'Prepare to seize city centres': Ousted Shah’s son calls for escalation as Iran protests turn fiercer

In a video message shared on social media, Pahlavi said the movement must go beyond street protests.

“Our goal is no longer just to take to the streets. The goal is to prepare to seize and hold city centres,” he declared, calling for more targeted demonstrations over the weekend.

Pahlavi, the US-based son of Iran’s last monarch, Mohammad Reza Pahlavi, praised the “magnificent” turnout at recent protests and hinted that he may soon return to Iran.

“The moment is very near,” he said, fuelling speculation among supporters.

Protests spread nationwide

Demonstrations erupted in late December over rising inflation and the sharp fall of the Iranian rial, but have since evolved into a broader uprising against the clerical establishment.

According to Human Rights Activists News Agency, protests have now spread to 512 locations across 180 cities in all 31 provinces. 

At least 2,311 people have reportedly been detained since the unrest began.

Rights groups have issued varying casualty figures. Norway-based Iran Human Rights said at least 51 people, including nine children, have been killed. 

Other estimates put the toll above 60, making it one of the deadliest protest waves since the Mahsa Amini-led movement of 2022-23.

Internet blackout sparks fears

Iranian authorities have imposed a sweeping nationwide internet shutdown, now in place for over 36 hours, according to monitoring group NetBlocks.

Human rights organisations warn the blackout may be intended to hide the scale of the crackdown. 

Nobel laureate Shirin Ebadi cautioned that security forces could be preparing a “massacre under the cover of a communications blackout.”

Amnesty International also accused the government of using the shutdown to conceal “grave human rights violations” being committed to crush the protests.

Khamenei takes aim at Trump

Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei addressed the nation, branding protesters “vandals” and accusing the United States and Israel of fuelling the unrest.

Directly targeting US President Donald Trump, Khamenei said his hands were “stained with the blood of Iranians” and predicted he would be “overthrown” like the monarchy toppled in 1979.

He dismissed Trump’s public support for protesters, accusing demonstrators of “ruining their own streets” to please Washington. 

“He should pay attention to his own country,” Khamenei said, as crowds chanted “Death to America” in state TV footage.

Trump issues fresh warning

Trump, meanwhile, declined to rule out military action against Iran, following Washington’s backing of Israel during a 12-day conflict in June.

“Iran’s in big trouble,” Trump said, claiming protesters were taking over cities “nobody thought possible.” 

He warned Iran’s leaders: “You better not start shooting because we’ll start shooting too.”

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio also reiterated support for Iranian protesters, posting, “The United States supports the brave people of Iran.”

Army and IRGC respond

Iran’s regular army pledged to safeguard strategic infrastructure and public property, warning citizens to thwart what it called “enemy plots.”

The elite Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) echoed the stance, calling the protection of the 1979 revolution a “red line.”

Authorities blamed “hostile terrorist groups” and foreign powers for the violence.

State media reported that municipal buildings were torched and broadcast funerals of security personnel allegedly killed in Shiraz, Qom and Hamedan.

Pahlavi appeals for global support

Pahlavi also directly appealed to Trump for urgent intervention, calling on him to support the Iranian people.

“Mr President, this is an urgent and immediate call for your attention,” he wrote online. “Please be prepared to intervene to help the people of Iran.”

Videos circulating online show protesters chanting in support of Pahlavi and calling for his return, underscoring his growing symbolic role in the uprising.

Unrest shows no sign of easing

With protests spreading, casualties mounting and leaders trading threats, Iran faces its most serious unrest in years.

As the internet blackout continues and security forces tighten their grip, fears are rising that the country may be heading toward a more violent confrontation between the state and its people.

The call by the ousted Shah’s son to seize city centres has added a new dimension to the crisis, raising the stakes for both protesters and authorities in the days ahead.