People gathered in the streets of Tehran on Thursday evening, as reported by witnesses, signaling a new phase of ongoing protests in Iran following a call by exiled Crown Prince Reza Pahlavi for a large-scale demonstration. Immediately after the protests commenced, internet access and telephone services in Iran were disrupted.
This demonstration served as a crucial test to determine if the Iranian populace could be influenced by Pahlavi, whose father, Mohammad Reza Pahlavi, the Shah of Iran, fled the nation just before the 1979 Islamic Revolution and later passed away in exile in 1980. The protests featured chants in support of the shah, a stark contrast to the past where such actions would have resulted in severe penalties, highlighting the frustration that ignited the protests initially due to Iran’s struggling economy.
Thursday witnessed a continuation of the protests that erupted in various cities and rural areas across Iran on Wednesday, with more markets and bazaars closing in solidarity with the demonstrations. According to the U.S.-based Human Rights Activists News Agency, the ongoing violence surrounding the protests has led to the death of 41 individuals, with over 2,270 others being detained.
The surge in protests is intensifying the pressure on Iran’s civilian government and its Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. Reports from CloudFlare, an internet company, and the advocacy group NetBlocks indicated the internet blackout, both attributing it to interference by the Iranian government. Efforts to make phone calls from Dubai to Iran were unsuccessful due to the disruption.
Notably, the protests have been largely leaderless, and it remains uncertain how Pahlavi’s appeal will impact the future course of the demonstrations. Nate Swanson, a researcher at the Washington-based Atlantic Council focusing on Iran, highlighted the challenge of a lack of viable alternatives hindering past protests in the country.
In a statement, Pahlavi urged the Iranian people to voice their demands by taking to the streets, cautioning the Iranian leadership and the Revolutionary Guard that the world, including President Donald Trump, was closely monitoring the situation. The protests were marked by chants such as “Death to the dictator!” and “Death to the Islamic Republic!” along with expressions of support for the shah.
The Iranian authorities appeared to be treating the planned demonstrations seriously, with the hard-line Kayhan newspaper releasing a video online indicating the use of drones by security forces to identify participants. Despite the widespread protests on Thursday, Iranian officials have not acknowledged the scale of the unrest, although reports have surfaced regarding security personnel being injured or killed in various incidents.
Iran has witnessed numerous nationwide protests in recent years, amplified by economic challenges and international tensions. The responses from both the Iranian government and international stakeholders, particularly President Trump, have added complexity to the unfolding situation, with implications for the future trajectory of Iran’s internal dynamics and international relations.