Growing Mass Protests in Iran, Calls for the End of the Islamic Republic and Return of the King

The largest protests in Iran in three years have been taking place the last six days, growing and spreading geographically and in terms of the backgrounds of the protestors. What started as protests about hyperinflation and the historic collapse of the Iranian rial by shopkeepers at bazaars, has turned into a rebellion against oppression by the theocratic Islamic Republic of Iran, as women, students and others join in scores of cities across Iran. The regime is responding with deadly force against peaceful protests, as it always does. But the Iranian people are not being intimidated this time and have even taken over some facilities operated by paramilitary security forces used by the ruling mullahs to suppress dissent violently. Demonstrators notably are calling for the end of the regime, death to the Ayatollah who is the Supreme Leader of the Islamic Republic, and they are widely calling for the return of exiled Crown Prince Reza Pahlavi as the Shah (King) and the restoration of the ancient Peacock Throne. Pahlavi’s father, Muhammad Reza Pahlavi, was overthrown in 1979 in the Islamic Revolution and he and his family fled into exile, first in America, which was the excuse Iranians gave for taking the United States Embassy staff hostage, then Panama. The Shah died the next year. The Crown Prince has led the opposition among Iran’s allies and promises to establish a constitutional monarchy and representative government. Like the Shah, who was an ally of the U.S., the Crown Prince is pro-American and also pro-Israel. Iran, which foments Islamic rebellion, particularly among fellow Shi’ites, is the world’s worst state sponsor of terrorism, backing terrorists and militants in Iraq, Lebanon, Gaza, Yemen, and elsewhere, and launching attacks around the Islamic world and even beyond, such as against Jews in Argentina. The Islamic Republic is an ally of Russia and is part of what I refer to as the Axis of Rogues. Iran has been sending materiel to Russia durings its aggression against Ukraine. The U.S. and its allies should encourage the Iranian people to rise up against their oppressors and offer the promise of peaceful relations with a free Iran, just as they have with Syria, Iran’s and Russia’s ally whose tyrannical Assad regime was overthrown a little over a year ago, instead of letting the Iranians protest without any international encouragemen, as in 2009. The opportunity not only for a free Iran, but to reduce terrorism and increase peace in the world must not be missed.

Happy New Year, 2026!

I wish you all a good new year! As we continue to experience challenging times for equality, liberty and representative government, may we continue to have faith in our Creator and ask for His blessings for America and the world. And may we continue to be grateful for and confident in the Constitution the Founding Fathers of the United States gave us with is limited and divided government that has served as necessary checks against the centralization of power in a would-be autocrat, especially as the celebration begins for the 250th anniversary of American Independence this year. Thank you for visiting my blog. Please continue to visit regularly for news and analysis, as it is ever important to keep informed and to learn of actions to be taken to defend freedom.