Crown Prince of Iran Reza Pahlavi thanked US President Donald Trump on Friday afternoon in a post on X/Twitter for his "strong leadership and support" of the ongoing anti-Islamic Republic protests occurring across Iran.
"This warning you have issued to the criminal leaders of the Islamic Republic gives my people greater strength and hope—hope that, at last, a President of the United States is standing firmly by their side," the crown prince added.
Trump said on Truth Social that morning that the US will "come to the rescue" of anti-regime demonstrators in Iran if the Islamic Republic "shoots and violently kills peaceful protesters," describing the US as "locked and loaded and ready to go" in such an event.
Pahlavi, in his post, said the anti-regime demonstrators "risk their lives" and "send me with a responsibility and a message: to seek the relationship Iran once had with America that brought peace and prosperity to the Middle East."
Pahlavi's ideas for post-Islamic Republic Iran
Pahlavi said in his post that he has a plan for a "stable transition" in a scenario where the Islamic Republic regime would be toppled, noting that he has the "support of [his] people.
"With your leadership of the free world, we can leave a legacy of lasting peace," he concluded.
On his X account in Farsi, Pahlavi addressed Iranians, saying that the Islamic Republic "is trying to prevent the organizations of gatherings in Tehran, because it well knows that seizing the streets of Tehran and other major cities will seriously accelerate its downfall.
"To overcome the regime's repression, one path lies ahead of us: the simultaneous and massive presence of people throughout the city, and at the same time, creating blockades on key axes and main roads," he added. "To achieve this, first we must all overcome our fear and realize that if we take to the streets, the regime will quickly lose its ability and will to repress us.
"The solution is to go, in the form of small and cohesive groups of friends and family members, to the nearest street of your residence, find each other, and then, hand in hand, move toward the central streets of the city.
"I will confidently say that with the formation of massive crowds of millions, the regime's repressive forces will not have the ability to stand firm. Many of them will retreat, and some will even join the people."
More statements by US officials on Iran
Pahlavi also thanked US Senator Tom Cotton, who said that he "supports President Trump’s strong stance against the ayatollahs, who have tormented their own people just like they’ve killed Americans for 47 years."
Former US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo responded, saying that Trump's post provided "much-needed moral and strategic clarity."
Abbas Araghchi, the Islamic Republic's Foreign Minister, responded on X to Trump's initial statement, stating that Tehran "will forcefully reject any interference in their internal affairs. Similarly, our Powerful Armed Forces are on standby and know exactly where to aim in the event of any infringement of Iranian sovereignty."