Iran on the Brink of Historic Upheaval, Universities Ablaze and Streets Under the Shadow of Suppression

Prince Reza Pahlavi has sent a message of hope to the people of Iran, a country on the brink of historic upheaval, where universities have become engulfed in flames and streets continue to breathe under the shadow of suppression.

Since the beginning of the twelfth month of 1404, when a new wave of nationwide protests began with a bloody spark, Iran has entered a new phase of confrontation between society and authority; a phase accompanied by widespread suppression, extensive arrests, issuance of severe sentences, and an increase in executions, and simultaneously with the continuation of protests in universities and some cities, it has reached a critical point.

Reports from human rights organizations indicate the killing of thousands of citizens, the arrest of thousands of people, and the issuance of death sentences for a number of protesters. The use of terms such as “moharebeh” (enmity against God) and “corruption on earth” against detainees has intensified concerns about the fairness of legal proceedings. Over the past two months, families of many people have remained unaware of the situation of their loved ones, and some have only learned of their tragic fate after brief telephone contacts.

Meanwhile, universities have once again become centers of protest. With the reopening of higher education institutions, students in Tehran, Shiraz, Isfahan, and several other cities have held protest gatherings. The slogans are more explicit than before and the symbols more visible; from chanting anti-government slogans to carrying historic flags. The atmosphere in universities reflects the reality that the protest movement has not been silenced despite security pressures.

In such an atmosphere, Reza Pahlavi, by issuing a message addressed to the people, military forces, and especially students, has spoken of “a great and historic transformation.” The full text of this hopeful message is as follows:

“Dear Compatriots,

Iran stands on the brink of a great and historic transformation, and its determining factor remains the will and conscious action of the Iranian people. It is we who must play our key role at the appropriate time and not allow scenarios contrary to the nation’s wishes to be imposed on our country.

In this path, the role of military, police, security forces, and the body of government institutions is decisive. In Iran’s Lion and Sun national revolution, many honorable forces, by defying suppressive orders, stood with the Iranian people. Credible reports show that especially police and army forces refrained from using weapons against the people, and the regime used plainclothes forces, the Basij, the Revolutionary Guards, and foreign mercenaries for the massacres.

The disclosure of documents and images of massacres and the identity of perpetrators, the delivery of bodies of the fallen, assistance to detainees, aid in rescuing medical personnel and the formation of underground clinics were among the measures carried out with the accompaniment of micro-level forces within government institutions. Nevertheless, it is clear that the number and capabilities of these forces are limited compared to the regime’s repressive apparatus, and to create a balance of power, international humanitarian intervention is necessary.

Now that the possibility of such intervention is greater than ever, military and police commanders, especially army commanders and other officials whose hands are not stained with the nation’s blood, have a limited opportunity left to separate their account from the criminal regime. The choice is yours; by joining the people, save your lives and those of your families and be part of the nation’s victory; or tie your fate to the sunken ship of the Islamic Republic and perish with Khamenei and his regime.

In this new period of national cooperation campaign, I invite you to scan the campaign QR code during the live broadcast from the newly established “Iran National Revolution TV” and contact my special team. The test broadcast of this network has recently begun on the Yahsat satellite.

The fate of Iran depends on our decisions today. With responsibility and courage, we can write a new history for the Iranian nation.”

He also addressed the students who have rekindled the flames of protest in recent days, saying: “My student children, brave daughters and sons of Iran! You have transformed the reopening of universities into the loud cry of the nation and displayed the firm bond between university and nation. You showed that Iran is alive and the will of the nation cannot be silenced.

My father, nearly fifty years ago, predicted how future generations would judge him and his services. Today, you have answered history. His spirit is at peace, because he sees that the children of Iran are awake and with courage and awareness, have stood up to reclaim Iran.

Remain united, persist. Do not allow a normal image to be created of our wounded homeland. As long as our people are being killed, our brothers and sisters are condemned to execution, and our mothers and fathers, spouses and children grieve; as long as this dark night has not ended and Iran is not freed from the clutches of this occupying regime, nothing is normal and our struggle will continue.

Know that the future belongs to you; to those of you who did not remain silent, rose up, and stood. Together we will reclaim Iran and rebuild it.

Long live Iran!

Victory to the Lion and Sun revolution of the Iranian nation!”

Prince Reza Pahlavi’s message is being released while Iranian society lives with a mixture of anger, grief, and hope; on one side shadowed by execution orders and widespread arrests and on the other by the continuation of student protests and scattered professional strikes.

What is taking place in Iran today is not merely a political crisis; it is a struggle over the country’s future. Universities, as the awakened conscience of society, have once again entered the arena and shown that the nation’s historical memory cannot be silenced. At the same time, security and judicial pressures have intensified; as if the authorities are trying, before a great and historic transformation reaches a point of no return, to silence every voice of dissent.