Iran’s exiled Crown Prince Reza Pahlavi has urgently appealed to US President Donald Trump to intervene as mass protests sweep the Islamic Republic.“Mr. President, this is an urgent and immediate call for your attention, support and action,” Pahlavi wrote on social media. “Please be prepared to intervene to help the people of Iran.“
The call came as protests intensified in Tehran and other cities, initially fueled by the collapse of Iran’s economy but now posing one of the most serious challenges to the Islamic Republic in years. Protesters chanted slogans including “Death to the dictator” and, in some cases, praised the former monarchy, a surprising change in a country where such support once carried the death penalty.Iran’s leaders responded with threats of force. Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei accused protesters of acting to “please the president of the United States” and dismissed Trump as having his hands “stained with the blood of Iranians.” The head of Iran’s judiciary warned that punishment would be “decisive, maximum and without any legal leniency,” while state media called protesters “terrorists.”At least 62 people have been killed and more than 2,300 detained, according to human rights groups, amid a widespread internet blackout that activists say is being used to conceal a violent crackdown.Trump has repeatedly warned Tehran not to kill peaceful protesters, saying Iran would “pay hell” if it did. The warning has taken on added weight after US forces seized a fifth sanctioned oil tanker this week as part of a broader effort to rein in Venezuelan exports following Maduro’s ouster, an operation that has heightened speculation about whether Washington could apply similar pressure elsewhere.Pahlavi, who has lived in exile for nearly five decades, insists the blackout is being used “to assassinate these young heroes.” However, it is still unclear how much genuine support it has within Iran, or whether protesters support the return of the monarchy, or simply demand an end to clerical rule.Pahlavi’s call for intervention comes days after the United States captured Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro and his wife in an overnight operation in Caracas.The raid was approved by President Donald Trump late on January 2 and executed in the early hours of the next morning after months of planning and interagency coordination. Gen. Dan Caine, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, said the operation integrated air, land, sea, space and intelligence capabilities, and involved more than 150 aircraft throughout the Western Hemisphere. U.S. forces arrived at Maduro’s compound shortly after 2 a.m. local time, quickly securing the area and detaining the Venezuelan leader with what officials called speed and precision. Trump praised the mission as unparalleled in its execution, saying it lasted less than 30 minutes.