Exiled Crown Prince Reza Pahlavi Urges Iranians To Unite in Chants, Kurdish Groups Declare General Strike By The Media Line Staff Exiled Iranian Crown Prince Reza Pahlavi on Tuesday issued his first public call for coordinated action since a new wave of protests swept Iran, urging citizens to take part in synchronized chants from their homes and in public spaces later this week. In a video address to the Iranian public, Pahlavi called on people to raise their voices simultaneously at 8 p.m. on Thursday and Friday, January 8 and 9. He described the effort as a test of national mobilization and said, “Based on your response, I will announce the next calls to action.” Referring to the latest unrest, Pahlavi said participation in Tehran’s bazaars had grown and noted that he had been closely following developments across the country over the past week. He praised what he called “disciplined and large” demonstrations and suggested that sustained pressure in some areas has strained security forces and led to defections within their ranks. Characterizing the authorities’ response as a “violent crackdown,” Pahlavi urged protesters to maintain pressure through organized, nonviolent mass action. “Keep the protests as disciplined and as large as possible,” he said, presenting the planned chants as a symbolic display of unity and resolve. The statement marks Pahlavi’s reemergence in public discourse as unrest has once again spread across Iran, driven by economic hardship, political repression, and regional tensions. Separately, seven Iranian Kurdish opposition groups announced a general strike for Thursday, signaling a broader expansion of the protest movement. In a joint statement, the groups accused the Islamic Republic of intensifying its campaign against Kurdish-majority regions—specifically naming Kermanshah, Ilam, and Lorestan—and condemned what they described as mass arrests of demonstrators as part of a systematic policy. The signatories include the Kurdistan Democratic Party of Iran, Komala Party of Iranian Kurdistan, Kurdistan Free Life Party, Komala, the Kurdistan Organization of the Communist Party of Iran, Revolutionary Komala of Toilers of Iranian Kurdistan, and the Kurdistan Organization of Khabat. Calling on civil society organizations and political groups to adopt “a united and collective stance,” the parties declared Thursday a day of national solidarity, with protests and work stoppages expected to coincide across multiple regions.
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The Media Line: Exiled Crown Prince Reza Pahlavi Urges Iranians To Unite in Chants, Kurdish Groups Declare General Strike
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Exiled Crown Prince Reza Pahlavi Urges Iranians To Unite in Chants, Kurdish Groups Declare General Strike
By The Media Line Staff
Exiled Iranian Crown Prince Reza Pahlavi on Tuesday issued his first public call for coordinated action since a new wave of protests swept Iran, urging citizens to take part in synchronized chants from their homes and in public spaces later this week.
In a video address to the Iranian public, Pahlavi called on people to raise their voices simultaneously at 8 p.m. on Thursday and Friday, January 8 and 9. He described the effort as a test of national mobilization and said, “Based on your response, I will announce the next calls to action.”
Referring to the latest unrest, Pahlavi said participation in Tehran’s bazaars had grown and noted that he had been closely following developments across the country over the past week. He praised what he called “disciplined and large” demonstrations and suggested that sustained pressure in some areas has strained security forces and led to defections within their ranks.
Characterizing the authorities’ response as a “violent crackdown,” Pahlavi urged protesters to maintain pressure through organized, nonviolent mass action. “Keep the protests as disciplined and as large as possible,” he said, presenting the planned chants as a symbolic display of unity and resolve.
The statement marks Pahlavi’s reemergence in public discourse as unrest has once again spread across Iran, driven by economic hardship, political repression, and regional tensions.
Separately, seven Iranian Kurdish opposition groups announced a general strike for Thursday, signaling a broader expansion of the protest movement. In a joint statement, the groups accused the Islamic Republic of intensifying its campaign against Kurdish-majority regions—specifically naming Kermanshah, Ilam, and Lorestan—and condemned what they described as mass arrests of demonstrators as part of a systematic policy.
The signatories include the Kurdistan Democratic Party of Iran, Komala Party of Iranian Kurdistan, Kurdistan Free Life Party, Komala, the Kurdistan Organization of the Communist Party of Iran, Revolutionary Komala of Toilers of Iranian Kurdistan, and the Kurdistan Organization of Khabat.
Calling on civil society organizations and political groups to adopt “a united and collective stance,” the parties declared Thursday a day of national solidarity, with protests and work stoppages expected to coincide across multiple regions.