White House envoy Steve Witkoff is said to have held a discreet meeting with exiled Iranian crown prince Reza Pahlavi over the weekend, according to a report first carried by Axios, as Iran faces its most lethal wave of unrest in decades. The encounter, described by a senior US official, marks the highest-level interaction between the Trump administration and Iranian opposition figures since nationwide demonstrations erupted more than two weeks ago.

The report comes as anger over Iran’s spiralling economic collapse has widened into direct challenges to the clerical establishment, with more than 2,000 people killed so far. The Trump administration has publicly intensified its warnings while privately moving to open communication channels with opposition voices.

Secret talks amid rising dissent

Axios reported that Witkoff’s discussion with Pahlavi occurred over the weekend, signalling a notable shift given President Donald Trump’s recent public hesitation to meet the exiled royal. One senior US official cited by Axios said they were struck that Pahlavi’s name had begun surfacing organically in chants at rallies across multiple cities. “There has been an ascendance of Pahlavi. They are chanting his name in demonstrations in many cities and it seems to be happening organically,” the official told Axios.

Pahlavi – the son of Iran’s last monarch, overthrown in the 1979 Islamic Revolution – has in recent weeks positioned himself as a possible “transitional” figure should the Islamic Republic collapse. The former crown prince, who resides in the United States, has appeared repeatedly on American television as protests have mounted, arguing that the moment represents a turning point for Iran. “This is not just about reform,” he said in one recent interview. “This is about ending a system that has failed its people.”

Pahlavi urges Trump to act

Pahlavi has appealed directly to Trump for intervention, praising him as a “man of peace” in an X post on 9 January. “Mr. President, this is an urgent and immediate call for your attention, support, and action,” he wrote, accusing Iran’s supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei of using widespread blackouts to conceal a violent crackdown. He urged the president to “be prepared to intervene to help the people of Iran.”

Trump, in an interview with radio host Hugh Hewitt, warned Iran that the regime would “have to pay hell” if it continued violent repression, though he appeared sceptical of meeting Pahlavi at the time. Witkoff’s reported engagement therefore represents a departure from the president’s public tone.

Trump hardens rhetoric as casualties rise

Although Trump has not explicitly endorsed Pahlavi, he has openly backed the demonstrators. “Iranian Patriots, KEEP PROTESTING – TAKE OVER YOUR INSTITUTIONS!!! Save the names of the killers and abusers. They will pay a big price,” he wrote on Truth Social, adding that all meetings with Iranian officials were cancelled until the killing of protesters ceased. “HELP IS ON ITS WAY. MIGA!!!”

In earlier remarks, Trump warned that the United States was “locked and loaded” should Tehran pursue mass violence. Yet no concrete US action has followed despite reports from activists that thousands have died.

Human rights monitors say Iran is enduring its deadliest unrest since 1979. The US-based Human Rights Activists News Agency (HRANA) reported at least 2,003 deaths as of Tuesday, with the toll climbing to 2,571 by early Wednesday following brief restoration of international calls. Iranian state television, acknowledging fatalities for the first time, cited an unnamed official saying there had been “a lot of martyrs” and claimed authorities delayed counts because many bodies were mutilated.

International concern deepened further on Wednesday after reports emerged that Iranian authorities are preparing to execute 26-year-old Erfan Soltani – a move that could represent the first protest-related hanging in the current crackdown. Rights groups say the case may open the door to a broader campaign of state-led executions targeting demonstrators.

Tehran pushes back as global criticism grows

Protests that began over economic hardship have evolved into sweeping denunciations of Iran’s ruling system, including calls against Khamenei himself. Trump told CBS News that the United States would respond if Iran carried out threatened executions of detained demonstrators. Tehran dismissed Washington’s warnings, with Iran’s UN mission posting that America’s “playbook” would “fail again” and accusing the US of seeking “a pretext for military intervention.”

Iranian officials insist they have restored order following consecutive nights of nationwide unrest, though rights groups maintain that the severity of the crackdown has been concealed by an internet blackout lasting more than five days.

(With inputs from agencies)