On the 10th day of the Iranian Uprising, events continue to accelerate with a momentous new development. From Tousi TV, the city of Ilam (pop ~200k) in western Iran and largely populated by Kurds is completely in the hands of the anti-Islamicists after the local police force defected en masse. Abadan and Malekshahi have also apparently fallen to the protesters after the local police and IRGC bases were either abandoned or overrun.
Meanwhile, the exiled Shah-in-waiting is calling on his followers in Iran to come out into the streets at precisely 8:00 pm local time on Thursday and Friday evening to better gauge just how much support he actually commands in the country, and how effective the dissemination of his messages has been despite the regime’s efforts to disrupt the internet. For those interested, the latest installment of Tousi TV also recapitulates part of Tousi’s interview with Reza Pahlavi, and his plans for a post-Islamic Republic transition once the regime falls:
For those wanting more info on Reza Pahlavi’s organization and the various Iranian opposition groups now supporting him, there is this admittedly propagandistic piece on the NUFDI website regarding a conference of opposition groups in Munich last summer:
- The Convention of National Cooperation to Save Iran marked an unprecedented moment of unity for the Iranian opposition, reflecting a strengthened opposition to the clerical establishment at its weakest moment in history.
- The convention demonstrated that Reza Pahlavi is successfully broadening his support beyond the traditional base highlighted by Western media, incorporating representatives from Iran's diverse cultural, religious, and political communities.
- This inclusivity exemplifies a strategic shift that has been unfolding for years, positioning him not merely as a figurehead of Iran’s prosperous pre-1979 past, but as a unifying leader who is capable and willing to bridge historic divides. The depth and breadth of participation underscored the Crown Prince's emerging credibility as the central figure around whom an inclusive democratic opposition can rally.
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- “...Bound by a shared vision and a deep sense of responsibility, we pledge to collaborate in support of transition away from the current regime. Our aim is to help lay the groundwork for a democratic, free, strong, and prosperous Iran—one that reflects the will and dignity of its people and reclaims its rightful place in the global community…”
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- Representatives of the Iranian diaspora’s many political parties participated in the convention. This included:
- The Constitutionalist Party, the Secular Democratic Party, the Iran Resurgence Party, the New Constitutionalist Party, the Kurdish Patriotic Party, the Iran Novin Party, former Mojahedin-e Khalq (MEK) members, 7 Aban Front, former Communist Party members, and former Fedaian-e Khalq members.
- Several prominent activists endorsing a republican form of governance for the future Iran, who have historically opposed Pahlavi's leadership due to his historical connection to monarchy, joined the convention, demonstrating a unified front.
- Abolfazl Mohagheghi, a prominent pro-republic activist and former Fedaian member, said: “This is a convention that, by showcasing the capacity and capabilities of its participants in different areas, aims to deliver a message to the millions of Iranians watching with hope and excitement: the day of liberation is near.”
- Mohammad Heydari, another activist endorsing a republican form of governance, said: “As a pro-republic Iranian patriot…I wish to emphasize that we are here today to take a practical step toward the victory of the national revolution…Now is the time to act! Let us rally around the national and political leadership of the Prince, and show the world that we are not leaderless, but a united and determined nation.”
- Their participation underscored a shared commitment to a democratic transition, highlighting explicitly that Pahlavi’s leadership does not equate to promoting the restoration of monarchy.
This seems to include nearly all the major players in the Iranian opposition — except the MEK, which nearly everyone inside and outside of Iran despises (as Marxist Islamicists, they’ve never been forgiven for having supported Iraq during the Iran-Iraq war back in the 1980’s.
Meanwhile, the Enforcer youtube channel, in addition to providing more video evidence of the regime losing more ground in Iran, notes that there is evidence of US special forces being moved toward the Syrian-Iraqi and Jordanian-Iraqi borders in case the Iraqi government requests help in “disarming” various pro-Iranian militias that still dominate large parts of Iraq — all while the Iranian authorities threaten a “preemptive” attack against Israel and/or US bases in the area.
Tousi seems to think that if the regime is unable to mount an effective counterattack tomorrow to take back some of the cities they’ve already lost, then they will never have the strength to ultimately prevail. As usual, stay tuned for further updates.
