US representative and Reza Pahlavi held a secret meeting
Axios reported that a secret meeting took place between the US President's special envoy Steven Witkoff and Reza Pahlavi, the son of Iran's Shah Mohammad Reza Pahlavi, who was overthrown in 1979. This was reported by Zamin.uz.
Although the details of this meeting have not been disclosed, sources indicate that they discussed the anti-government protests in Iran. Reza Pahlavi, 65, currently residing in the US, supports the protest movement in Iran.
In an interview with Fox News on January 11, he stated that he is ready to return to Iran and emphasized the need for decisive measures to overthrow the Islamic Republic. According to Pahlavi, he still maintains an important role in the political processes in Iran.
However, Axios writes that the US government does not consider Reza Pahlavi a significant political player. Nevertheless, the fact that some participants in the protest movement in Iran support him has surprised representatives of the Trump administration.
The meeting with Witkoff indicates that the US government may reconsider Pahlavi's potential political role. The mass protests in Iran began on December 28, 2025, in Tehran's markets.
The movement started when merchants closed their shops in response to hyperinflation and sharp price increases. Soon, the protests spread throughout the country and turned into a political movement.
According to human rights organizations and Western media reports, hundreds of people have died during the protests. US President Donald Trump warned about the situation in Iran and emphasized that the US might take stricter military measures against Iran.
Additionally, the US imposed a 25 percent tariff on countries doing business with the Islamic Republic of Iran. The US diplomatic mission in Iran called on its citizens to leave the country and warned that the situation could become more complicated.
