middle East. My father, the late Shah, worked tirelessly to build a modern, progressive Iran—a nation where economic growth, education, and development could flourish. And throughout those years, President Nixon stood as a trusted ally and a steadfast friend of Iran. He recognized, long before many others, the importance of a strong, peaceful Iran in safeguarding the Middle East.

But tonight, I wish to reflect on something much more personal. For me, President Nixon’s legacy is not just one of foreign policy, but one of friendship—friendship and loyalty in the truest sense of those words.

Many of you know the difficult history of my family. When my father was forced into exile, the world was quick to turn its back. Those who once relied on his leadership, vision, and even patronage found it easier to abandon him in his moment of need. Yet, amidst this desertion, one man remained. That man was President Nixon.

When my father passed away in 1980, President Nixon did not hesitate to travel to Egypt for his funeral. In doing so, he joined President Anwar Sadat as one of the only two world leaders of significant global stature to attend. Despite the shifting political winds, despite the ease with which so many others had turned away, President Nixon chose to stand by his friend, and in doing so, he stood by the people of Iran.

It was not a decision based on political expediency—it was a decision rooted in integrity and conviction. President Nixon knew what so many others chose to forget: that true friendship is not about convenience. Not performatively, but instinctively, he knew that standing on the right side of history meant doing so even when it is not popular.

Today, as I reflect on those difficult years, while I feel immense personal affection and appreciation for Presidents Sadat and Nixon, I feel no bitterness toward those other world leaders who abandoned my father and my nation. Indeed, I do not think much about them at all. For me, the greatest recognition does not come from the actions of world leaders or political figures—it comes from the people of Iran themselves.

Today, in the streets of Iran the people chant the name of my father. They remember him not simply as a leader of a bygone era, but as a symbol of sovereignty, progress, pride and service to the nation. Despite the decades that have passed, his memory is alive in the hearts of Iranians. His greatest vindication comes not from the actions of governments, but from the voices of ordinary people who honor his legacy.

I spoke of President Nixon standing alone. Often those fighting for Iran’s liberation did so alone and against the pressures of the global media and establishment. Even today, those pressures continue. But today things have changed. Because those ordinary people who honor my father’s name do so not just out of nostalgia. Those ordinary people, millions of them across my country, are extraordinarily brave. Because they are not just hoping for the better future my father believed they deserved. They are fighting for it.

I was often told that I would not get far in my campaign for my country because I did not have the apparatus of a state, certainly not the proper funding, and no army. But now, I have such an army– my extraordinarily brave compatriots. And having once worn my nation’s uniform, there is no one I stand more proudly side by side with than the people of Iran today. And I will stand with them until victory.

And so, as I accept this award tonight, I do so not just for myself. This honor belongs to the people of Iran. They are the true architects of peace. For decades, they have endured unimaginable suffering under a brutal regime that has sought to extinguish their hopes and dreams. Yet despite everything, they continue to rise, they continue to fight for the realization of our great civilization.

Their sacrifices are too often ignored on the world stage. But tonight, through this recognition, the Nixon Library is shining a light on their courage and resilience. Just as President Nixon once stood with my father, the Nixon Library now stands with the Iranian people, choosing not to follow the easy or popular path, but to stand on the side of truth and justice.

For over four decades, the people of Iran have been engaged in a struggle for their most basic human rights. They have faced persecution, imprisonment, torture, and death, all for daring to demand what should be guaranteed to all: the right to live in peace, to express their beliefs freely, and to choose their leaders without fear.

From the student movement of 1999 and the regime's deadly attack on the Tehran University students' dormitory, to the protests of 2009, where millions took to the streets in the name of freedom, to the freedom fighters of November 2019, to the brave youth of today, who risk everything by defying the regime’s oppressive laws—these are the true architects of peace. Their struggle is not for power or for conquest; it is for the simple yet profound right to live in dignity.

Yet we stand at a dangerous juncture. The winds of war are blowing across our region. But let us be clear—this is not the war of the Iranian people. This is the war of a dictator, Ali Khamenei, who thrives on division and conflict. The Iranian people do not seek war. They seek peace, security, and a future free from tyranny.

They are fighting for that future. Theirs is not just a quest to free Iran but to free the Middle East, Arabs and Israelis, from the terror of the Islamic Republic.

It is because of them, my dear compatriots, that I have stayed in this fight. I seek nothing for myself. Only to serve them. So as long as I live, I will continue my lifelong mission to free Iran from this oppressive regime. I will do everything in my power to ensure that the future of Iran is one of peace, democracy, and justice.

We are on the cusp of change, and I remain committed to doing my duty to my country and my people. I will work tirelessly to oversee and ensure that Iran undergoes a peaceful and secure transition to a secular democracy—one where every citizen can live as equals, free from any form of discrimination.

In this mission, I draw inspiration from the great leaders of my youth—my own father, President Sadat, and President Nixon. These men understood that peace is not simply the absence of war, but the presence of justice, dignity, and freedom. They were architects of a better world, and it is their legacy that I seek to carry forward.

President Nixon’s vision for a peaceful and secure Middle East remains as relevant today as it was during his presidency. His boldness in pursuing peace, his willingness to challenge the status quo, and his unshakable belief in freedom continue to inspire me.

As I accept this award, I do so with not hope, but belief, that we are nearing the day when the Iranian people will once again take their rightful place in the world—a free, democratic, and peaceful Iran. This is the future we seek. This is the future we will achieve.

Thank you again for this profound honor. I accept it in memory of all those Iranians who have lost their lives in the battle to reclaim Iran. As President Nixon’s epitaph says “The greatest honor history can bestow is the title of peacemaker.” Tonight you have honored the memories of my fallen compatriots.

Thank you.