In a significant development amid ongoing unrest in Iran, White House envoy Steve Witkoff reportedly engaged in a confidential meeting with Reza Pahlavi, the exiled crown prince of Iran, over the weekend. This comes as the Iranian regime grapples with increasing protests.

The report, initially published by Axios, cites a senior U.S. official who disclosed details of the weekend conversation. This interaction marks what appears to be the first high-level contact between the Trump administration and Iranian opposition figures since protests against the regime began 15 days ago. Axios highlighted that Pahlavi is positioning himself as a potential “transitional” leader should the current regime be overthrown.

Reza Pahlavi is the son of the late Shah Mohammad Reza Pahlavi, who was overthrown during the 1979 Islamic Revolution, a pivotal event that transformed Iran from a monarchy into an Islamic republic.

Reza Pahlavi took the stage at a press conference in Paris on June 23, 2025, an event captured by AP Photo/Thomas Padilla, where he discussed the current situation in Iran. On the other side of the political spectrum, Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei remains a central figure amid the ongoing turmoil.

A senior U.S. official, according to the Axios report, expressed surprise at the emergence of Pahlavi’s name in chants during many of the recent protests, indicating a notable shift in the public’s sentiment.

“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 U.S. official told Axios.

Pahlavi has recently urged President Donald Trump to intervene, praising him as a “man of peace.”

“Mr. President, this is an urgent and immediate call for your attention, support, and action,” Pahlavi wrote in a Jan. 9 post on X. He accused Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei of using the blackout to carry out a brutal crackdown and encouraged Trump to “be prepared to intervene to help the people of Iran.”

In this frame grab from video obtained by the AP outside Iran, a masked demonstrator holds a picture of Iran’s Crown Prince Reza Pahlavi during a protest in Tehran, Iran, Friday, Jan. 9, 2026. (UGC via AP)

Trump recently said in an interview with Hugh Hewitt that Iran has “been told very strongly, even more strongly than I’m speaking to you right now, that if they do that, they’re going to have to pay hell,” according to The Associated Press. However, in the same interview, the president seemed to cast doubt on the idea that he would meet with Pahlavi. Witkoff’s meeting would present a significant departure from the president’s recent statements.

While the president has yet to take a public stance in favor of Pahlavi, he has been open about his support for the people of Iran.

“Iranian Patriots, KEEP PROTESTING – TAKE OVER YOUR INSTITUTIONS!!! Save the names of the killers and abusers. They will pay a big price,” Trump wrote in a Truth Social post on Tuesday. “I have cancelled all meetings with Iranian Officials until the senseless killing of protesters STOPS. HELP IS ON ITS WAY. MIGA!!!”

Demonstrators burn pictures of Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei outside the Iranian embassy during a rally in support of nationwide protests in Iran, in London, Britain, Jan. 12, 2026.  (Toby Melville/Reuters)

In the early days of the protests, Trump warned the regime that the U.S. was “locked and loaded” and ready to take action if the Iranian government used violence against protesters. However, the U.S. has yet to make concrete moves despite reports of protesters being killed and Trump’s latest statement.

The White House did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital’s request for comment.