Reza Pahlavi, the exiled son of Iran’s last monarch and a longtime critic of the Islamic Republic, issued a sharp warning over reports that Islamist political activists in Brussels are advocating policies aligned with Sharia law, including proposals for gender-segregated public transportation. Speaking from his base in Europe, Pahlavi framed the issue as a broader test of the continent’s commitment to secular governance, social integration, and the preservation of liberal democratic norms.

Pahlavi argued that allowing religiously derived legal concepts to shape public policy would represent a fundamental shift away from Europe’s constitutional traditions. He emphasized that immigration and multiculturalism must be anchored in what he described as a clear expectation of assimilation into the host country’s legal and cultural framework, rather than the accommodation of parallel systems of governance. According to his remarks, the introduction of gender-segregated buses would symbolize a departure from principles of equality and individual rights that form the basis of European civil law.

The debate he referenced has been linked to recurring political efforts by small Islamist-oriented parties in Belgium that have previously called for measures such as separate public services for men and women. While these proposals have not been adopted into national law and remain outside mainstream policymaking, their periodic reemergence has fueled controversy and prompted renewed discussion about the limits of religious expression in public institutions.

Belgian authorities and major political parties have consistently reaffirmed the country’s secular legal order, under which public services operate on the basis of nondiscrimination. However, the presence of niche political movements advocating religiously framed policies has kept the issue in public discourse, particularly in urban districts with diverse populations and complex integration challenges.

Pahlavi’s intervention reflects his broader political message that European governments must draw a clear distinction between protecting freedom of belief and permitting the institutionalization of religious norms in state functions. He has long positioned himself as a proponent of secular governance, citing Iran’s post-revolutionary experience as a cautionary example of what he views as the consequences of merging religion and state power.

The remarks also intersect with ongoing European debates over integration, social cohesion, and the management of ideological movements that seek to reshape public policy through democratic channels. Supporters of stricter assimilation frameworks argue that maintaining a single legal standard is essential to social stability, while critics warn against policies that could marginalize minority communities.

As discussions continue across Europe, the controversy underscores the tension between pluralism and the preservation of secular legal systems. Pahlavi’s comments place him firmly within a camp that views the defense of existing civic norms as a prerequisite for both democratic resilience and long-term social cohesion.