Tehran — Protests throughout a number of Iranian cities have entered a 3rd consecutive day, with demonstrators overtly calling for the overthrow of the Islamic Republic and chanting in assist of Crown Prince Reza Pahlavi, the exiled son of Iran’s final monarch.
The newest demonstrations comply with days of rising financial stress, foreign money decline, and widespread public frustration. However, the tone of the unrest has more and more shifted from financial grievances to direct political opposition.
Videos circulated on social media on the third day of protests confirmed crowds chanting:
“Reza Shah, might your soul relaxation in peace.” “This is the ultimate battle — Pahlavi will return.” “King of Iran — come again to Iran.” “Reza, Reza Pahlavi — that is our nationwide slogan.” “Down with the dictator.” “Down with Khamenei.”
The slogans invoke each Iran’s former monarchy and Reza Pahlavi himself, who has lengthy voiced assist for secular democracy and political transition. Analysts say the chants mirror a rising willingness amongst demonstrators to publicly affiliate with the Pahlavi title, as soon as thought-about politically delicate to say inside Iran.
Protests Spread Beyond Tehran
The unrest started in Tehran’s Grand Bazaar, the place shopkeepers walked out and marched via packed corridors in protest. Since then, demonstrations have expanded to different cities and college campuses, together with Amir Kabir University and Shahid Beheshti University within the capital.
Student participation continued into the third day, with gatherings held on campus grounds regardless of a visual safety presence. University college students have traditionally performed a major position in nationwide protest actions, and their involvement is being carefully monitored.
Government Presence Increases
Authorities have deployed further safety forces in key city areas and close to protest-prone places. Witnesses reported the usage of crowd-control measures in some demonstrations, though the general scale of enforcement stays troublesome to independently confirm.
State officers haven’t publicly commented intimately on the chants calling for Pahlavi’s return.
Opposition Symbol Gains Visibility
Reza Pahlavi, who lives in exile, has incessantly referred to as for unity amongst Iranians and has positioned himself as a symbolic determine relatively than a proper political candidate. The latest chants sign {that a} portion of the protest motion sees him as a possible unifying various to the present system.
Observers be aware that express public assist for the Pahlavi household — as soon as extraordinarily uncommon — has develop into extra overtly expressed throughout latest protest waves.
Uncertain Outlook
While it stays unclear how lengthy the newest demonstrations will proceed, the persistence of the protests into a 3rd day—paired with explicitly anti-government and pro-Pahlavi slogans—illustrates deepening political dissatisfaction contained in the nation.
