World Watch
Iran: Protests Intensify In Tehran As Exiled Crown Prince Reza Pahlavi Calls For Mass Demonstration
The protests were seen as the first major test of Pahlavi’s ability to mobilise people inside Iran. His father, the last shah of Iran, fled the country shortly before the 1979 Islamic Revolution.
Picture Credit : @PahlaviReza/X
Thousands of people took to the streets in Iran’s capital after exiled Crown Prince Reza Pahlavi called for a mass demonstration, marking a fresh escalation in nationwide protests driven by economic distress, witnesses said.
Chants were heard from rooftops and crowds gathered in several areas of Tehran, with some demonstrators raising slogans in support of the former shah — an act that was once punishable by death but now reflects the depth of public anger over the country’s worsening economy.
As reported by ANI, Soon after the protests began, Iranian authorities cut internet access and telephone lines across the country, according to witnesses and media reports. The blackout appeared aimed at preventing coordination and limiting the flow of information as demonstrations spread.
The protests were seen as the first major test of Pahlavi’s ability to mobilise people inside Iran. His father, the last shah of Iran, fled the country shortly before the 1979 Islamic Revolution.
Earlier , Pahlavi strongly condemned the communication shutdown, accusing the Iranian government of attempting to silence the public by cutting the internet, landlines and possibly jamming satellite signals.