From the Liveblog of
Friday, January 16, 2026
Iran’s Reza Pahlavi calls for international intervention in protests: ‘Islamic Republic will fall’
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The son of Iran’s late shah says he is confident the Islamic Republic will fall in the face of mass protests and calls for intervention.
“The Islamic Republic will fall — not if, but when,” Reza Pahlavi tells a news conference in Washington, DC. “I will return to Iran.”
Pahlavi has lived in exile in the United States since the 1979 Islamic revolution toppled his pro-Western father.
Many protesters have chanted Pahlavi’s name in mass protests that have swept the country and been ruthlessly repressed.
Pahlavi has said he wants to be a figurehead to lead a transition to a secular democracy, although he has plenty of detractors.
Pahlavi has repeatedly called for intervention by US President Donald Trump, who has so far not acted.
“Iranian people are taking decisive actions on the ground. It is now time for the international community to join them fully,” Pahlavi says.
He calls on the international community to “protect the Iranian people by degrading the regime’s repressive capacity, including targeting the Islamic Revolutionary Guard leadership and its command and control infrastructure.”
He also calls on all countries to expel diplomats from the Islamic Republic.
The Times of Israel Community.