Who Is Reza Pahlavi? Why Millions Of Iranians Are Heeding The Exiled Prince’s Call To Action | World News
In Iran, which has been the biggest threat to the Islamic Republic in recent years, an unprecedented wave of protests has been taking place across the country for 13 days. On January 9, 2026, Iranian opposition reached its critical point as thousands of people took to the streets in response to a call by exiled Crown Prince Reza Pahlavi.
Following the local military conflict with Israel and the collapse of the economy in mid-2025, protests began to shift from strikes to calls for the removal of Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, the top leadership of the Iranian government.
20.00 Hymns: A Turning Point in Unrest
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Following the release of a video message earlier this week, Reza Pahlavi reminded Iranians to begin coordinated chanting at 8pm on Thursday and Friday nights.
Response: Large crowds were seen in the Iranian cities of Tehran, Mashhad and Isfahan as protesters chanted slogans such as “This is the last war, Pahlavi will return” and “Death to the dictator”.
Oppression: The government led by President Masoud Pezeshkian initiated a “nationwide internet blackout” and disconnected international telephone lines on Thursday night to deter joint actions.
Casualties: Human rights sources state that at least 45 people have been killed and more than 2,200 people have been arrested since the violence began on December 28, 2025.
The cause of the 2026 revolution was a “sudden economic shock.” Following the reimposition of sanctions by the UN against Iran’s atomic program at the end of 2025, the Iranian Rial fell to a record low of 1.4 million per US dollar.
Domestic Triggers: There is no turning back for the shopkeepers of the Grand Bazaar in Tehran, who called for a strike due to 40 percent inflation and the removal of subsidies for meat, rice and gasoline.
Weakened Allies: Regional experts state that Iran’s “Axis of Resistance” has seriously deteriorated over the past two years and that the Iranian religious regime is now “more vulnerable than ever to overthrow within its own borders.”
Who is Rıza Pahlavi? Heir to the Sun Throne
Reza Pahlavi is the eldest son of the last Shah of Iran, Mohammad Reza Pahlavi. Rıza Pahlavi was born on October 31, 1960.
Royal Cultivation: He was an educated royal who became a trained pilot at the age of 11 and was taking flight training in the United States when the Iranian Revolution occurred in 1979.
Forty Years of Exile: Pahlavi has resided in the United States since 1980, following the death of his father, and claims to be a legitimate ruler, but proposes a secular, democratic-parliamentary regime rather than an absolute monarchy.
Political Positioning: Although he does not hold any political office, he is the symbol of the National Cooperation Platform and Iranian expatriates and opposition parties.
Global Implications: Trump and the ‘Deadly’ Threat
The protests in 2026 saw immediate American intervention from the US government, with a stern warning from US President Donald Trump, who on Thursday told the Iranian government that the US would take action if protesters were violently killed by the authorities.
US Reaction: US Republican Senator Lindsey Graham called Iranian leader Ayatollah Al Khamenei a “devout Nazi” and assured Iranian demonstrators that “help is on the way.”
Defense of Tehran: While state media blamed the violence on “terrorist agents” of the United States and Israel, Iran’s Army commander warned of a harsher response than a military escalation in June 2025.
READ ALSO | Anti-Khamenei Protests Rage in Iran: 10 Points for Uprising, Demands and Reza Pahlavi’s Call
