Reza Pahlavi, the exiled heir of Iran’s last Shah, has publicly criticised former U.S. President Donald Trump for failing to honour promises of support for Iranian protesters amid a month‑long uprising that has claimed thousands of lives. The Iranian prince, who lives in the United States, told The Sunday Times that the West has not provided any concrete assistance, and that Iranian citizens are left to wonder why nothing is being done to protect them. Trump has repeatedly called the demonstrators “patriots” and suggested that the U.S. would consider a hard response if the Iranian authorities continue to crack down. Meanwhile, U.S. forces have been mobilised in the Middle East, with the nuclear‑powered aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln and accompanying destroyers heading toward the region, and the United Kingdom has announced the deployment of fighter jets to Qatar for defensive purposes. Pahlavi views this build‑up as preparation for a significant escalation rather than a symbolic gesture. The unrest in Tehran, which began over economic grievances, has rapidly turned into a broader anti‑regime protest, with the U.S. and other Western powers urged to step in. The Iranian government, led by Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and President Masoud Pezeshkian, has warned that any aggression against the leadership would be treated as a total war against the Iranian nation. The story highlights the intersection of domestic dissent, U.S. foreign policy, and regional security dynamics following the 2025 Israel‑Iran conflict.

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