Exiled Iranian Crown Prince Reza Pahlavi condemns nationwide internet blackout amid large scale protests

Paris [France], January 9 (ANI): Exiled Iranian Crown Prince Reza Pahlavi on Friday condemned the Iranian government for cutting all lines of communication, including shutting down the internet, and even attempting to jam satellite signals amid the recent protests in Iran. He also called on all European leaders to follow the lead of President Donald Trump in "supporting the people of Iran" and "holding the regime to account".
In a post on X, he thanked US President Donald Trump for his promise to hold the Iranian regime accountable and called for European leaders to follow suit.
He called for the use of "all technical, financial, and diplomatic resources available to restore communication to the Iranian people so that their voice and their will can be heard and seen."
"Millions of Iranians demanded their freedom tonight. In response, the regime in Iran has cut all lines of communication. It has shut down the Internet. It has cut landlines. It may even attempt to jam satellite signals. I want to thank the leader of the free world, President Trump, for reiterating his promise to hold the regime to account. It is time for others, including European leaders, to follow his lead, break their silence, and act more decisively in support of the people of Iran. I call on them to use all technical, financial, and diplomatic resources available to restore communication to the Iranian people so that their voice and their will can be heard and seen. Do not let the voices of my courageous compatriots be silenced," Pahlavi said on X.

Millions of Iranians demanded their freedom tonight. In response, the regime in Iran has cut all lines of communication. It has shut down the Internet. It has cut landlines. It may even attempt to jam satellite signals.

I want to thank the leader of the free world, President…

— Reza Pahlavi (@PahlaviReza) January 8, 2026

Thousands of people took to the streets in Iran's capital on Thursday night, with internet access and telephone lines in Iran being cut out shortly after the protests, Times of Israel reported, citing witnesses.
As per the Times of Israel, the protests in Iran came after a call by the country's exiled crown prince Reza Pahlavi, for a mass demonstration, witnesses said.
Earlier on Thursday, US Vice President JD Vance reiterated support for the Iranian people, saying that the United States stands by anybody who is engaged in peaceful protests and trying to exert their rights for free association.
JD Vance said, "We certainly stand by anybody who's engaged in peaceful protests, anybody who's trying to exert their rights for free association and to have their voices heard. Obviously, the Iranian regime has a lot of problems, and as the President United States has said, the smartest thing for them to have done, it was true two months ago, it's true today, is for them to actually have a real negotiation with the United States about what we need to see when it comes to their nuclear program. I'll let the President speak to what we're going to do in the future, but we certainly stand with anybody across the world, including the Iranian people, who are advocating for their rights."
This comes as people in Iran continue to protest against rising prices and economic hardship, pouring into the streets across several provinces in Iran, with some protests escalating into fatal confrontations with security forces, CNN reported. (ANI)