Dhaka, Jan 9, 2026 — Iran’s exiled Crown Prince Reza Pahlavi has called on the country’s protesting population to continue their movement against the government, while urging members of the armed and security forces to stand with the people during what he described as a “historic moment” for the nation.
In a video message posted on social media platform X on Thursday, Pahlavi said he had been closely following the protests over the past week, particularly demonstrations in Tehran’s major marketplaces. He praised protesters for maintaining resistance despite what he termed severe government repression.
“No matter how powerful a government may be, when people build a mass movement, even the government’s supporters eventually join, forcing those in power to flee,” Pahlavi said. He emphasized that the protests must remain disciplined and goal-oriented to achieve meaningful change.
Pahlavi announced a coordinated protest action, calling on Iranians to chant slogans against the government at 8:00 p.m. on Thursday and Friday, whether on the streets or from their homes. He said further instructions would follow after the action.
Addressing Iran’s armed and security forces directly, Pahlavi said they had sworn to protect the nation and its people, urging them to choose “the side of the people, not the perpetrators.” He appealed to them to refrain from firing on civilians, arguing that doing so would safeguard not only their duty but also their own futures and families.
“The question is no longer whether the corrupt and oppressive Islamist rulers will fall, but when,” he said, adding that their departure was inevitable.
Iran has witnessed widespread protests over the past two weeks in Tehran and other cities, driven largely by the sharp decline of the Iranian rial, soaring inflation, and rising living costs. The unrest began after shopkeepers launched strikes and demonstrations on December 28, which have since spread nationwide.
Reza Pahlavi is the eldest son of Iran’s last monarch, Mohammad Reza Shah Pahlavi, who was overthrown during the 1979 Islamic Revolution. The former shah left Iran in January 1979 and died in exile in Cairo in 1980. Reza Pahlavi has lived in exile in the United States since the revolution and was declared crown prince by supporters of the former monarchy.
