Toronto Iranians celebrate Reza Shah while condemning regime support in Canada

Iranian-Canadians honour the founder of modern Iran while warning that regime ideology is gaining ground in Canada.

Scarlett Grace
  |   March 22, 2026   |   News Analysis   |   Be the first to comment

On March 15, Iranian-Canadians gathered at Mel Lastman Square in Toronto to celebrate the birthday of Reza Shah I, the first Shah of the Pahlavi dynasty and widely regarded as the architect of modern Iran.

Attendees described Reza Shah as a transformative figure who pulled Iran into modernity—building railways connecting the Caspian Sea to the Persian Gulf, establishing universities, developing infrastructure, and restoring pride in Iran’s ancient heritage. Many referred to him as the “father of modern Iran,” crediting him with laying the foundation for a unified and prosperous nation.

“He worked every moment from the day he became king,” one attendee told Rebel News. “We owe him our identity.”

But the gathering wasn’t just about the past; it was about the future. Many expressed strong support for Reza Pahlavi, the grandson of Reza Shah I, whom they hope will lead Iran into a democratic transition following the fall of the current Islamic regime.

Supporters described Pahlavi as a committed and enduring figure who has spent decades advocating for freedom in Iran and expressed hope that he will soon return to Iran.

However, the celebratory tone quickly shifted when the discussion turned to Al-Quds Day, which was observed in Toronto just one day earlier.

Several attendees warned of what they described as a growing alliance between leftist groups and Islamist ideologies, what the last Shah, Mohammad Reza Pahlavi, called the “unholy alliance of the red and the black,” the forces that led to the 1979 Islamic revolution.

Some called for stronger government intervention, including revoking the status of individuals who support the Islamic Republic or the IRGC, stating that Canada’s policy of multiculturalism, combined with fear of being labeled “Islamophobic,” has prevented action against extremist ideologies.

“You cannot feed a crocodile and expect it not to eat you,” organizer Bahman Aryamehr warned, cautioning that tolerating such movements could ultimately erode Canadian freedoms.

As chants calling for the end of the Islamic regime echoed through the square, attendees made one thing clear: their fight for a free Iran is far from over, and increasingly, they see that fight extending beyond Iran’s borders.

Please sign the petition to show that Canadians stand with the Iranian people!

7,924 signatures
Goal: 10,000 signatures
meta-img

The Iranian people are fighting a tyrannical Islamic regime that arrests women, crushes dissent, and kills protestors demanding freedom. Canada’s leaders need to stop tiptoeing around the dictators in Tehran and stand with those risking their lives for democracy and human rights. Add your name — tell Canada to stand with the Iranian people and against the regime oppressing them.

Will you sign?

Scarlett Grace

Anti-Discrimination Reporter

Scarlett Grace is a Canadian journalist and musician from Peterborough, Ontario. She holds a Bachelor of Arts in English Literature from Trent University and has spent over a decade performing live and releasing original music.

In 2022, her involvement in Canada’s freedom movement marked a turning point in her career and public voice. She later joined Rebel News, where she works as an anti-discrimination journalist, reporting extensively on the rise of antisemitism in Canada and the Iranian uprising.

https://twitter.com/ScarlettGrace92

Featured Stories

COMMENTS

Be the first to comment

Please check your e-mail for a link to activate your account.