In the last day, protests across Iran have gained momentum, with demonstrators making direct appeals to U.S. President Donald Trump and chanting slogans against the current regime. On Wednesday, videos surfaced showing a protester in Tehran renaming a street in Trump’s honor. Other footage revealed messages pleading for help, with signs reading, “Don’t let them kill us,” as reported by Iran International.
Holly Dagres, a senior fellow at the Washington Institute, shared one such video on X, noting, “Since President Trump’s remarks on the Iranian protests, I’ve seen numerous videos of Iranian demonstrators either expressing gratitude to him or, as in this instance, renaming streets after the U.S. president.”
These pleas for international support come amid an escalating security crackdown, with reports of armed forces and tear gas being deployed around key civilian areas in Tehran.
Reza Pahlavi, a prominent exiled Iranian opposition leader, described the current protests as a pivotal moment for potentially ending the Islamic Republic of Iran.
“In all the years I’ve observed, I’ve never encountered an opportunity as significant as what we see today in Iran,” Pahlavi stated during an interview on “Hannity” aired Tuesday.
“The Iranian populace is more resolute than ever in their mission to dismantle this regime,” he added. “The world has witnessed the extraordinary scale of demonstrations in recent days, which is unprecedented in Iran.”
Pahlavi said protests have spread to more than 100 cities and emphasized the role of Iran’s traditional merchant class, describing developments inside the country’s bazaars as a turning point. “We are beginning to see more and more defections,” Pahlavi said, adding that “Either way, the regime is crumbling and is very close to collapsing.”
Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., posted a photo of himself posing with President Donald Trump, who is holding a signed “Make Iran Great Again” hat. (Lindsey Graham / X)
Over the past 24 hours, Iran International reported continued protests and strikes across the country, including in Tehran, Tabriz, Qazvin, Kermanshah, Kerman, Shiraz, Falavarjan and Bandar Abbas. Tehran’s Grand Bazaar remained a focal point of unrest, with large crowds chanting against Iran’s leadership as authorities responded with tear gas and armed deployments.
Security operations expanded into sensitive civilian locations. Videos published by Iran International showed tear gas used near or inside Tehran’s Sina Hospital and the Plasco Shopping Center.
Protesters hold signs during a demonstration in Iran amid ongoing unrest, according to images released by the Iranian opposition group National Council of Resistance of Iran. (NCRI )
Casualty and arrest figures continued to rise. The Human Rights Activists News Agency, cited by Iran International on Wednesday, reported at least 36 people killed since protests began, including 34 protesters and two members of Iran’s security forces, with more than 2,000 arrests nationwide. Iranian authorities have not released updated official figures.
New footage from the past day showed demonstrators lighting fires in the streets of Shiraz and chanting “Death to Khamenei,” referring to Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei. In Qazvin, protesters were heard chanting, “Law enforcement, return to the side of the nation.”
Iranian protesters try to take control of two cities in western Iran as nationwide unrest continues, with demonstrators chanting ‘Death to Khamenei’ in the streets. (Getty)
Workers also joined the unrest, with strikes reported at the South Pars gas refinery and widespread shop closures at major markets in Tehran and Tabriz.
