Massive protests swept through the streets of Iran on Friday morning, even as the Iranian state media broke its silence over the protests, alleging “terrorist hands” of the US and Israel that set fires and sparked violence.
It also said there had been “casualties”, although it did not release an official figure of the death toll as a result of clashes between protesters and the police. However, a US-based Human Rights Activists News Agency has claimed the violence has killed at least 42 people, while 2,270 have been detained.
The regime cut off internet on Friday as demonstrations became large scale after Iranian Crown Prince in exile, Reza Pahalvi, called for protests and Thursday and Friday.
“Iranians demanded their freedom tonight. In response, the regime in Iran has cut all lines of communication,” Pahlavi said, adding, “It has shut down the Internet. It has cut landlines. It may even attempt to jam satellite signals.”
He went on to call for European leaders to join US President Donald Trump in promising to “hold the regime to account.”
“I call on them to use all technical, financial, and diplomatic resources available to restore communication to the Iranian people so that their voice and their will can be heard and seen,” he added. “Do not let the voices of my courageous compatriots be silenced.”
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Pahlavi, whose support to and from Israel has drawn criticism in the past, especially after the 12-day war against Israel in June last year, said he would offer further plans depending on the response that his call generates.
Demonstrations in the country have intensified since December 28, 2025, against an ailing economy, surging inflation, and currency collapse, which worsened after US imposed sanctions.
Meanwhile, US President Donald Trump reiterated threats of intervention in Iran’s internal political matter, saying Tehran will invoke military action if it kills protesters. In an interview with talk show host Hugh Hewitt aired Thursday, Trump said Iran has “been told very strongly, even more strongly than I’m speaking to you right now, that if they do that, they’re going to have to pay hell”.
On being asked whether he would be interested in meeting Pahalvi, Trump declined, saying, “Reza Pahlavi is the son of Iran’s last shah, who was expelled after the Islamic revolution of 1979. He is a nice person, but meeting him would not be appropriate.”
“I think that we should let everybody go out there and see who emerges,” Trump said, adding, “I’m not sure necessarily that it would be an appropriate thing to do.”
In another interview with Sean Hannity aired Thursday night, Trump went as far as to suggest 86-year-old Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei may be looking to leave Iran.
“He’s looking to go someplace,” Trump said. “It’s getting very bad.”
Meanwhile, the international community is watching the political backlash closely, especially since Trump’s military action in Caracas and the US’ abduction of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro earlier this month.
Trump has also since expressed a desire to seize control of Greenland, a self-governing Danish territory.
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