Overview
- In a new video, Reza Pahlavi declared a fresh phase of action, urging protesters to seize and hold city centers and to target regime propaganda and communications organs, while saying he is preparing to return.
- Pahlavi appealed directly to President Trump on national TV to partner on “liberating” Iran, praising his stance and claiming signs of public backing such as pro-Trump street renamings reported by supportive outlets.
- Trump warned of a forceful U.S. response if mass killings occur and said the United States stands ready to help, yet he declined a meeting with Pahlavi and has not committed to direct intervention.
- Protests over economic collapse continue under a nationwide internet and phone shutdown, with the activist group HRANA reporting at least 420 deaths in two weeks, a toll not independently verified.
- Pahlavi’s visibility has grown, with diaspora support and some chants of “Long live the shah,” though his domestic backing remains unclear and his 2023 Israel visit draws criticism inside Iran.