Washington DC

Protests in Iran entered their thirteenth consecutive day on Friday, expanding from demonstrations against rising living costs into a nationwide movement demanding an end to the Islamic Republic, which has governed the country since the 1979 revolution.

Amid the escalating unrest, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio voiced support for the protesters. In a post on X, Rubio said the United States stands with “the brave people of Iran.”

His remarks followed comments by US President Donald Trump, who said the situation in Iran is being closely monitored. Trump expressed hope for the safety of protesters and warned that the United States would respond if demonstrators were killed.

“Iran’s in big trouble. It looks to me that the people are taking over certain cities that nobody thought were really possible. We’re watching the situation very carefully,” Trump said. He added that if authorities resorted to killing protesters, the US would “hit them very hard where it hurts,” clarifying that such action would not involve ground troops.

Meanwhile, Iran’s former Crown Prince Reza Pahlavi, who lives in exile, issued a call on Saturday urging workers in key economic sectors to initiate nationwide strikes and move to occupy central areas of Tehran. Expressing solidarity with protesters across the country, Pahlavi praised the sustained demonstrations against Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and the ruling establishment.

He appealed to employees in critical sectors such as transportation, oil, gas and energy to begin coordinated work stoppages. Pahlavi also urged citizens to take to the streets on Saturday and Sunday evening, carrying national symbols and reclaiming public spaces, stating that the movement’s objective had shifted toward capturing and holding city centres.

Calling for coordinated action, he encouraged protesters to converge on central districts from multiple routes and prepare to remain in the streets with necessary supplies. Addressing members of the armed and security forces who have joined opposition efforts, Pahlavi urged them to further disrupt what he described as the regime’s “machine of suppression.”

Earlier, the foreign ministers of Australia, Canada and the European Union issued a joint statement praising the courage of Iranian citizens and condemning reports of a violent crackdown by authorities.

“We commend the bravery of the Iranian people as they stand up for their dignity and their fundamental right to peaceful protest,” the statement said, strongly denouncing the killing of demonstrators, use of force, arbitrary arrests and intimidation by the regime.

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The countries called on the Iranian government to halt the use of force against protesters and to respect their right to freedom of expression.