Prince’s First Official Call for Iranians to Join Protests

Amid calls from Iran’s protest movement for chanting slogans and strikes, a prince has issued an official appeal urging people to join these protests even from their own homes.

In recent days, the protest movement in Iran has entered a new phase, accompanied by coordinated public calls for gatherings, chanting slogans, and strikes. Reza Pahlavi, the opposition leader in exile, released his first official call, urging citizens to join coordinated chanting on Thursday and Friday (December 18-19) at 8 p.m., either in the streets or from their own homes.

In a video message, he said: “I am releasing my first call today to you and invite you to start chanting this Thursday and Friday, December 18-19, simultaneously at 8 p.m., whether in the streets or from your homes. Based on the response to this action, I will announce subsequent calls to you.”

Meanwhile, seven Kurdish parties in Iran issued calls for a general strike on Thursday, December 18, in support of nationwide protests and condemning crackdowns. Independent reports also indicate the spread of protests and calls across different Iranian cities, and it can be said that these scattered social movements have drawn closer to general consensus.

To date, reports indicate severe suppression of protesters, rising death tolls, and arrests, but demonstrators continue their protests through slogans and nighttime gatherings.

This new wave of calls comes as international and human rights reports indicate protests continue across multiple provinces and urban centers in Iran, with slogans expanding from economic demands to broader political grievances. People in many cities have gathered against economic conditions, corruption, and government unaccountability.

In some areas, reports indicate security forces have dealt with protesters through severe crackdowns, and in some cases direct fire at crowds has resulted in civilian casualties and injuries. However, in some areas, security forces have sided with people and stood in their defense, signaling internal divisions within the system and collapse from within.

The recent protest calls, including coordinated nighttime gatherings and general strikes, indicate dynamism and organization within Iran’s civil movement, moving from scattered efforts toward more unified discourse among different segments of society. The prince’s message, issued within this same framework, is considered part of this wave of calls and emphasizes broader public participation in urban spaces and even from homes.