US seeks to remove Khamenei from power

The popular uprising that has been ongoing in Iran for more than two weeks has taken an increasingly brutal turn. The US and Israel have begun to openly intervene in the unrest in Iran. Former US President Donald Trump’s camp has called for the overthrow of Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.

Protests continue across Iran and have now entered their third week. While the unrest initially began due to economic hardship, including severe inflation and the depreciation of the national currency, it later evolved into a large-scale political movement against the Ayatollah’s regime. Beginning January 8, the Iranian government imposed a nationwide internet shutdown following clashes between protesters and security forces. This internet blockade has been confirmed by network monitoring groups. Internet access has reportedly been restricted to senior government officials only. On January 10, former crown prince Reza Pahlavi, who lives in exile, appealed to US President Donald Trump to intervene in the mass protests in Iran and assist in overthrowing the Ayatollah’s regime. Pahlavi claimed that the protesting population is suffering and called on people to confront security forces, stressing their numerical superiority and urging them to fight for freedom.

“The people today are facing not only bullets, but also the severing of communications and the complete shutdown of internet and telephone services.” On the same day, a protester at the Iranian Embassy in London climbed onto a high balcony, removed the official flag of the Islamic Republic, and replaced it with Iran’s pre-1979 “Lion and Sun” flag. The flag remained raised for several minutes before being taken down. Police quickly arrested the individual on charges of unlawful entry.

On January 11, US Senator Lindsey Graham addressed the Iranian people, stating that assistance from the US was on the way and that Trump wanted to “make Iran great again.” The senator said Washington would soon support the Iranian protesters and hinted that Ayatollah Khamenei and his allies could be removed from power in the near future.

“Your long and terrible nightmare will soon be over. Help is already on the way. Your courage and determination to end oppression have been recognized by the US President and all freedom-loving people.”

Some protesters are demanding the return of former crown prince Reza Pahlavi. On the same day, Pahlavi once again appealed to Trump for support during an interview with Fox News.

“Your words of solidarity with the Iranian people and your administration’s position have had a very strong positive impact. We hope to permanently seal this legacy by liberating Iran, and together we can make Iran great again.”

Opposition figure Reza Pahlavi said the ongoing protests in Iran are entering a new phase, telling Iranians that they are not alone and that external support would arrive soon.

“I declare a new phase of the national uprising to overthrow the Islamic Republic and reclaim our beloved Iran. In addition to taking control of city centers inside Iran, all institutions and agencies responsible for regime propaganda and communication shutdowns are legitimate targets. State employees and members of the armed and security forces have a choice: stand with the people and the nation, or side with the killers of the people and earn the nation’s eternal shame and curse,” he said.

Pahlavi also addressed Iranians abroad, urging them to reclaim Iranian embassies and raise the pre-revolution national flag bearing the lion symbol instead of the Islamic Republic emblem and without the Arabic “Allahu Akbar” inscription. He added that international assistance was approaching.

“All Iranian embassies and consulates belong to the Iranian people. The time has come to replace the shameful flag of the Islamic Republic with the national flag. We are not alone. Help from around the world will arrive soon. Stay tuned for my next messages,” Pahlavi said.

In response, Iran issued a stern warning to the US. During a parliamentary session, lawmakers chanted “Death to America.” Parliament also stated that if the White House continues to threaten Iran, both Israel and the US would be targeted without hesitation.

“So there is no miscalculation, know this: if Iran is attacked, Israel and US military bases in the region will be legitimate targets for us. The people will determine their own future.”

Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian called on citizens to participate in a national resistance march and condemn violence. He said attempts to destabilize the country would not be tolerated and accused the US and Israel of orchestrating the mass protests.

On January 12, US President Donald Trump warned that if Tehran attacks US military or commercial facilities, Iran would face unprecedentedly powerful strikes. According to Trump, if Iran carries out such an attack, the US would respond with force so overwhelming that Tehran would find it hard to believe. He emphasized that Washington has extremely powerful and decisive measures at its disposal. The president also said Iran was crossing a “red line” and that the US was considering response options, including military action.

Amid reports of American involvement in Iran, the Iranian flag emoji on the social media platform X (formerly Twitter) was changed. The current Islamic Republic flag symbol was replaced with the pre-1979 “Lion and Sun” emblem. Reports say the change was made by X itself after a user requested the update, and the flag emoji was replaced within a few hours following the request to X’s head of product, Nikita Bier.

The Iranian government is now reportedly using drones for the first time to suppress protests, conducting aerial surveillance to identify demonstrators. As a result, it is currently impossible to determine the exact number of those killed or detained. However, according to information provided to the BBC by a group of human rights activists, about 500 civilians and nearly 50 law enforcement officers have been killed so far. Thousands of people have sustained injuries of varying severity.

The actions of Iran’s security forces are becoming increasingly brutal. These protests differ sharply from previous ones and appear to have caught the authorities off guard. In some cases, even hospitals are unsafe, as injured protesters may be taken away by security forces. In many instances, the bodies of those killed are not being returned to their families. There are also reports that a 23-year-old student was shot dead during the protests, a case that has sparked widespread outrage on social media.

It should be noted that mass protests across Iran have been ongoing since December 28, 2025, for more than 15 days. Despite the internet shutdown and harsh security measures, thousands of people continue to take to the streets in Tehran and other major cities. Protesters are banging pots and pans, chanting slogans such as “Death to Khamenei,” while drivers honk their horns in support.

For a more detailed account of the events, watch the video report available on QALAMPIR.UZ’s YouTube page.