As Iran’s nationwide unrest enters its second week marked by power blackouts, mounting casualties, and an unprecedented crackdown one name is increasingly resonating across the streets and online is Reza Pahlavi.
Nearly five decades after being forced into exile, the son of Iran’s last Shah has re-emerged as a central opposition figure, issuing urgent calls for escalation and showing his readiness to return home if the current regime collapses.
Born to the Throne, Raised in a Vanishing Kingdom
Reza Pahlavi was born in Tehran and formally named Crown Prince in 1967, during the coronation of his father, Shah Mohammad Reza Pahlavi. Groomed from a young age to one day rule Iran, his life took a dramatic turn just over a decade later.
In 1978, at the age of 17, Reza Pahlavi left Iran to undergo jet fighter pilot training with the U.S. Air Force. That decision, meant to prepare him for military leadership, ultimately kept him away when the 1979 Islamic Revolution broke out overthrowing the monarchy.
Life in Exile After the Revolution
Following the fall of the Shah, Reza Pahlavi never returned home. He has lived in exile since 1979, primarily in the United States near Washington, D.C., alongside his mother, Empress Farah Pahlavi.
He secured a bachelor’s degree in political science from the University of Southern California, grounding his royal upbringing in academic study of governance. In 1986, he married Yasmine Etemad-Amini, and the couple has three daughters.
From Silent Exile to Opposition Figure
For years, Reza Pahlavi remained a symbolic figure for monarchists. Over time, however, he reframed his public role presenting himself as a unifying transitional leader. He has consistently advocated for a secular, democratic Iran, emphasizing free elections, human rights and the separation of religion from the state.
The ongoing unrest initially sparked by economic distress, soaring inflation, and currency collapse has spread to all 31 provinces, evolving into direct challenges against Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and clerical rule.
Amid this surge, Pahlavi’s name has returned to Iran’s streets. Protesters in cities from Tehran to Mashhad have reportedly chanted slogans such as “This is the last battle. Pahlavi will return!” and “Javid Shah” (Long live the King), while waving pre-revolutionary Iranian symbols.
Calls for Escalation and Return
In a video statement released recently, the 65-year-old praised the massive turnout of protesters as a “crushing response” to regime threats. He urged Iranians to move beyond symbolic marches and focus on seizing and holding city centers, alongside nationwide strikes in vital sectors such as oil, gas, energy, and transportation.
Rising Death Toll, Global Attention
Human rights groups and doctors in Tehran report 200 to 217 protesters killed, many by live ammunition, with hospitals overwhelmed by the injured. The government has imposed a communications blackout, but satellite channels and smuggled videos continue to document the unrest.
International reactions remain mixed. Pahlavi has appealed to U.S. President Donald Trump, urging preparation for intervention and thanking him for promises to hold Iran’s leadership accountable. However, Trump has publicly stated he will not meet Pahlavi at this stage, calling such a move inappropriate during active unrest.
