Reza Pahlavi has become a central figure amid the protests in Iran, actively calling on people to take to the streets and enjoying significant symbolic support among demonstrators.
That’s all despite the exiled son of Iran’s lash shah (king) living over 6,000 miles away from Tehran.
So who is Reza Pahlavi, and how much support does he have?
The eldest son of Mohammad Reza Pahlavi, he was officially named Crown Prince in 1967 during his father’s reign.
In 1978, aged 17, he left Iran for US Air Force pilot training – just months before the 1979 Iranian Revolution overthrew the monarchy and established the Islamic Republic under Ayatollah Khamenei.
Now 65 and living in Washington DC, Pahlavi has suddenly found himself at the heart of one of Iran’s most intense waves of unrest in years.
He has repeatedly called for mass protests inside Iran and positions himself as a unifying figure for the opposition – though he has stated he does not seek permanent power.
Instead, he supports letting the Iranian people decide (via referendum) whether to restore a constitutional monarchy or establish a republic.
Pahlavi has outlined a 100-day plan for an interim administration, telling reporters: “This is not about restoring the past… it’s about securing a democratic future for all Iranians.”