Iranian Crown Prince Reza Pahlavi urged US President Donald Trump on Friday to "be prepared to intervene to help the people of Iran," after the recent rise in protests in Iran and the internet blackout imposed by the Ayatollah's regime.
"Mr. President, this is an urgent and immediate call for your attention, support, and action," Pahlavi wrote and added, "Last night you saw the millions of brave Iranians in the streets facing down live bullets. Today, they are facing not just bullets but a total communications blackout. No Internet. No landlines."
Pahlavi claims that the Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, the Islamic Republic's supreme leader, is using violence as a last resort, "fearing the end of his criminal regime at the hands of the people and with the help of your powerful promise to support the protesters."
France, Germany, Britain, EU react to Iran's internet blackout
French, British, and German leaders on Friday condemned the killing of protesters in Iran and urged the Iranian authorities to refrain from violence, in a joint statement released by French President Emmanuel Macron's office.
"The Iranian authorities have the responsibility to protect their own population and must allow for the freedom of expression and peaceful assembly without fear of reprisal," the joint statement said.
EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs Kaja Kallas also called out the Iranian regime, saying that "the Iranian people are fighting for their future. By ignoring their rightful demands, the regime shows its true colours."
"Any violence against peaceful demonstrators is unacceptable. Shutting down the internet while violently suppressing protests exposes a regime afraid of its own people," she posted in X/Twitter.
Tehran's prosecutor warns protestors could face death penalty
Tehran's main prosecutor said that those protesters involved in burning government buildings, clashing with armed forces, and "committing sabotage" would face the death sentence, Reuters reported, citing Iranian state media on Friday.
Earlier on Friday, reports from the Iranian Supreme National Security Council (SNSC) assured that it had warned the judicial system that security forces will show "no leniency towards saboteurs."
The SNSC said that security and law-enforcement forces had been deployed to "neutralise the destabilisation plans of the Zionist regime [Israel] and its godfather, the United States".