In recent years, scattered reports in sections of domestic and diaspora media have drawn attention to a figure presenting himself as “Prince Babak Qajar,” a man who claims descent from the Qajar dynasty and positions himself as heir to the Iranian throne. According to these reports, he has declared that in a future restoration of Qajar rule, Tabriz would once again become the capital of Iran, Turkish would be declared the official language, and the national script would shift from Persian-Arabic to Latin. These assertions, circulated through social media, interviews, and personal websites, have sparked curiosity, skepticism, and debate—especially among those interested in Iran’s monarchical past and its complex ethnic and linguistic landscape.
To understand the significance of such claims, it is necessary to situate them within the historical context of the Qajar dynasty, the abolition of the monarchy in Iran, and the broader phenomenon of symbolic royal revivalism in exile communities. It is equally important to distinguish between documented history and personal narratives that circulate without institutional recognition or corroboration.
