Reza Pahlavi, the exiled son of the last Shah (king) of Iran, has called on supporters to take to the streets and join the wave of demonstrations which broke out in the country due to the economic crisis.
The eldest son of the shah who was overthrown by the Islamic revolution in 1979 wrote in a message on social media that the recent turnout was "unprecedented" and that he had received reports that the regime was "deeply afraid and trying, once again, to shut down the internet" to stop the protests.
What do we know about the former crown prince who is once again seeking a role in shaping the country's future?
Raised from an early age to inherit Iran's Peacock Throne, Reza Pahlavi was training to be a fighter pilot in the United States when the 1979 revolution toppled his father's monarchy.
He watched from afar as his father, Mohammad Reza Shah Pahlavi, once supported by Western allies, struggled to find refuge in another country and eventually died of cancer in Egypt.
The sudden loss of power left the young crown prince and his family stateless, dependent on a shrinking circle of royalists and followers in exile.
In the decades that followed, tragedy struck the family more than once.
His younger sister and brother both took their own lives, leaving him as the symbolic head of a dynasty that many have written off as part of history.
Today, at the age of 65, Reza Pahlavi once again claims a role for himself in shaping the future of this country.
At his home in a quiet Washington suburb, supporters describe him as modest and approachable - a regular at local coffee shops, often in the company of his wife, Jamin, with no visible security.
When a passerby asked him in 2022 if he saw himself as a leader of the Iranian protest movement, he and Jasmine reportedly replied in unison: "Change must come from within."
Milestone
In recent years, however, his tone has become more explicit.
Later on Israeli airstrikes in 2025 in which several senior Iranian generals were killed, at a press conference in Paris, Pahlavi said he was ready to help lead a transitional government if the Islamic Republic fell.
In the meantime, he laid out a 100-day plan for an interim administration.
Pahlavi insists that this newfound confidence stems from lessons learned in exile and what he calls his father's "unfinished mission."
"This is not about reviving the past, but about securing a democratic future for all Iranians," he told reporters in Paris.
Royal upbringing
Born in October 1960 in Tehran, Pahlavi was the Shah's only son as there was no male heir from his two previous marriages.
He grew up surrounded by privilege, educated by private tutors, and taught from an early age to defend the monarchy.
At the age of 17, he was sent to Texas to train as a fighter pilot.
But before he could return to serve, a revolution overthrew his father's rule.
Since then, Pahlavi has lived in the United States.
He studied political science, married Jasmine - a lawyer and compatriot of Iranian-American descent - and raised three daughters: Noor, Iman, and Farah.
A polarizing legacy
In exile, Pahlavi became a powerful symbol of monarchists.
Many recall the Pahlavi era as a time of rapid modernization and closer ties with the West.
Others remember a time marked by censorship and the terrifying secret police of Savak, used to suppress rebellions and known for human rights violations.
Over the years, his popularity within Iran has fluctuated.
In 1980, he held a symbolic coronation ceremony in Cairo, proclaiming himself Shah.
Although it has had very little practical impact, some of his opponents say it undermines his current message of democratic reform.
He has repeatedly attempted to establish opposition coalitions, including the National Council of Iran for Free Elections, launched in 2013.
Most had problems with internal disagreements and limited influence within Iran.
Unlike some exiled opposition groups, Pahlavi consistently rejected violence and distanced himself from armed factions such as the Mujahedin-e Khalq (MEK).
He has repeatedly called for a peaceful transition and a national referendum to decide Iran's future political system.
Controversies abroad
Pahlavi has gained new attention in recent years.
The chant "Reza Shah, bless your soul" - referring to his grandfather - returned during anti-government protests in 2017.
Murder of Mahsa Amini in police custody in 2022 It sparked demonstrations across the country, putting him back in the spotlight of the world's media.
His attempt to unite Iran's disunited opposition attracted cautious international attention, but ultimately failed to gain traction.
Critics argue that he has yet to build any kind of permanent organization or independent media outlet after four decades spent abroad.
A controversial visit to Israel in 2023 further divided public opinion.
Pahlavi attended the memorial service The Holocaust and met with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
Some Iranians saw this as pragmatic community outreach; others saw it as alienating Iran's Arab and Muslim allies.
After the recent Israeli airstrikes inside Iran, faced difficult questions.
BBC journalist Lora Kensberg once asked him if he supported Israeli attacks that endanger the lives of civilians.
He insisted that ordinary Iranians were not targets and said that "anything that weakens the regime" would be welcomed by many within Iran.
Such comments sparked a heated debate.
Unwritten future
Today, Pahlavi presents himself not as a future king, but as a leader of national reconciliation.
He says he wants to help steer Iran toward free elections, the rule of law and equal rights for women - while leaving the ultimate decision on whether to return to the monarchy or establish a republic to a national referendum.
His supporters see him as the only opposition figure with a sufficiently recognizable name and a long-standing commitment to peaceful change.
Critics say he remains too dependent on foreign support and question whether Iranians at home, weary of decades of political turmoil, are ready to trust the exiled leader.
And while the Iranian government presents him as a threat, it is impossible to measure his true support without an open political space and credible polls.
Some Iranians still deeply respect his family name; others fear the replacement of one unelected ruler with another, even under the guise of democracy.
The body of Pahlavi's father remains buried in Cairo, awaiting what loyalists hope will one day be a symbolic return to Iran.
Whether the exiled crown prince will see that day - or a free Iran - remains one of many unanswered questions about a nation that continues to grapple with its past.
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