Trump distances US from Iran’s exiled crown prince amid unrest

Reza Pahlavi said on Friday that recent rallies showed how mass participation can limit the effectiveness of security forces, urging protesters to continue mobilizing in greater numbers. According to him, sustained public pressure is key to reducing the state’s capacity to suppress dissent.

Living in the United States since the 1979 Islamic Revolution that overthrew his father, Mohammad Reza Shah Pahlavi, he has emerged as one of the most visible figures of the Iranian opposition abroad. Pahlavi is associated with monarchist circles within a broader and often divided opposition landscape and has publicly signaled readiness to play a role in a possible political transition should the current system collapse. He is also known to have close ties with Israel.

At the same time, Donald Trump has moved to distance Washington from such prospects. Trump described Pahlavi as “a nice person” but said it would not be appropriate for a sitting US president to meet him.

Trump added that the United States should refrain from signaling support for any individual figure, saying it was better to allow events to unfold and see who, if anyone, emerges domestically. His remarks suggest that Washington is not prepared to back Pahlavi’s stated offer to help lead a transition in governance in Iran.

The comments underline a cautious US approach as protests continue and opposition figures abroad seek to position themselves, with Washington avoiding public commitments about Iran’s political future.

Earlier, Qazinform News Agency reported on a nationwide internet blackout, as documented by the monitoring group NetBlocks, as authorities sought to contain unrest. Speaking on state television on Friday, Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said the government would not retreat in the face of expanding protests.