'Heads Bloodied, But Unbowed': Reza Pahlavi Says He Will Return To Iran, Urges Global Support

Last Updated:January 19, 2026, 08:34 IST

Reza Pahlavi said the struggle in Iran is “between occupation and liberation,” accusing the regime of mass killings and declaring he will return to the country.

A file photo of Reza Pahlavi/Protests in Iran (Reuters)

Reza Pahlavi, the US-based son of Iran’s late shah, has said that the struggle unfolding in Iran is no longer about reform but about “occupation and liberation," saying the Iranian people have called on him to lead and announcing his intention to return to the country.

In a post on X and a video message released as protests in Iran faced a severe crackdown, Pahlavi accused the Islamic Republic of carrying out mass killings and said the violence against protesters was continuing despite official denials.

“The people of Iran are being slaughtered in the streets and in their homes by a regime that shows no mercy," Pahlavi said in the video.

“More than 12,000 Iranians were massacred in 48 hours. One murder every 14 seconds," he added.

Rejecting the notion that the unrest is part of a reformist cycle, he said, “The battle in Iran today is not between reform and revolution. It is between occupation and liberation. And the Iranian people have already chosen their side."

Pahlavi said protesters had been badly injured but remained defiant.

“Their heads are bloodied but unbowed," he said, adding that “despite the lies you’re hearing from the regime, its bloodlust has not diminished. The slaughter has not stopped."

Addressing Iranians directly, he said demonstrators were “holding the line with their broken bodies but unbreakable will," and argued that the movement had reached a decisive stage.

“They are not merely rejecting this regime, they are demanding a credible new path forward," he said.

Pahlavi also called on foreign governments to take a stronger stance, saying events inside Iran required urgent international engagement.

“The Iranian people are taking decisive actions on the ground. It is now time for the international community to join them fully," he said, before declaring, “I will return to Iran."

His remarks echo comments reported earlier by AFP, in which Pahlavi said he was confident the Islamic Republic would fall.

Speaking in Washington, he was quoted as saying, “The Islamic Republic will fall, not if, but when."

He has repeatedly called for coordinated demonstrations and urged Iranians to “raise your voices in anger and protest with our national slogans."

Protests that erupted late last month over economic grievances escalated into the largest demonstrations in years, challenging Iran’s clerical system.

Authorities responded with a sweeping security crackdown and imposed a nationwide internet blackout that monitors said had lasted more than 180 hours, severely limiting independent verification.

Norway-based rights group Iran Human Rights (IHR) has verified at least 3,428 deaths, warning the actual number could be far higher.

Other estimates cited by AFP put the death toll above 5,000 and possibly as high as 20,000.

The opposition Iran International channel has said at least 12,000 people were killed, citing senior government and security sources.

Reuters reported that while the unrest has energised exiled opposition figures, it has also exposed deep divisions among them.

Analysts and diplomats cited by Reuters said it remains difficult to assess how much support Pahlavi commands inside Iran, despite videos showing some demonstrators chanting his name.

In his video message, however, Pahlavi struck a confident tone, framing the uprising as historic.

“The people of Iran have risen to reclaim their country," he said. “History will honor those who stand with them. Long live Iran."

News world 'Heads Bloodied, But Unbowed': Reza Pahlavi Says He Will Return To Iran, Urges Global Support

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