WASHINGTON/TEHRAN: The special envoy of US President Donald Trump Steve Witkoff reportedly met with Reza Pahlavi, the exiled son of Iran’s last monarch in a discreet meeting amid increased tensions and recent unrest in the Islamic republic, foreign media reports.
The meeting, which was described as one of the most senior-level contacts between a prominent Iranian opposition figure and the Trump administration, is focused on the evolving situation inside Iran, including the wave of protests that has gripped the country in recent weeks. Details of the discussions have not been officially disclosed by either side, and US authorities have so far declined to comment publicly on the reported encounter.
News agencies reported the meeting came after close to two weeks of violent demonstrations across several Iranian cities, fueled by economic grievances and political discontent. While protests had picked up earlier this month, Iranian authorities now say that unrest has ebbed. Government officials in Tehran said the situation was gradually returning to normal, though independent verification remains difficult.
Internet access has remained severely restricted throughout much of Iran since protests began, limiting the flow of information. It was against this backdrop that satellite internet provider Starlink announced free internet services were being provided for users in Iran, a move widely viewed as bypassing state-imposed restrictions. Iranian officials have warned in the past against the use of unauthorized satellite communication services as a threat to national security.
According to international media, the reported Witkoff-Pahlavi meeting marks the first high-level engagement between a senior figure linked to the Trump administration and an Iranian opposition personality since the outbreak of the latest protests. Reza Pahlavi, who has long lived in exile, has repeatedly positioned himself as a vocal critic of Iran’s clerical leadership and an advocate for a secular and democratic Iran.
Meanwhile, President Trump has issued fresh warnings to Tehran in its handling of protesters. Speaking recently, he warned that the US would “respond very strongly” if the Iranian authorities went ahead with executions of demonstrators. “What is happening in Iran is very bad,” Mr Trump said, accusing the country of wielding widespread violence and claiming that Washington knew about killings there.
The US president also claimed that the true number of casualties had yet to emerge, adding that more information would become available in the coming days. Iranian officials, however, have rejected such claims, accusing foreign governments of exaggerating events to interfere in Iran’s internal affairs.
The reported secret meeting and Washington’s renewed rhetoric are likely to further strain already tense US-Iran relations, which have remained fraught over sanctions, regional security and Iran’s internal political trajectory.
