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.
Iran has said the Strait of Hormuz will remain closed until the U.S. fulfils the terms of an interim deal, including lifting the maritime blockade ...
With governments focused on conflicts in the Gulf and Ukraine, China is pressing ahead with a more assertive military and strategic posture across ...
The United States is pushing to establish a formal deconfliction mechanism between Israel, Türkiye and Syr...
U.S. President Donald Trump says Washington is not seeking an extension of its memorandum of understanding with Iran, claiming the U.S. already controls the Strait of Hormuz through its naval blockade.
Iran has said the Strait of Hormuz will remain closed until the U.S. fulfils the terms of an interim deal, including lifting the maritime blockade and sanctions and releasing Iran’s frozen assets.
Ukraine has targeted at least 20 Wildberries warehouses across Russia since 18 July, disrupting a major logistics network. Kyiv says the strikes aim to disrupt alleged military-linked supplies, while the attacks have caused billions of dollars in losses and wider economic pressure.
South Korea's presidential Blue House said on Monday it was reviewing U.S. President Donald Trump's comments on scaling back joint military drills. It added that it hoped a favourable relationship between Washington and Pyongyang could lead to meaningful talks.
Azerbaijan exported goods worth $17.372 million to Armenia between January and July 2026, according to data from the State Customs Committee, as commercial ties between the two South Caucasus neighbours showed signs of expansion.
With governments focused on conflicts in the Gulf and Ukraine, China is pressing ahead with a more assertive military and strategic posture across the Pacific, particularly around its immediate neighbourhood.
The United States is pushing to establish a formal deconfliction mechanism between Israel, Türkiye and Syria after Israeli airstrikes on a Syrian airbase raised concerns about the risk of a wider regional confrontation.
Britain will continue to support Ukraine “100 per cent” against Russia’s invasion, Prime Minister Andy Burnham said on Tuesday, after Moscow warned London of consequences over reports that British-made drones had been used in strikes on Russian territory.
Russia has summoned Japan’s ambassador to Moscow and delivered a strong protest over what it called “anti-Russian” remarks by Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi and Foreign Minister Toshimitsu Motegi concerning four disputed islands.
Pakistan is turning to more U.S. crude as disruption around the Strait of Hormuz exposes the risks of its heavy reliance on Gulf energy supplies.
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