Donald Trump rules out meeting Iran’s exiled crown prince amid protest

United States President Donald Trump has ruled out holding a meeting with Iran’s self-proclaimed Crown Prince Reza Pahlavi, indicating that Washington is not prepared to endorse any individual as a successor should the Iranian government collapse. Trump’s comments came against the backdrop of intensifying protests and a nationwide internet blackout in Iran.

Speaking on The Hugh Hewitt Show, Trump described Pahlavi, the US-based son of Iran’s last Shah, overthrown in the 1979 Islamic Revolution, as a “nice person” but said that, as president, it would not be “appropriate” to meet him at this stage. “I think that we should let everybody go out there and see who emerges,” Trump said, signalling a cautious approach to the fragmented Iranian opposition.

Pahlavi, who leads a monarchist faction and has close ties to Israel, has called for coordinated protests against the Iranian regime as economic hardship and political discontent fuel nationwide unrest.

Authorities responded by cutting internet access and communications in an apparent attempt to suppress the movement, which has seen widespread demonstrations and clashes with security forces.

Trump has previously warned Tehran that the United States would respond forcefully if Iranian forces target protesters. He reiterated that threat amid reports of escalating unrest and casualties, underscoring Washington’s growing concern about Iran’s internal crisis.

While Pahlavi thanked Trump for his warnings and urged other world leaders to back demonstrators, the US president’s refusal to meet him reflects a reluctance to formally back any one opposition figure. Pahlavi’s supporters see him as a potential unifying symbol, but Iran’s protests remain largely leaderless despite his calls for mass demonstrations.

The developments mark a significant moment in US-Iran relations, with Trump balancing public support for protesters against caution in diplomatic engagement with opposition figures amid one of the most serious challenges to Iranian authorities in years.