White House envoy Steve Witkoff privately met with Reza Pahlavi, the exiled son of Iran’s last shah over the weekend, to discuss the protests that have been sweeping the country for more than two weeks, according to a senior U.S. official cited by news agency Axios.
The meeting marks the first known high-level contact between President Donald Trump's administration and an Iranian opposition figure since the demonstrations began 15 days ago. Pahlavi, who lives in exile in the United States, has sought to position himself as a potential transitional leader should Iran’s government collapse.
Over the past two weeks, Pahlavi has appeared on U.S. television networks calling on Washington to intervene in support of protesters.
Behind the scenes, the White House national security team met on Tuesday to discuss options for responding to the unrest. President Donald Trump did not attend. A senior U.S. official said discussions remain at an early stage, with no decision yet on military action according to Axios.
Secretary of State Marco Rubio has told colleagues that the administration is currently considering non-military measures to support protesters, according to a source familiar with the discussions.
Protests continued across Iran on Tuesday, with widely varying estimates of the death toll. A U.S. official said Israel had shared an assessment suggesting at least 5,000 protesters had been killed.
Trump on Tuesday urged Iranians to “keep protesting” and “take over” government institutions, adding that “help is on its way.” Asked to clarify the comment, Trump declined to elaborate and reiterated that Americans should leave Iran.
While the administration initially did not view Pahlavi as a major political figure, officials say they were surprised by reports that demonstrators in multiple cities have chanted his name. Analysts say Pahlavi has emerged as a symbolic figure for some protesters, though the extent of his support inside Iran remains unclear.
Polling conducted in recent years suggests Iranian public opinion is divided, with roughly one-third supporting Pahlavi and another one-third strongly opposing him - a higher level of recognition than any other opposition figure.
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Start your day informed with AnewZ Morning Brief. Here are the top news stories for the 21st of July, covering the latest developments you need to know.
Start your day informed with AnewZ Morning Brief. Here are the top news stories for the 22nd of July, covering the latest developments you need to know.
President Donald Trump said the United States will target Iran’s heavily fortified Pickaxe Mountain site “pretty soon” as he meets with Lebanese president Michel Aoun. Meanwhile, U.S. forces carried out a 10th consecutive night of strikes on Iran while Tehran continues to target Gulf countries.
Overnight U.S. strikes caused blackouts in southwestern Iran and hit the northwestern city of Tabriz for the first time. Separately, a U.S. soldier died in northern Iraq during a controlled detonation of an unexploded Iranian drone.
The United States has bombed Iran for an 11th consecutive night as the Pentagon says the war’s cost reach $37.5 billion. President Donald Trump threatens a heavy strike on the suspected Pickaxe Mountain nuclear site. Tehran warns that any attack could trigger a wider regional escalation.
Daniel Siad, a modelling scout whose name appeared in documents linked to convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, has been found dead at his home near Paris, French prosecutors said. He was 69.
Ukraine's new commander-in-chief, Mykhailo Drapatyi, takes charge at a pivotal stage of the war with Russia, facing mounting challenges including troop shortages, battlefield reform and the rapid evolution of drone warfare.
ASEAN foreign ministers opened the 59th ASEAN Foreign Ministers’ Meeting in Manila on 21 July, launching four days of talks that run until 24 July. The agenda includes South China Sea tensions, Myanmar’s conflict and growing U.S.-China rivalry.
Canadian Foreign Minister Anita Anand has renewed calls for an immediate de-escalation and permanent ceasefire in the Middle East while she warned that the humanitarian situation had become "quite grave". Anand also raised concern over tensions in the South China Sea.
Pakistan has asked the U.S. for a $10 billion exchange stabilisation facility, according to a source briefed on the matter. If approved, the funding would bolster the country's foreign exchange reserves and provide a major boost to its cash-strapped economy.
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