WhatsappIran’s exiled Crown Prince Reza Pahlavi issued a forceful video address on Monday, declaring a “new phase” in the nationwide uprising against the Islamic Republic and urging intensified resistance both inside and outside Iran. His remarks come amid continued protests across major cities, reflecting mounting pressure on the ruling clerical establishment led by Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.
In the address, Pahlavi praised the scale and persistence of demonstrations in recent weeks, saying Iranians have “shaken the foundations of the illegitimate Islamic Republic.” He argued that the protest movement now carries a clear public mandate and has reached a stage where it must move beyond spontaneous demonstrations toward coordinated action designed to weaken the regime’s ability to govern.
Pahlavi outlined what he described as a more decisive phase of resistance. He called on demonstrators to hold central streets and public squares and to focus attention on institutions responsible for regime propaganda and the suppression of communications. He also urged employees of government ministries and state-run bodies to disengage from the regime, warning that those who continue to serve it would face lasting condemnation from the Iranian people.
A central element of his message was directed at Iran’s security forces. Pahlavi appealed to members of the military, police, and other armed units to defect and stand with protesters, framing such a move as both a moral obligation and a practical step toward national reconciliation once the current system collapses.
The Crown Prince also expanded his call to Iranians abroad, urging activists to reclaim Iranian embassies and consulates as symbols of national sovereignty. He said these missions belong to the Iranian people, not the Islamic Republic, and called for replacing regime symbols with Iran’s historic national flag.
Pahlavi portrayed the regime’s increasingly violent response to protests as evidence of fear rather than strength. He said the use of force and reports of rising casualties demonstrate that the leadership feels cornered and vulnerable. “We are on the threshold of reclaiming our beloved Iran,” he declared, predicting that international support would follow and that celebrations of freedom would soon replace repression.
His address followed a cryptic message from the White House featuring President Donald Trump, which many observers interpreted as signaling a harder American posture toward Tehran.
Together, these signals have injected new momentum into Iran’s protest movement, raising questions across the region about whether the Islamic Republic is entering its most serious crisis in decades.
