‘Continue the struggle, don’t let this regime portray situation as normal’: Reza Pahlavi urges Iranians

WASHINGTON: Amid continuing protests in Iran, exiled crown prince Reza Pahlavi on Tuesday (local time) appealed to protesters and the country’s armed forces, asserting that the world not only saw and heard the demonstrators’ courage and voice but is also “taking action”.

He urged citizens to sustain the movement against the Khamenei regime and warned that those responsible for violence would eventually be held accountable.

In a video message shared on X, Pahlavi said the US President Donald Trump had responded to the protests, asserting that the voices of Iranians were being heard beyond the country’s borders.

Addressing protesters directly, he said, “My compatriots, as I told you in my previous message, the world not only saw and heard your courage and voice but is taking action. By now, you have undoubtedly heard the message from the President of the United States. Help is on the way”.

هم‌میهنانم، همانطور که در پیام قبلیم به شما گفتم، جهانیان نه تنها شجاعت و صدای شما را دیدند و شنیدند بلکه دارند اقدام می‌کنند. قاعدتاً تا الان پیام رییس‌جمهوری آمریکا را شنیده‌اید. کمک در راه است.

مبارزه را ادامه بدهید. نگذارید که این رژیم، شرایط را عادی جلوه بدهد. بعد از این… pic.twitter.com/TlK3Le43bd

— Reza Pahlavi (@PahlaviReza) January 13, 2026

Further, Pahlavi called on demonstrators to remain steadfast and requested them not to let the Khamenei regime “portray the situation as normal”.

“Continue the struggle. Do not let this regime portray the situation as normal,” he said, adding that the scale of violence had permanently altered the relationship between the people and the ruling system. “After all this killing, there is an ocean of blood between us and this regime,” he said.

The exiled Crown Prince urged citizens to document alleged abuses committed during the protests. “Write down the names of these criminals. One day, they will face justice for their actions,” he said.

In a direct appeal to Iran’s security forces and military personnel, Pahlavi sought to distinguish the nation from its current rulers. “And I have a special message for the military personnel: You are the national army of Iran, not the army of the Islamic Republic,” he said.

He called on them to refuse orders that harm civilians and to side with protesters. “It is your duty to protect the lives of your fellow compatriots. You do not have much time left. Join the people as soon as possible,” Pahlavi added.

Pahlavi has been living in exile since his father, Iran’s last shah, was toppled in the 1979 Islamic Revolution that brought the current system to power. He said he has been in contact with the Trump administration, though he did not disclose details of their discussions.

Meanwhile, in a post on X, the US House Foreign Affairs Committee Majority urged the public to change the inevitable Khamenei regime.

To the Iranian people: Ayatollah @khamenei_ir has butchered your people, made rial the weakest currency in the world, and squandered your country’s resources.

Make regime change inevitable.

— House Foreign Affairs Committee Majority (@HouseForeignGOP) January 13, 2026

“To the Iranian people: Ayatollah @khamenei_ir has butchered your people, made rial the weakest currency in the world, and squandered your country’s resources. Make regime change inevitable,” the post read.

Iran has been witnessing sustained nationwide protests since late December, drawing divided reactions internationally, with some governments expressing concern over what they describe as foreign-instigated riots, while others have accused Iranian authorities of responding violently to demonstrators, Al Jazeera reported.

The death toll includes 505 protesters, among them nine children, as well as 133 members of Iran’s military and security forces, one prosecutor, and seven civilians who were not involved in the demonstrations. The current protest, in its 17th day, has spread nationwide, with 606 gatherings across 187 cities, according to HRANA. (ANI)