Exiled Iranian Crown Prince Urges Trump to Intervene as Protests Escalate Amid Internet Blackout
WASHINGTON, D.C. — As Iran faces a surge of nationwide protests against its Islamic regime, exiled Crown Prince Reza Pahlavi has issued an urgent plea to President Donald Trump for immediate intervention. The call comes amid a sweeping internet blackout imposed by Tehran, aimed at stifling communication among demonstrators and preventing the outside world from witnessing the escalating unrest.
Pahlavi, who is the son of the late Shah of Iran, described the situation as dire in a message posted on X, formerly Twitter, emphasizing that millions of Iranians are currently enduring a “total communications blackout” with no access to internet or landlines. “Last night you saw the millions of brave Iranians in the streets facing down live bullets. Today, they are facing not just bullets but a total communications blackout,” he wrote, appealing to Trump as a “man of peace and a man of your word.”
The protests, which have spread to over a hundred cities, represent one of the most significant challenges to the Islamic Republic since its founding. According to reports from the Human Rights Watch and the Human Rights Activists News Agency, at least 36 people, including protesters and security personnel, have lost their lives in clashes with regime forces. The unrest has been fueled by widespread dissatisfaction with the government’s policies and a desire for fundamental change.
Iran’s Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, has publicly condemned the demonstrations, accusing protesters of “ruining their own streets” to please the United States, according to The Associated Press. In response, Pahlavi warned that Khamenei is preparing a brutal crackdown, using the internet blackout to “murder these young heroes,” as he described the protesters.
The exiled prince’s call for U.S. involvement echoes President Trump’s earlier warnings. On January 2, Trump posted on Truth Social that the United States was “locked and loaded and ready to go” to defend peaceful protesters if the regime resorted to violence. Pahlavi credited this stance with helping to keep regime forces somewhat restrained during recent demonstrations.
The movement is notable not only for its scale but also for the diverse participation across Iranian society, including the powerful merchant class, which has historically been a stabilizing force for the regime. Pahlavi told Fox News that the regime is “very close to collapsing,” describing the protests as “unprecedented scenes” and a clear signal that the people are more committed than ever to ending the current government.
The internet blackout, a tactic increasingly used by authoritarian regimes to control dissent, has drawn condemnation from international observers. The U.S. Department of State has repeatedly emphasized the importance of internet freedom and condemned efforts to silence peaceful protesters through communications shutdowns.
Meanwhile, solidarity rallies supporting the Iranian protesters have taken place worldwide, including a recent demonstration at Lafayette Square in Washington, D.C., just across from the White House. These gatherings underscore the global concern over Iran’s political future and the human rights situation within the country.
As the situation develops, Pahlavi’s urgent appeal to President Trump highlights the critical juncture at which Iran stands. The exiled crown prince’s message is clear: without international support, particularly from the United States, the regime’s crackdown could become far more deadly, and the hopes for democratic change may be extinguished.
The coming days will be pivotal for Iran’s future, as the world watches whether the regime will respond with further repression or if the protesters’ calls for freedom will finally be heeded.
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