Reza Pahlavi, the son of Iran’s last monarch and a prominent critic of the Islamic Republic, has issued an urgent appeal to US President Donald Trump amid a worsening crackdown on nationwide protests in Iran. Reports suggest that at least 20 people were killed in the last 24 hours alone, pushing the overall death toll to around 62 as public anger over soaring prices and economic hardship continues to boil over.

In a message shared on social media, Pahlavi said Iranian security forces were using live ammunition against demonstrators and had now imposed a near-total shutdown of communications to suppress dissent. He claimed that internet services and landline networks had been cut, leaving protesters isolated and vulnerable.

Pahlavi praised the scale of the demonstrations, describing millions of Iranians confronting state forces despite the risks. He urged Trump to offer immediate support, saying the situation demanded swift international attention and action.

Earlier this week, Pahlavi had openly encouraged Iranians to take to the streets to challenge the authority of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. After Trump publicly warned Tehran against using violence on peaceful protesters, Pahlavi expressed gratitude, suggesting the statement had temporarily restrained security forces.

Images and slogans invoking the former monarchy have become increasingly visible during the protests, with crowds reportedly chanting calls for the return of royal rule. Pahlavi, who has lived in exile since the 1979 Islamic Revolution that ended his father’s reign, has positioned himself as a symbolic rallying point for opposition to the current regime.

In a series of posts, he accused Iran’s leadership of using the communications blackout to carry out a harsh crackdown away from public scrutiny. He said he had called on citizens to overwhelm security forces through sheer numbers and claimed that the previous night’s turnout demonstrated their resolve.

Warning that time was running out, Pahlavi said demonstrators were preparing to return to the streets within hours and appealed once again to Trump to stand with the Iranian people, portraying the US president as someone capable of influencing events at a critical moment.