Iran’s ex-crown prince calls for fresh anti-government actions

The exiled son of Iran’s last shah has called for anti-government actions in his homeland to coincide with protests in Germany and other countries, as the key opposition figure was due to speak at the Munich security conference.

US-based Reza Pahlavi, who has not returned to his country since before the 1979 Islamic revolution that ousted the monarchy, calls for protests on Saturday in Munich, Toronto and Los Angeles to demand international action on Iran.

In an X post, Pahlavi urges Iranians inside the country to join in by chanting slogans from their homes and rooftops, after street protests that peaked in January were violently suppressed by authorities in a crackdown that rights groups say left thousands dead.

Pahlavi says that Iranians abroad would demonstrate on Saturday “to mobilize broader international support” for what he described as “Iran’s Lion and Sun Revolution,” a reference to the insignia on the imperial flag.

“In this spirit, I invite you, on the evenings of February 14 and 15 at 8 p.m., to raise your voices and chant from your homes and rooftops. Shout your demands. Show your unity. With an unbreakable will, we will prevail over this occupying regime,” he adds.

Pahlavi is due to address the Munich Security Conference at 1745 GMT on Friday, a rare chance for him to speak at an international event.