The country’s opposition is equally diverse, including ethnic minorities, republicans, monarchists, leftists and former supporters of the Islamic Republic. No matter the size of the protests, political experts say a divided opposition makes it less likely that the regime would fall peacefully. No other opposition figure has Pahlavi’s name recognition or the nostalgia that his name evokes. The breadth of Iran’s ethnic and political diversity “is not reflected in his policies nor his performance nor in the plans he has put forward,” Mohtadi said. And Ghasseminejad said that Pahlavi’s coalition included ethnic and religious minorities and people of different political beliefs, unified by their support for Pahlavi’s leadership.

Source: Washington Post January 15, 2026 10:45 UTC