New York Iranians show solidarity with national protesters

A group of Iranians living in New York City held a public rally to express support for the ongoing national uprising in Iran and for exiled prince Reza Pahlavi.

Participants said the demonstration aimed to show solidarity with protesters inside Iran, where authorities have imposed a nationwide internet shutdown amid widespread unrest, Iran International reports.

“Shutting down connectivity will not silence dissent,” organizers said, emphasizing that public anger and demands for change persist despite restrictions. The rally highlighted the determination of the Iranian diaspora to stand with those advocating for political and social reforms in their homeland.

Reza Pahlavi, the son of Iran's last shah who was overthrown by the 1979 Islamic revolution, called on Trump on Friday to "be prepared to intervene to help the people of Iran".

Pahlavi, who lives close to Washington DC, had urged protesters to take to the streets.

Since December 28, widespread protests have erupted across Iran, initially sparked by Tehran shopkeepers angered over the rapidly collapsing currency and quickly expanding to include students and street demonstrations. The Iran Human Rights NGO (IHRNGO) reports that at least 51 protesters—including nine children—have lost their lives.

On January 9, demonstrators gathered after weekly prayers in the south-eastern city of Zahedan, chanting slogans such as “death to the dictator,” directed at Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei. In other areas, crowds assembled near local mosques, sometimes accompanied by the sounds of loud explosions or gunfire.

The Iranian government has imposed a near-total internet blackout since the evening of January 8, with only limited connectivity returning on January 9, according to internet monitoring groups Cloudflare and NetBlocks. This has restricted the flow of information from the country, making it difficult to independently verify developments.

These protests follow a broader pattern of unrest in Iran, most notably the nationwide demonstrations of 2022 triggered by the death of Mahsa Amini, a young Kurdish woman who died in custody after being detained by the morality police for allegedly improperly wearing her hijab. Human rights groups reported that over 550 people were killed and approximately 20,000 detained during those protests, underscoring the high human cost of dissent in the country.

The current wave of protests reflects continued public frustration with economic instability, political repression, and ongoing restrictions on civil liberties, highlighting the persistent tensions between Iranian citizens and state authorities.

By Vafa Guliyeva