Iran International
The arrest of two men waving the pre-1979 Iranian flag at a Tehran subway station on Wednesday led to discussion among Iranians about the prospects of renewed protests and fundamental change in Iran.
Iran’s security forces arrested two men in army fatigues on Wednesday after they unfurled the pre-1979 Iranian flag—the Lion and Sun emblem—inside a major Tehran subway station.
Videos circulating online showed the men holding the banned flag on a crowded platform as commuters looked on. A speaker placed on the ground broadcast a speech by Prince Reza Pahlavi before security forces whisked them away.
Based outside Washington DC, his father was overthrown in the 1979 Islamic Revolution but the exiled prince is a prominent opposition figure and seen by his supporters as a potential monarch.
The pre-revolution flag is a symbol of the ousted Pahlavi monarchy and frequently seen in anti-government protests.
'Something big'
Diaspora journalist Amir-Farshad Ebrahimi said on X that the men belonged to the Army’s 99th Air Defence in Parandak near Tehran, identifying them as Second Lieutenant Mohammad-Reza Mohammadzadeh and Colonel Aghaei.
“Yesterday, they bid farewell to their friends and said they intended to do something big, sought forgiveness from everyone, and asked them to remain loyal to Prince Reza Pahlavi,” he wrote.
The incident coincided with another video posted by a man identifying himself as Colonel Ebrahim Aghaei-Kamazani, who urged Iranians to “rise up on the morning of November 25.” He declared: “Long live the Shah; long live Iran.”
“Finally, the military has entered the arena. Now, if the people don't make a move, it must be said that they don't deserve prosperity and freedom,” posted a user, Mandana Etesami, on X.
Aminoacid, a popular monarchist account, added: “The fact that people’s fear—and even that of the military and government forces—of the Islamic Republic has dissipated is a huge victory, whether the two protesters belonged to the military or not.”
It was not clear if the incidents circulated on social media represented a broader movement.
“Most people in the subway station thought it was either a regime trap or hidden camera set up. That's why they stayed silent … This is the prelude to the regime's downfall,” another user wrote.
An apparent member of the public attempted to yank their flag away twice and both times was shoved away by one of the men holding it.
Israeli endorsement
Iran's state media alleged on Thursday that the two-man protest was a “joint project of pro-monarchy terrorists and the Zionist regime” intended to incite unrest, denying any military affiliation.
“It appears that the aim of yesterday’s ridiculous show in the metro was to lend credibility to the monarchists’ nucleus-forming agenda and to provoke uninformed members of society,” the statement read.
The Israeli Defence Force (IDF) and Israel’s intelligence minister, Gila Gamiliel, reposted the video. Gamiliel wrote in Hebrew and Persian: “It starts like this.”
Reza Pahlavi Communications, the Prince’s official account, reposted the video with a message to Iran's armed forces: “Do not stand against the Iranian nation to preserve a regime whose collapse has begun and is inevitable.
"Play a historical role in the transition from the Islamic Republic, and share in building the future of Iran.”
The exiled prince has appealed to Iran’s military and security personnel to defect from clerical rule. He asserts he is in contact with officers and has proposed a network of loyal “Immortal Guards” to prepare for potential uprisings.
It is not clear how many among Iran's armed forces have heeded the prince's call or secretly back his campaign.
