Trump says meeting with Iran's "crown prince" Pahlavi would not be appropriate.

247 - US President Donald Trump has shown no willingness to meet with Reza Pahlavi, the exiled crown prince and son of the late Shah of Iran, where anti-government protests have been ongoing for at least 12 consecutive days, leaving more than 60 dead, according to counts by human rights organizations operating in the Asian country. 

"I think we should let everyone out and see who emerges," Trump told conservative radio host Hugh Hewitt on Thursday (8). "I'm not sure if that would necessarily be an appropriate thing to do."

President Donald Trump has said in recent days that there will be "hell to pay" if the protest movement is suppressed. The report came from Reuters. So far, the White House chief's stance indicates he is waiting to see if the protests succeed in destabilizing the government.

The protests began in late December in Tehran due to the economic crisis. The country's currency, the rial, lost half its value against the dollar last year, and inflation exceeded 40% in December. Protests have already taken place in 25 of Iran's 31 provinces, according to a count by the AFP news agency.

Iran reacts

This Friday (9), the Iranian government accused the US and Israel of placing mercenaries in the widespread mobilizations that have taken over the country's streets in recent weeks.

According to the Tasnim news agency, linked to the Iranian government and the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), "last night, US and Israeli mercenaries set fire to the holy shrine of Hazrat Sabzghaba (brother of Imam Reza, peace be upon him). They also set fire to several banks and mosques, causing extensive damage to public property in the city of Dezful."

The head of the Iranian judiciary, Gholamhosein Mohseni Ejei, stated that "there will be no clemency for those who aid the enemy against the Islamic Republic." He accused the United States and Israel of attempting to destabilize the country.

Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian ordered on Wednesday (7) that security forces differentiate between protesters motivated by the economic situation and “troublemakers” who, according to him, act against national security. Government spokeswoman Fatemeh Mohajerani described the protesters as “our children” and advocated dialogue.

remember

Iran is one of the main rivals of the US in international politics. In recent years, the US government and allied powers have again warned about the possibility of the development of a nuclear program. 

The Iranian government denies and denounces any attempt by the West to interfere in the country's sovereignty. Iran has also denied that it intends to develop nuclear weapons and maintains that its program is peaceful.

Another US interest lies in oil. According to the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC), Iran was the sixth largest producer in 2024, with 3,2 million barrels per day. Brazil was fifth (3,3 million). The US was first (13,2 million), followed by Saudi Arabia (8,9 million), China (4,2 million), and Iraq (3,8 million).