An “urgent and immediate call” was issued to President Donald Trump by exiled Crown Prince Reza Pahlavi on January 9, 2026, as Iran was plunged into a total communications blackout amidst national protests.
The message, published on X (formerly Twitter) in the run-up to the 13th day of the demonstrations, urges that Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei is using the absence of internet and landlines to cover up the ‘brutal crackdown’ of the youth demonstrators.
‘Time Is Of The Essence’: Pahlavi’s SOS
In his appeal, the descendant of the last Shah of Iran directly contacted the US President, pointing out the fact that “millions of Iranians are living under the threat of live bullets, and they have no means of contacting the rest of the world.”
The blackout: Digital monitors confirm a near-total blackout of the Internet and landlines in major cities such as Tehran, Mashhad, and Isfahan.
The Plea: “I am asking you to help,” he wrote. “You have proven, and I know you are a man of peace and a man of your word. Please be prepared to intervene to help the people of Iran.”
Numbers: The Pahlavi power message, where the Iranian leadership called for citizens to “overwhelm security forces with sheer numbers,” had already seen massive success Thursday night but would be attacked by the “thugs” present in the darkness.
The White House Position: Retribution or Cautious Waiting
However, President Trump has been maintaining a strong pressure policy, warning Tehran that it will “pay hell” and face “military strikes” if it starts a mass-scale massacre of its own people.
“The Lethal Warning: ‘You better not start shooting, or we will start shooting too,’ Trump said in a Friday news briefing, although he later clarified that ‘boots on the ground’ was not necessarily implied.”
No Meeting Yet: Despite the reach-out efforts of Pahlavi, Trump told radio host Hugh Hewitt Thursday that although “he appears to be a nice person,” it would not be “appropriate” to meet with him at this point. “I think we should just let everybody out there and see who comes out,” the president said.
Tehran’s Defiance: Khamenei Calls Protesters
Iran’s supreme leader made a televised speech indicating the impending onset of a severe crackdown.
Accusations: Iran’s Khamenei condemned US President Donald Trump, saying, “Your hands are stained with the blood of Iranians, so I advise you to look at the problems of your own country.”
Terrorist Label: The rhetoric employed by the state media has changed, with the protesters now termed “terrorist agents” of the USA and the State of Israel, a pattern that usually precedes a bloody repression of the protests.
Rising Toll: Although the official toll is being masked by the blackout, sources from activist groups like HRANA have found that the body count has risen to at least 62, with thousands more being detained.
