Khaberni - Reza Pahlavi, the son of the Shah of Iran who was overthrown in the 1979 Islamic Revolution, pledged on Sunday to return to Iran from his exile in the United States.
The 65-year-old man did not specify a date, and it is still unclear whether he will be allowed to enter Iran and what the consequences he would face as an opposition politician.
Pahlavi said in a video message on the X platform that the Iranian people demand a "new and reliable path" to move forward.
"The battle in Iran today is between occupation and liberation. The Iranian people have called upon me to lead. I will return to Iran," he wrote, adding that Iranians are taking action on the ground, and now is the time for the international community to join them.
Pahlavi, who was appointed by his late father, the former Shah of Iran, as the Crown Prince, has been living in exile in the United States for decades.
Pahlavi's name was present in the protests that erupted in Iran in late December last year, as demonstrators took to the streets when he called them last week and chanted his name.
The protests in Iran began in late December 2025 against the backdrop of the deteriorating value of the local currency and the deepening economic crisis, starting in Tehran before spreading to several cities, with President Bzshkiyan acknowledging the dissatisfaction.
Pressure from the United States and its ally, Israel, on Tehran has been escalating since the outbreak of popular demonstrations in Iran in late December last year, protesting against the deteriorating economic and living conditions.
In contrast, Tehran accused Washington of seeking through sanctions and pressures and inciting disturbances and spreading chaos, to create a pretext for military intervention and regime change.
