Iran protests intensify as exiled prince seeks to rally nationwide support
NEW DELHI [Maha Media]: Iran is witnessing its most serious wave of unrest since 2022, with protests entering their 13th day and spreading across major cities and provincial towns. The demonstrations, which began over a collapsing rial and soaring living costs, have escalated into broader political challenges to the authorities. Markets and bazaars have shut in several locations, and security forces have clashed with crowds in Tehran, Isfahan, and parts of western and northeastern Iran.
Rights groups report that at least 39 people have been killed and more than 2,000 detained. Internet monitoring services say selective disruptions appear to be linked to government action. Officials have confirmed some casualties among security personnel but have not provided a full account of the scale of the unrest. The latest developments centre on a call by exiled crown prince Reza Pahlavi for coordinated nightly chants and street protests, an appeal that was answered by crowds in several Tehran neighbourhoods and in other cities.
A new dimension has emerged with an appeal from exiled crown prince Reza Pahlavi, who urged Iranians to chant and rally at a fixed evening hour over two nights. On Thursday, witnesses say the call was taken up in several neighbourhoods of the capital and in other cities, with slogans heard against the leadership and in support of the former monarchy. Analysts say the response could prove a key test of whether the protests remain fragmented or begin to converge around a broader political challenge.
Authorities have so far avoided a full nationwide shutdown, but security-linked media have warned of tighter monitoring and possible drone surveillance. Iran has also rejected warnings from Washington against violent repression, accusing the United States of interference. Across West Asia, governments and observers are closely watching whether this wave of unrest will fade, as in the past, or develop into a deeper crisis for Tehran.
Reza Pahlavi is the eldest son of Iran’s last monarch Mohammad Reza Shah Pahlavi and has lived in exile since the 1979 Islamic Revolution. Based mainly in the United States, he has positioned himself as a prominent opposition figure advocating secular democracy, human rights and a peaceful transition of power in Iran, while calling for international support for Iranian protesters and maintaining a visible media and social media presence aimed at mobilising public opinion inside and outside the country.
