Who is Reza Pahlavi, the exiled crown prince encouraging demonstrations across Iran?
NPR••general
Key Points:
- Iran is experiencing nearly two weeks of nationwide protests triggered by economic hardship and a collapsing currency, with the government responding through a harsh crackdown resulting in at least 116 deaths and over 2,600 detentions.
- Iranian authorities have labeled protest participants and their supporters as "enemies of God," a charge punishable by death, signaling an intensified effort to suppress dissent amid ongoing unrest.
- Reza Pahlavi, son of the former Shah, has emerged as a prominent opposition figure, encouraging protesters to continue demonstrations and invoking pre-revolutionary national symbols despite living in exile for nearly five decades.
- Pahlavi's historical legacy is complex, as his family's rule ended amid widespread protests in 1979, and his public support for Israel
