Exiled Iranian Shah’s Son Calls on Protesters to Take Control of City Centres

Son of Ousted Iranian Shah Urges Protesters to “Seize” City Centres Amid Nationwide Unrest.

Mass protests across Iran have intensified over the past two weeks, initially triggered by soaring inflation but quickly turning political, with demonstrators calling for the clerical leadership to step down.

On Saturday, Reza Pahlavi, son of the ousted Shah, urged protesters to “prepare for seizing the centres of cities and holding them,” praising the “magnificent” turnout on Friday. He encouraged more targeted demonstrations over the weekend.

The Iranian army responded, saying it would protect strategic infrastructure and public property, and called on citizens to counter what it described as “the enemy’s plots.”

US President Donald Trump warned Tehran against harming protesters, suggesting the administration could take strong measures short of deploying troops. Trump also indicated he is not yet ready to meet Pahlavi, preferring to see how the situation unfolds.

Supreme Leader Ayatollah Khamenei, in a defiant speech on Friday, condemned “vandals” and vowed the Islamic republic would “not back down.” He accused protesters of trying to “please the president of the United States” and blamed external forces for fomenting unrest.

The protests, now in their third week, represent one of the most significant challenges to the theocratic regime since the 1979 Islamic Revolution. At least 62 people have reportedly died, and Iranian Nobel laureate Shirin Ebadi warned that security forces could be preparing for a “massacre under the cover of a communications blackout.”

State media reported that a municipal building in Karaj was set on fire, attributing the attack to “rioters,” and broadcast funerals for security personnel allegedly killed in Shiraz, Qom, and Hamedan.