Iran's exiled Crown Prince Reza Pahlavi posted a message on X for Iranian protesters. In his X post, Pahlavi called for coordinated protests to topple the Khamenei regime. He asked the protesters to seize control of city centres.
"Your renewed and magnificent presence in the streets across Iran on Friday evening was a resounding response to the threats of the treacherous and criminal leader of the Islamic Republic. I am certain that he has seen these images from his hiding place and trembled in fear," Pahlavi said.
He even asked for strikes in key financial sectors of the country. "Now, with your decisive response to the first call, I am certain that by making our street presence more targeted, and at the same time, by cutting off the financial lifelines, we will completely bring the Islamic Republic and its worn-out and fragile repression apparatus to its knees. In this regard, I invite workers and employees in key sectors of the economy, especially transportation, oil, gas, and energy, to begin the nationwide strike," Pahlavi stated.
"I ask all of you today and tomorrow, Saturday and Sunday (January 10 and 11), this time, from 6 p.m., to come to the streets with flags, images, and national symbols and claim public spaces as your own. Our goal is no longer merely to come to the streets; the goal is to prepare for seizing the centres of cities and holding them," he added.
The Institute for the Study of War, a policy research organisation, on Saturday said it recorded 116 protests across 22 provinces since 3:30 pm (local time) on January 8.
As per the report, Iran saw 20 huge protests — ones that have a turnout of over 1,000 people. Internet has been blocked in Iran since Friday.
In a post on X, the Institute said, "Critical Threats and ISW have recorded 116 protests across 22 provinces since 3:30 PM ET on January 8. Twenty of these protests were large protests, which CTP-ISW defines as protests with more than 1,000 participants. CTP-ISW's protest data since its last data cutoff likely reflects only part of the protest activity that has taken place in Iran since that time, given that the internet shutdown restricts protesters' ability to publish and share videos of the protests. Some protesters have reportedly used Starlink to send reports of protests to foreign media."
World leaders on Saturday condemned the killing and arrest of protesters as they gripped Iran, as a threat looms over the administration.
In a joint statement, the Foreign Ministers of Australia, Canada and the European Union lauded the bravery displayed by the citizens of Iran and condemned the reported crackdown by the regime.
At least 65 people have reportedly been killed in the protests that began in late December over Iran's ailing economy and have morphed into the most significant challenge to the government in years.
