Tehran-based political activist Tirdad Bonakdar, a critic of the Islamic establishment, said Pahlavi was free to visit any country he wished but asked why he considered himself “to be the representative of the Iranian people.” Bonakdar also criticized Pahlavi for taking his “message of peace” to Israel, where Defense Minister Benny Gantz has previously threatened military action against the Islamic republic. "Accepting an invitation by the most extremist government in the history of Israel, which is opposed by the majority of Israelis, is not an honor but a disgrace," said Ali Afshari, a U.S.-based former student leader who was jailed in Iran for his activism.
