Reza Pahlavi's Interview with Reuters on Protests in Iran

Reza Pahlavi, the former crown prince of Iran and an opposition figure against the Islamic Republic, has called on the U.S. government to encourage American companies to provide internet services to the people of Iran in light of recent protests. In an interview with Reuters, Pahlavi criticized the Trump administration's decision to issue a travel and immigration ban against Iranian citizens. This interview comes a week after protests erupted in various cities across Iran, during which several protesters lost their lives. During the recent protests, some demonstrators chanted slogans against senior officials and institutions of the Islamic Republic, expressing support for the Pahlavi monarchy. Reuters noted that opposition to Iran's religious government is increasing, although it seems that these protests lack a clear leader. Iranian officials, including the Supreme Leader, who has been a target of many slogans, have attributed the protests to 'enemies' and certain countries, including the U.S. and Israel. Israeli officials have denied any involvement in the protests, while American officials claim that the protests are spontaneous and expressed by the Iranian people themselves. Pahlavi welcomed the support of the U.S. government and the President for the protests in Iran, stating that the Iranian people 'intend to shape their destiny based on what they desire.' However, he emphasized that the U.S. government needs to take practical steps to enable Iranians to access information tools and social media to share their messages and images from the protests and clashes. The Islamic Republic has imposed numerous restrictions on cyberspace for years, and recently intensified these restrictions by blocking Instagram and Telegram. Meanwhile, questions have been raised about the impact of U.S. sanctions on Iran regarding the provision of internet services by major companies like Google; a U.S. State Department spokesperson recently stated that he has no information on this matter. Joel Reuben, the senior director for Iran, Iraq, and Lebanon at the White House National Security Council, stated in an interview that everyone should avoid any actions that would jeopardize Iranians' access to internet services and information. The Iranian people should have free access to these services not only to express their opinions but also in their daily lives, and there should be no censorship in these matters.