Iran Protests Intensify as Crowds Answer Call From Exiled Crown Prince and Internet Goes Dark

BY EMMANUEL OGBONNA

Demonstrations across Iran escalated sharply Thursday night as residents of the capital and other cities poured into the streets and shouted from their homes following a call for mass protests by exiled Crown Prince Reza Pahlavi, according to witnesses. The unrest marked a new phase in a protest movement that has spread nationwide amid deepening economic distress, with authorities cutting internet access and telephone service almost immediately after the demonstrations began.

The protests represented the first major test of whether Pahlavi, the son of Iran’s last monarch, could mobilize large numbers of Iranians inside the country. His father, Mohammad Reza Shah Pahlavi, fled Iran shortly before the 1979 Islamic Revolution that ushered in the current system of clerical rule. In recent days, demonstrators have openly voiced support for the former monarchy, including chants praising the shah — expressions that once could have carried the death penalty and now reflect the depth of anger directed at the Islamic Republic.

Thursday’s unrest followed a day of demonstrations that erupted Wednesday in cities and rural towns across the country. Markets and bazaars in multiple locations shut down in apparent solidarity with protesters, disrupting daily life and commerce. Human rights monitors said violence linked to the demonstrations has left at least 41 people dead, with more than 2,270 others detained nationwide as security forces attempted to contain the unrest.

The growing scale of the protests has increased pressure on Iran’s civilian government and Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who has ultimate authority over the state. Internet monitoring groups reported that nationwide connectivity dropped sharply as the demonstrations gained momentum, attributing the blackout to deliberate government interference. Telephone lines, including international calls, were also disrupted, a tactic authorities have used in the past before launching widespread crackdowns.

Despite the surge in unrest, the protest movement has remained largely leaderless, raising questions about whether Pahlavi’s involvement could reshape its direction. Analysts note that previous protest waves in Iran have struggled to achieve lasting political change in part because of the absence of a unified leadership capable of negotiating or challenging the state.

“The lack of a viable alternative has undermined past protests in Iran,” wrote Nate Swanson of the Atlantic Council, who studies Iranian politics. He noted that while many potential leaders could emerge under different circumstances, Iran’s security apparatus has systematically arrested, exiled, or silenced figures capable of unifying opposition movements.

Pahlavi had urged Iranians to demonstrate at 8 p.m. local time on Thursday and Friday. As the hour arrived, neighborhoods across Tehran echoed with chants, witnesses said, including cries of “Death to the dictator!” and “Death to the Islamic Republic!” In some areas, crowds shouted slogans praising the former monarchy, such as “This is the last battle! Pahlavi will return!” Thousands of people were reported to be out on the streets in several districts of the capital.

In a public statement, Pahlavi called on Iranians to unite and press their demands openly, saying the world was watching their actions. He warned Iran’s leadership and the powerful Revolutionary Guard that any violent suppression of protesters would draw international scrutiny, including from the United States. Pahlavi said he would outline further plans depending on how the demonstrations unfolded.

His involvement has not been without controversy. Pahlavi’s past expressions of support for Israel have drawn criticism, particularly following a brief but intense war between Israel and Iran earlier this year. Some demonstrators’ chants praising the shah may reflect support for Pahlavi personally, while others appear driven by nostalgia for life before the 1979 revolution rather than a clear endorsement of a specific political figure.

Iranian authorities appeared to take the planned demonstrations seriously. A hard-line newspaper published footage online suggesting security forces would deploy drones to identify and track participants. While officials have not publicly acknowledged the overall scale of the protests, state-affiliated media have reported on attacks against security personnel.

Judicial media outlets reported that a police colonel died from stab wounds in a town near Tehran. In western Iran, gunmen reportedly killed two members of the security forces and wounded dozens of others in a shooting incident. In northeastern Iran, local officials said an attack on a police station killed five people, while the Revolutionary Guard later announced that two of its members were killed in clashes in the western city of Kermanshah.

Iran has experienced repeated waves of nationwide protests in recent years, often triggered by economic hardship and political repression. The latest unrest erupted after Iran’s currency plunged in December, with the rial collapsing to record lows against the dollar following new sanctions and economic strain after recent regional conflict. Demonstrators quickly turned their anger toward the country’s theocratic system, chanting against clerical rule.

Observers have questioned why authorities have not yet launched a more sweeping crackdown. Former U.S. President Donald Trump warned last week that if Iran’s leadership “violently kills peaceful protesters,” the United States would respond. Iranian officials dismissed those comments as hypocritical, citing past U.S. involvement in Iran’s internal affairs.

Despite Tehran’s objections, U.S. officials have highlighted images circulating online that purport to show protesters discarding government-subsidized goods or symbolically renaming streets, presenting them as evidence of widespread frustration with economic mismanagement.

Meanwhile, prominent activist and Nobel Peace Prize laureate Narges Mohammadi remains imprisoned after her arrest in December. Her family has publicly linked the current protests to earlier uprisings, saying Iranians continue to demand an end to clerical rule and authoritarian governance.

As demonstrations continue and communications remain restricted, the coming days may determine whether the protests can sustain their momentum — and whether the involvement of an exiled royal figure will alter the trajectory of one of the most serious challenges to Iran’s leadership in years.