Iran’s exiled prince warns Khamenei of Nuremberg-style trial as protests subside

Iran’s exiled crown prince Reza Pahlavi has warned Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei that he and his associates will face a Nazi-style Nuremberg trial, as an uneasy calm returned to Tehran following weeks of protests and a deadly crackdown by authorities.

In an open letter addressed to Khamenei and posted on X in Arabic, Pahlavi described the clerical leader as an anti-Iranian criminal responsible for the deaths of tens of thousands of Iranians. He said Khamenei, his regime, and their enforcers would be held accountable for every life lost, drawing a direct comparison to the prosecution of Nazi leaders after World War II.

The warning came as activists said at least 4,029 people have been killed in the crackdown that ended the demonstrations.

Pahlavi told Iranians not to lose faith, saying their unity and courage had already weakened the regime. He claimed the leadership could no longer silence an awakened population or rule through fear, and said the protests would eventually return with greater force to reclaim the country.

He also urged supporters to see the struggle as a duty to those killed during the unrest, adding that the fall of the current system had already begun.

The letter followed a recent hacking incident that disrupted Iranian state television broadcasts, airing footage supportive of Pahlavi and urging security forces not to turn their weapons on the public. The broadcast claimed, without evidence, that some members of the security forces had laid down their arms.

International pressure has also intensified.

Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi had his invitation to speak at the World Economic Forum in Davos withdrawn over the killings. Tensions with the United States remain high after President Donald Trump warned Iran against killing peaceful protesters or carrying out mass executions, as a US aircraft carrier moved toward a route that could bring it to the Middle East.