Iranian Crown Prince Reza Pahlavi has issued a call for mass demonstrations across the globe on February 14, designating the date as a "Global Day of Action" in support of what he termed Iran's "Lion-and-Sun Revolution."
In a statement posted Monday on social media platform X, the exiled opposition leader called on Iranians abroad and supporters worldwide to gather in major cities, including Munich, Los Angeles, and Toronto, to pressure the international community into taking concrete action against the Islamic Republic.
Pahlavi, son of the late Shah Mohammad Reza Pahlavi, who was deposed in the 1979 Islamic Revolution, has emerged as the most prominent voice among the Iranian opposition in the diaspora advocating for regime change.
His call to action outlined six specific demands directed at Western governments and international bodies.
“Our six demands are clear:
1. Dismantle the regime’s machinery of repression and protect the people of Iran
2. Cut off the regime’s financial lifelines in full
3. Ensure free internet and communications for the people of Iran
4. Expel the regime’s "diplomats" and prosecute its criminals
5. Immediate release of all political prisoners
6. Prepare to recognize a legitimate transitional government to lead Iran toward democracy.”
Crown Prince accuses Tehran of 'brutal violence'
In his statement, Pahlavi also accused Tehran of employing "massacre and brutal violence" to suppress dissent, claiming the government has "slaughtered tens of thousands of brave Iranians" and restricted internet access to conceal alleged abuses.
The demonstration announcement comes amid the ongoing internet shutdown in Iran, which has reached over three weeks, and the crackdown on protests within the country.
Reports suggest that thousands of people have been killed since people took to the streets on December 28 over economic grievances and anti-regime feelings - including 40,000 over the two days of January 8 and 9, when Pahlavi again called on Iranians to take to the streets.
"The Islamic Republic's occupying rule has tried to break our nation's will," Pahlavi stated. "It has failed. The era of fear is over. The era of freedom is near."
“The situation on the ground has indeed changed, both in scale and viciousness of the repression,” Pahlavi told The Jerusalem Post last week, explaining how the regime is “shutting down communications, and relying entirely on the IRGC’s repressive machinery to survive.”
The opposition leader also urged supporters who cannot travel to the designated cities to organize local demonstrations, emphasizing that "when we stand united, governments are compelled to listen."
Western nations, particularly the United States and European Union members, have imposed various sanctions on Iranian entities and individuals over concerns about Tehran's nuclear program, regional activities, and human rights record. Last week, the EU designated the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps a terror organization.
Pahlavi's invocation of the lion-and-sun symbol carries particular historical meaning for Iranians as the emblem served as Iran's national flag under the Pahlavi dynasty before being replaced after the 1979 revolution. The symbol and flag are regularly seen at anti-regime protests.