Politics Iran's exiled opposition: The Shah's son and the protests
Tehran - "This is the last battle, Pahlavi returns." The slogan echoes through the streets of Iranian cities - shouted by demonstrators calling for the end of the Islamic Republic.
13.01.2026, 04:18
SDA
They are referring to Reza Pahlavi, son of the overthrown Shah, who is claiming a leadership role for himself from exile in the US. But how much influence does the man who is a beacon of hope for some - and part of the past for others - have?
Several major waves of protest have shaken Iran in recent decades - each time a stress test for the authoritarian leadership of the Islamic Republic. Society has also changed in the process: in 2009, millions took to the streets after accusations of electoral fraud were made. At that time, many still believed in reforms from within.
Pahlavi claims leadership role
Unlike back then, today's uprisings - like the women's protests three years ago - are directed against the entire system, in which religious leader Ali Khamenei has supreme authority. The most recent demonstrations were triggered by the economic crisis, but the protests quickly became political. The movement is mainly driven by young people: decentralized, dynamic and without a recognizable leadership.
Reza Pahlavi is trying to fill this vacuum. The son of the Shah, who was overthrown during the Islamic Revolution and fled the country in 1979, calls for mass protests and strikes from exile. A surprisingly large number of people respond to his appeals. But the opposition abroad, which includes millions of Iranians, remains deeply divided.
An audience of millions on social media
Reza Pahlavi was born in Tehran in 1960 and was appointed crown prince at an early age. At the end of 1978, shortly before the fall of the monarchy, he left the country and began training as a pilot in the USA. At that time, relations between Washington and Tehran were still close - the Shah was considered an important ally of the USA in the region.
After years on the political sidelines, Pahlavi has recently regained visibility. In the fragmented opposition in exile, he presented himself as a unifying figure for a transitional phase should the Islamic leadership in Iran be overthrown. He was able to build up an audience of millions, particularly on social media.
Criticism of the Shah's son from the left-wing camp
But his role is controversial. Critics accuse him of a lack of transparency. Left-wing Iranian opposition groups in particular reject him - as the heir to a monarchy whose repressive apparatus, in their view, made the rise of the Ayatollahs in 1979 possible in the first place. Pahlavi himself emphasizes that he is not seeking a return to the old order and distances himself from his father's policies. Instead, he wants to lead a transition to a democratic Iran.
In Germany, too, the history of the Pahlavi dynasty is closely linked to political protest. There were violent demonstrations during Shah Mohammad Reza Pahlavi's state visit to West Berlin in 1967. The student Benno Ohnesorg was shot dead by a plainclothes policeman on the sidelines - an event that triggered nationwide outrage and is regarded as a turning point for the West German student movement.
Pahlavi calls for help from Washington - Trump reluctant
Pahlavi has repeatedly appealed for support from Washington - explicitly also from Donald Trump. Protest researcher Tareq Sydiq from the University of Marburg says: "I don't think we should underestimate how strong his connection to the Trump administration is." However, the US president himself recently reacted cautiously. We will have to wait and see "who prevails".
