The Shah is understood to have rejected the idea, as well as to abdicate himself in favor of one of his two sons. When the Shah died on 27 July 1980, Farah Pahlavi proclaimed herself as the regent, a title in pretense. On his 20th birthday dating 31 October 1980, Reza Pahlavi declared himself to be the new king of Iran, Reza Shah II, and the right successor to the throne of Pahlavi dynasty. Immediately afterwards a spokesman for the United States Department of State, John Trattner, disassociated the U.S. government from Reza Pahlavi by stating that his government does not intend to support him, assuring that they recognize the Iranian government.
