Cautious Calm in Tehran... Pahlavi Calls on Iranians to Take to the Streets Again

SadaNews - Reza Pahlavi, the son of the deposed Shah of Iran, encouraged Iranians to take to the streets again this weekend, following the suppression of protests across the country after more than 2,600 demonstrators were killed by Iranian security forces.

In a post on the platform "X", the son of the deposed Shah urged his "brave fellow citizens" to "raise their voices in anger and protest" from Saturday to Monday.

He stated in the post, "The world sees your courage and will provide clearer and more practical support for your national revolution."

Pahlavi's remarks came after Iran returned to a state of cautious calm following a wave of protests that led to a bloody crackdown and warnings of mass executions for thousands of detainees across the country.

The protests in Iran began on December 28 of last year with a strike by Tehran bazaar traders amid deteriorating living conditions, but evolved into a widespread protest movement that called for political slogans, including the overthrow of the regime that has held power since the victory of the Islamic Revolution in 1979. According to figures released by the "Iran Human Rights" organization based in Norway, at least 3,428 demonstrators were killed during the protests. However, the organization warned that the death toll could be much higher.

Human rights organizations reported that authorities carried out widespread arrest campaigns amid the protests, with estimates suggesting that the number of detainees could reach 20,000. The opposition channel "Iran International," broadcasting from abroad, reported at least 12,000 deaths, citing high-ranking government and security sources.