Overview
- Demonstrations that began over economic grievances at Tehran’s Grand Bazaar spread nationwide, with chants of “Javid Shah” and calls for Pahlavi’s return.
- The exiled crown prince urged Iranians to take to the streets, raising his visibility as some rallies adopted explicitly pro‑monarchy slogans.
- Open royalist advocacy remains taboo and prosecutable inside Iran, highlighting the unusual tenor of the latest chants.
- Pahlavi says he is ready to oversee a transition if the regime falls, though experts note he has offered few specifics and remains a polarizing figure.
- His standing is further complicated by past shifts on foreign intervention, visible support from Israel’s Benjamin Netanyahu, and recent appeals to President Donald Trump.