Overview
- Iran’s largest anti-government demonstrations in years, triggered by economic collapse, have spread nationwide under heavy security force deployments and internet shutdowns.
- Reza Pahlavi has urged nationwide strikes, called on supporters to seize city centers, and said he is preparing to return to Iran, positioning himself for a potential transitional role.
- Pahlavi is openly courting U.S. backing and praised President Trump in recent media appearances, while Trump has voiced support for protesters and signaled caution about formally meeting Pahlavi.
- Rights groups report hundreds of protesters killed and more than ten thousand detained in two weeks of unrest, with verification constrained by rolling blackouts and arrests.
- Analysts say Pahlavi’s true support inside Iran remains uncertain and warn that the regime’s entrenched security organs, including the IRGC and Basij, could withstand protests absent internal splits.