Iran’s Exile Prince Calls for Unity as U.S. Removes Maduro, Echoes Home Protests

Exiled Iranian leader Reza Pahlavi on Saturday hailed the U.S. military operation that removed Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro, drawing parallels between Venezuela’s current crisis and widespread protests in Iran.

In a social media post, Pahlavi expressed solidarity with opposition leader María Corina Machado and president-elect Edmundo Guzmán, stating: “My thoughts are with my friend María Corina Machado, president-elect Edmundo Guzmán, and the brave people of Venezuela who, like my own countrymen, have persevered through great hardship.”

Pahlavi, the eldest son of former Shah Mohammad Reza Pahlavi and a prominent figure in Iran’s opposition, has lived in the United States since the 1979 Islamic Revolution. He positions himself as a secular advocate for democratic reform within Iran.

The Iranian exile has consistently argued that he seeks to unite opposition forces without restoring the monarchy, aiming instead to guide Iran toward a peaceful transition.

Iran has faced over a week of protests triggered by economic hardship following a sharp decline in the rial. At least seven people have been killed in violence linked to the unrest. Iranian state media has described some gatherings as riots and accused foreign powers of inciting instability.

The United States captured Maduro early Saturday in a military operation that removed him from power—a culmination of months of escalating pressure from the Trump administration on Venezuela. Maduro and his wife were taken overnight from their home on a military base and flown to New York for potential criminal charges.

President Donald Trump stated the U.S. would oversee Venezuela’s transition until a new government takes office, claiming American influence was already in place though no immediate signs of direct control emerged.