by Emmitt Barry, Worthy News Washington D.C. Bureau Chief
(Worthy News) – Thousands of Iranians poured into the streets and shouted from rooftops across Tehran and other cities Thursday night following a call for mass demonstrations by exiled crown prince Reza Pahlavi, marking a significant escalation in nationwide unrest gripping the Islamic Republic. Witnesses reported widespread chanting and street rallies as authorities abruptly shut down internet access and disrupted phone lines shortly after protests began.
The demonstrations marked the first major test of Pahlavi’s influence inside Iran since he urged citizens to mobilize against the ruling clerical regime. Protesters in Tehran and other cities were heard chanting slogans such as “Death to the dictator!” and “Death to the Islamic Republic!” while some openly praised the former shah — a once-unthinkable act that underscores the depth of public anger fueled by economic collapse and political repression.
Unrest continued for a second consecutive day as markets and bazaars across the country shuttered in apparent solidarity with demonstrators. According to the Norway-based human rights organization Iran Human Rights, at least 45 protesters have been killed so far, including eight minors. The group said Wednesday was the deadliest day of the unrest, with at least 13 confirmed fatalities.
“The evidence shows that the scope of the crackdown is becoming more violent and more extensive every day,” said IHR director Mahmood Amiry-Moghaddam, noting that hundreds have been wounded and more than 2,000 people arrested.
The growing protests are placing mounting pressure on Iran’s civilian government and Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei. Internet monitoring groups reported that nationwide outages were the result of deliberate government interference, a tactic historically used ahead of harsh crackdowns. Attempts to contact Iran from abroad were also disrupted.
Despite the scale of the unrest, the protest movement has remained largely leaderless. Analysts say it is still unclear whether Pahlavi’s intervention will unify or redirect the demonstrations. Nate Swanson of the Washington-based Atlantic Council wrote that past protest movements in Iran have faltered due to the absence of a viable alternative leadership, as potential reformers are routinely arrested, exiled, or silenced by the security apparatus.
Pahlavi had called for demonstrations at 8 p.m. local time on Thursday and Friday. When the hour arrived, neighborhoods across Tehran erupted with chants, and thousands flooded the streets. In a statement, he urged Iranians to stand united and warned the regime and the Revolutionary Guard that the world — including U.S. President Donald Trump — was watching closely.
Iranian officials appeared to take the threat seriously. The hardline Kayhan newspaper released footage claiming security forces would deploy drones to identify demonstrators. State-linked media, however, downplayed the protests while reporting attacks on security personnel in several provinces, including fatal stabbings and shootings.
The unrest comes amid Iran’s worst economic crisis in decades. Following tightened sanctions and the aftermath of last year’s regional conflict, Iran’s rial plunged to nearly 1.4 million to the U.S. dollar in December, sparking protests over soaring prices and shortages. Prior to the 1979 Islamic Revolution, the rial traded at roughly 70 to the dollar.
Trump has repeatedly warned Tehran against violently suppressing protesters, saying the United States would respond forcefully if mass killings occur. Iranian officials dismissed the remarks as hypocritical, citing past U.S. interventions, but Washington has continued to highlight images of defiance circulating online despite censorship.
Human rights advocates say the current demonstrations represent the largest and most sustained unrest since protests following the death of Mahsa Amini. Nobel Peace Prize laureate Narges Mohammadi remains imprisoned as protests stretch into their second week, with demonstrators openly calling for an end to clerical rule.
As chants continue to ring out from Iran’s streets and rooftops, analysts say the days ahead may prove decisive — determining whether the unrest hardens into a sustained, unified challenge to the regime or is met with a sweeping and violent crackdown by authorities.
Copyright 1999-2026 Worthy News. This article was originally published on Worthy News and was reproduced with permission.
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