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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Sweden's centre-right government has abandoned plans to lower the age of criminal responsibility to 13, instead proposing a revised threshold of 14, Justice Minister Gunnar Strömmer confirmed on Thursday (11 June).
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A prominent Palestinian doctor detained by Israel for more than 500 days appeared by video link before Israel's Supreme Court on Wednesday (10 June), marking the first time he has been seen publicly since February, according to rights groups.
Three Indian sailors have been killed after a U.S. military strike on a commercial tanker in the Gulf of Oman, India's shipping minister has confirmed. The incident has sparked diplomatic tensions between New Delhi and Washington.
Azerbaijan's Foreign Ministry says 19 citizens have been repatriated following a deadly drone attack on two cargo ships in the Sea of Azov on 5 June.
Mexico and South Africa meet in Thursday’s World Cup opener in Mexico City, with both teams approaching the match from very different positions but facing their own pressures.
A Sudanese man has been arrested over a knife attack in Belfast that left a man seriously injured and prompted calls online for a protest after footage of the incident circulated widely on social media.
Iran and Israel said on Monday (8 June) they had halted attacks on each other following an appeal from U.S. President Donald Trump, as Axios reported that Trump had privately told Benjamin Netanyahu “be careful, or you will be on your own very soon”.
Ukraine's military said it struck a Russian "shadow fleet" tanker in the Black Sea as part of ongoing efforts to disrupt Moscow's energy and logistics networks. The move underscores Kyiv's focus on targeting maritime assets it says are used to bypass sanctions on Russian oil exports.
Sweden's centre-right government has abandoned plans to lower the age of criminal responsibility to 13, instead proposing a revised threshold of 14, Justice Minister Gunnar Strömmer confirmed on Thursday (11 June).
Three Indian sailors have been killed after a U.S. military strike on a commercial tanker in the Gulf of Oman, India's shipping minister has confirmed. The incident has sparked diplomatic tensions between New Delhi and Washington.
The number of people displaced by conflict and persecution around the world fell in 2025 for the first time in more than a decade, according to a new report by the UN refugee agency.
Mexico and South Africa meet in Thursday’s World Cup opener in Mexico City, with both teams approaching the match from very different positions but facing their own pressures.
Start your day informed with the AnewZ Morning Brief. Here are the top stories for 11 June, covering the latest developments you need to know.
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