Pahlavi called on workers in strategic sectors of the economy, such as transport, oil, gas, and energy, to join the general strike, and citizens to take to the streets with flags and occupy the central squares of cities.
“I am also preparing to return to my homeland to be with you, the great people of Iran, when our national revolution triumphs. I believe that this day is very close,” he added.
The protests sweeping Iran are triggered by a sharp decline in the national currency and nearly 50% inflation, exacerbated by international sanctions and the consequences of the conflict with Israel. According to human rights defenders, the number of fatalities has reached at least 65 people, including 15 security personnel and 50 protesters. More than 2,300 demonstrators have been detained.
The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps announced its intention to suppress all protest actions. According to the Tasnim agency, another 100 "armed rebels" were detained in Baharestan, located near Tehran. Eyewitnesses reported that the Iranian army opened fire on protesters in the west of the country.
U.S. President Donald Trump expressed his readiness to support the protesters in Iran through his page on the social network TruthSocial.
“Iran is perhaps more eager for freedom than ever before,” he noted in his message.
Earlier, Trump had stated the possibility of U.S. intervention and strikes against Iran if the authorities began firing on peaceful demonstrators.
U.S. Senator Lindsey Graham, addressing the Iranian people amid the protests, said: “Your long nightmare will soon be over.”
“Your courage and determination to end oppression have been noticed by Trump and everyone who values freedom,” he added.
Graham emphasized that Trump’s slogan “Make Iran Great Again” implies the victory of the protesters over the ayatollah regime, as he believes Iran “will never be great under the control of a religious regime.”
In the Trump administration, preliminary negotiations were held on possible scenarios for military intervention in Iran if necessary.
According to one official, among the options discussed is a large-scale air operation against several military sites in Iran.
