Photo credit: AP

Iran has been rocked by widespread anti-government protests that have already entered their second week. What began as demonstrations over economic collapse has quickly escalated into broader calls for political change and the end of the country’s theocratic regime.

Protests have spread across multiple cities despite heavy security measures, internet restrictions and mass arrests. As unrest has intensified, one familiar name from Iran’s past has re-emerged in public debate: Reza Pahlavi, the exiled crown prince.In recent statements, Pahlavi has urged protesters to remain on the streets, arguing that sustained public pressure could bring about the collapse of the clerical regime. In a video message circulated on social media, he told Iranians that their presence had “severely weakened Khamenei’s repressive apparatus” and claimed the authorities were facing a shortage of loyal security forces. According to reporting by ANI, he called on members of the military, police and state institutions to defect, warning them not to stand “against the Iranian people for the sake of a regime whose fall has begun and is inevitable”.

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Pahlavi insisted that the opposition was prepared for a post-regime transition, saying there was a “100-day plan” to establish a democratic government and prevent chaos. Urging continued demonstrations, he told protesters: “Do not abandon the streets. My heart is with you… We will take back Iran", ANI reported.

Who is Reza Pahlavi?

Reza Pahlavi is the eldest son of Mohammad Reza Pahlavi, Iran’s last shah, who was overthrown during the 1979 revolution. Born in Tehran in 1960, he was formally named crown prince in 1967 at the time of his father’s coronation.. According to his website, he left Iran in 1978 at the age of 17 to undergo jet fighter training at Reese Air Force Base in Texas, just months before the revolution forced the royal family into exile.

After completing his military training, Pahlavi pursued higher education in the United States, earning a degree in political science from the University of Southern California. Following his father’s death in 1980, he declared himself shah in exile during a ceremony in Cairo, later telling The Washington Post in a 1989 interview: “In a way, I’m king-elect.”Pahlavi, who has lived in exile in the United States for five decades, announced his plan to return to Iran in a video message and a recent post on X, as demonstrations continued across Tehran and other cities.

“I, too, am preparing to return to the homeland so that at the time of our national revolution’s victory, I can be beside you, the great nation of Iran. I believe that day is very near,” he wrote.Pahlavi has lived mainly in the Washington, DC area, campaigning for political change in Iran. He has consistently said he does not seek a return to monarchy, instead portraying himself as an advocate for a secular, democratic system achieved through non-violent civil disobedience and a national referendum. In an interview with USA Today, he said he wanted to be a “catalyst” to help Iranians achieve “full democracy for the first time in their country’s history”.His influence remains contested. While some analysts cited by the New York Post argue that growing nostalgia for the pre-revolutionary era has boosted his standing, others question whether he commands broad support inside Iran after decades in exile.