Iran’s economic protests leading to a regime change? Trump warnings, exiled Prince — All you need to know

The unrest intensified after calls by exiled Crown Prince Reza Pahlavi for nationwide protests at 8 pm local time on January 8 and 9, as per news agency The Associated Press (AP). Authorities responded by cutting off internet access and international phone lines, severely limiting information flow. (File Photo: Abdul Saboor/Reuters)

Iranian state television, breaking its silence on Friday, January 9, acknowledged the unrest but claimed that “terrorist agents” linked to the US and Israel were responsible for arson and violence, without providing details on casualties. (Photo: Fars News Agency via AP)

Casualties and detentions mount: The true scale of the unrest remains unclear. However, the US-based Human Rights Activists News Agency (HRANA) has reported at least 42 deaths and more than 2,270 detentions so far, as per AP. Reuters separately cited figures of at least 34 protesters and four security personnel killed. (Photo: REUTERS/Axel Schmidt)

Videos show clashes with security forces, protesters tearing down Iranian flags, and crowds marching through city centres, underscoring the depth of public anger. (Photo: Reuters)

Trump issues strong warning: US President Donald Trump has repeatedly warned Tehran against using lethal force. Trump reiterated his stance in a January 8 interview with peaking on Fox News’ ‘Hannity’, stating, “Iran had previously started shooting the hell out of people… If they do that again, we’re going to hit them very hard. We can hit them hard. We’re ready to do it.” (Image: Reuters)

In another interview, Trump reiterated that Tehran had been warned “very strongly” that it would “have to pay hell” if protesters were killed. He also suggested that Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, 86, “may be looking to leave Iran,” saying: “It’s getting very bad,” as per AP. (Photo: Office of the Iranian Supreme Leader/WANA/Handout via Reuters)

Exiled prince Reza Pahlavi’s role and US caution: Reza Pahlavi, son of Iran’s last shah, has urged Western governments to help restore communications so the world can witness the protests. “This is exactly why the internet was shut down: to prevent the world from seeing the protests,” said Holly Dagres of the Washington Institute for Near East Policy, as per AP. (Photo: Majid Asgaripour/WANA via Reuters)

However, Trump has ruled out meeting Pahlavi for now. “I’m not sure that it would be appropriate at this point to do that as president,” he told The Hugh Hewitt Show, reported Al Jazeera. “I think that we should let everybody go out there, and we see who emerges,” Trump added. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci)

A deeper legitimacy crisis: Analysts say the unrest reflects a profound generational and political disconnect. “The collapse is not just of the rial, but of trust,” Alex Vatanka of the Middle East Institute told Reuters. Many protesters have criticised Iran’s regional policies, chanting slogans such as “Not Gaza, not Lebanon, my life for Iran.” (AP Photo/Evan Vucci)

While some Iranians welcome international pressure, others fear foreign military intervention. As one protester told Reuters: “No. I don’t want my country to suffer military strikes again. Our people have endured enough.” (Photo: Majid Asgaripour/WANA via Reuters)

Whether the protests lead to regime change remains uncertain. But as economic hardship, political frustration and international pressure converge, Iran’s rulers are facing one of the most precarious moments of their decades-long rule. (Photo: Majid Asgaripour/WANA via Reuters)