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Iran is grappling with escalating unrest as nationwide demonstrations approach their third week, with a death toll reaching 116 and over 2,600 people detained as of Sunday, according to the U.S.-based Human Rights Activists news Agency (HRANA). The protests, sparked by economic grievances, have seen a prominent voice emerge in Reza Pahlavi, son of the former Shah of Iran, who is actively encouraging continued action against the government.
Government Crackdown intensifies Amid Protests
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Demonstrations began after a dramatic collapse of the Iranian rial, intensifying public frustration with the nation’s economic and political systems.
- The protests were triggered by the rial’s collapse, now trading at over 1.4 million to the U.S. dollar.
- Iran’s attorney general has labeled protestors as “enemies of God,” a charge punishable by death.
- Reza Pahlavi, son of the former Shah, is galvanizing support for the movement from exile.
- Security forces and state media are actively working to suppress dissent and promote pro-government narratives.
Iran’s attorney general, Mohammad Movahedi Azad, announced Saturday that those involved in the unrest would be considered an “enemy of God.” State television reported that security forces were “dealing with rioters with force.”
Emerges
Amidst the turmoil, Reza Pahlavi, the 65-year-old exiled Crown Prince and son of the late Shah Mohammad Reza Pahlavi, has re-emerged as a central figure in the Iranian opposition. He has issued frequent messages on social media urging protestors to continue demonstrating, encouraging them to carry the country’s old lion-and-sun flag and other national symbols from his father’s era to “claim public spaces as your own.”
Despite being born in Iran, Pahlavi has lived in exile for nearly 50 years.
Born in Tehran in 1960, he was appointed Iran’s crown prince untill his father was overthrown. The Shah had inherited the throne from his own father, an army officer who seized power with British support. While the 1970s saw rising oil prices,economic inequality deepened under the Shah’s rule,and his Savak intelligence agency became infamous for the torture of dissidents.
The Pahlavi dynasty ended in 1979, following widespread protests against the Shah, uniting secular leftists, labor unions, professionals, students, and Muslim clergy. Reza Pahlavi left Iran for flight school at a U.S. air base in Texas in 1978, and subsequently witnessed his father flee the country during the onset of the Islamic Revolution, which led to the establishment of a new theocratic government. Following his father’s death, a royal court in exile announced that Reza Pahlavi had inherited the monarchical role of Shah on Oct. 31, 1980, his 20th birthday.
A Leader for a Future iran?
Pahlavi’s attempts to position himself as a leader for a future Iran have sparked debate both within and outside the country. While some protestors have voiced support for the Shah, it remains unclear whether this is support for Pahlavi himself or a longing for the pre-1979 era.
His public support of Israel has drawn meaningful criticism from Iranians and other opposition groups, particularly following the 12-day war launched by Israel in June 2025.
Pahlavi has utilized social media videos and Farsi-language news channels, such as Iran International, to amplify his calls for protests. In interviews,he has repeatedly suggested a constitutional monarchy,potentially with an elected ruler,but maintains that the
