Who is Reza Pahlavi? The exiled prince urging Iranians to ‘seize cities’

For decades, Reza Pahlavi was the polite look of the Iranian absorption successful exile – a erstwhile combatant aviator who spoke of nonviolent absorption and secular ideology from his location successful the United States.

But this weekend, the code of the 65-year-old heir to the Peacock Throne and lad of Iran’s past shah changed dramatically.

In a nonstop situation to the Iranian government, Pahlavi called connected Iranians to “seize metropolis centres” and hole for his imminent return, prompting what Iranian authorities media described arsenic “armed violent attacks” crossed the country.

“Our extremity is nary longer simply to travel into the streets,” Pahlavi declared successful a statement released connected his X account. “The extremity is to hole to prehend metropolis centres and clasp them.”

From heir to exile

Born successful Tehran connected October 31, 1960, Pahlavi was officially named crown prince astatine the property of seven. His way seemed destined for the throne until the 1979 gyration upended the region.

At 17, helium near Iran for combatant aviator grooming successful the US astatine Reese Air Force Base successful Texas. While helium was away, the monarchy collapsed, and the existent governmental strategy was established, barring his return.

Pahlavi completed his grooming and aboriginal earned a grade successful governmental subject from the University of Southern California. During the Iran-Iraq War successful the 1980s, helium famously volunteered to service arsenic a combatant aviator for his state but was rejected by the authorities successful Tehran.

He has lived successful exile ever since, residing successful the US with his wife, Yasmine Pahlavi, and their 3 daughters.

‘Preparing to return’

For much than 40 years, Pahlavi advocated for a referendum and nonviolent change. However, his rhetoric has sharpened importantly successful caller days.

On Saturday, helium urged workers successful cardinal sectors — transport, oil, and state — to motorboat nationwide strikes to “cut disconnected the fiscal lifelines” of the state. He specifically called connected the “youth of the Immortal Guard” — the erstwhile imperial forces — and information forces to defect.

“I, too, americium preparing to instrumentality to the homeland truthful that astatine the clip of our nationalist revolution’s victory, I tin beryllium beside you,” helium stated.

His telephone to enactment comes amid reports of the largest antigovernment protests successful years. Pahlavi asked supporters to hoist the pre-1979 “Lion and Sun” flag, a awesome of his father’s rule, and to inhabit nationalist spaces starting from 6pm section clip (14:30 GMT).

‘Terrorist’ accusations

The effect from Tehran has been furious. On Sunday, state-affiliated media outlets labelled the protests arsenic a “new signifier of insecurity” and an “internal equipped war”.

A study by the blimpish Vatan-e Emrooz newspaper, cited by the Tasnim quality agency, described Pahlavi’s telephone arsenic screen for “terrorist nuclei” to onslaught constabulary and Basij forces.

“Do not beryllium mistaken; this is not simply a riot … these were equipped violent attacks,” the study stated, claiming that dozens of information unit had been killed.

Officials person linked Pahlavi’s escalation to overseas interference, specifically accusing the US and Israel. They claimed the unrest is simply a “Plan B” by US President Donald Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu pursuing the decision of the 12-day warfare betwixt Israel and Iran successful May past year.

‘Opposition against the opposition’?

While Pahlavi has recovered renewed popularity connected the streets, helium faces crisp disapproval from wrong the fractured Iranian opposition.

Alireza Nader, an Iran expert, argued successful a caller article that Pahlavi’s governmental activities person go divisive. Critics impeach his ellipse of attacking different salient dissidents, specified arsenic Nobel Peace Prize victor Narges Mohammadi, labelling them “leftists” oregon “terrorists”.

“Pahlavi has doubled down connected his advisors contempt others’ unease astir them,” Nader wrote, questioning whether the prince has go “the absorption against the opposition”.

There are besides concerns astir manipulation. Nader noted that Pahlavi’s online enactment is partially driven by cyber-armies linked to the Iranian government, designed to sow discord, raising questions astir “who is co-opting whom”.

Despite these interior rifts, Pahlavi remains the astir disposable figurehead for the existent question of unrest. With the Trump medication maintaining a hands-off attack — asserting it is “up to Iranians to take their ain leaders” — and the streets of Tehran burning, the exiled prince appears to beryllium making his last gamble for the throne helium mislaid 47 years ago.