Anti-Regime Activists Hijack Iran State TV, Broadcast Reza Pahlavi’s Call for Protests
Anti-regime activists temporarily hijacked Iran’s state broadcaster, IRIB, airing messages from exiled Crown Prince Reza Pahlavi urging nationwide protests. The ten-minute transmission called on citizens and security forces to maintain pressure amid ongoing unrest.
On Sunday, anti-regime activists briefly hijacked Iran’s state broadcaster, the Islamic Republic of Iran Broadcasting (IRIB), airing messages calling for renewed protests against the Islamic Republic. The disruption, which affected channels transmitted via Iran’s Badr satellite, lasted approximately ten minutes and allowed unauthorized content to be broadcast nationwide.
Footage of the broadcast was later shared by exiled Crown Prince Reza Pahlavi’s media team and circulated widely on social media, though the authenticity of the footage has not been independently verified. The video, broadcast around 9:30 pm local time, included messages in Farsi encouraging Iranians to continue demonstrations, clips of solidarity protests abroad, and statements of support from international figures. It concluded with Pahlavi urging citizens to maintain pressure on authorities and calling on Iran’s military and security forces to side with protesters.
The hijacked broadcast follows Pahlavi’s renewed calls for nationwide demonstrations after a brief lull in unrest. In messages posted on X, he encouraged citizens to gather over a three-day period, stating: “Raise your voices of anger and protest. The world sees your courage and will offer clearer and more practical support to your national revolution.”
Opposition figures have accused Iranian authorities of using lethal force to suppress protests, including deploying heavily armed security units and, according to Pahlavi, foreign militia fighters. Iranian officials, however, reject these claims, attributing the violence to armed opposition groups and foreign adversaries.
The protests, which began on December 28, have spread across the country, with particularly violent clashes reported in the Kurdish regions in the northwest. Despite a heavy security presence pushing demonstrators off the streets in many cities, tensions remain high.
Iran’s state television, which relies on the Badr satellite to broadcast to provincial channels, has not issued an official statement regarding the breach or outlined measures to prevent future incidents.
