TEHRAN: The Exiled Iranian Crown Prince Reza Pahlavi called on specialists in the field of communications to target the state’s infrastructure so that the world can establish contact with the protesters.
As protests have rolled on to another week, Pahlavi has emerged as a vocal supporter of the demonstrators, backing what he describes as a nationwide movement against the Islamic Republic. He compared the protesters to Persian mythological character Kaveh.
Kaveh is known for his resistance against Zahak in Iran. Zahaa is a personification of evil in Iranian mythology. In modern times, Kaveh is sometimes invoked for political aims.
“My compatriots, greetings to all of you who, like Kaveh, stand against Zahhak and fight. The regime, through severe repression, killing, and cutting off communications, is trying to instill fear and terror in you, and to make you despair of continuing the movement and struggle. But know that because of your steadfastness and fight, thousands of military and security forces have not gone to work so as not to participate in the repression,” he said.
“And a special message to specialists in the field of internet and communications: target the regime’s information infrastructure so that the connection of our compatriots with the world can be re-established,” he added.
Earlier in the day, in an interview to CBS News, Pahlavi called on US President Donald Trump to take action in Iran, as protesters continue to throng the streets despite lethal crackdown.
Pahlavi said, “We need action to be taken. The best way to ensure that there will be less people killed in Iran is to intervene sooner, so this regime finally collapses and puts an end to all the problems that we are facing.”
Pahlavi has lived in exile since his father, the last Shah of Iran, was overthrown in the 1979 Islamic Revolution that brought the current clerical regime to power.
He said he has communicated with the Trump administration, but did not disclose details from their conversations. He also said the Iran’s recent outreach to the administration is an attempt to fizzle out the nationwide protests that threaten the rule of Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, as per CBS News. (ANI)
