Farah Pahlavi calls for global day of silence to honor Iranians killed in crackdown
Farah Pahlavi is calling for a National Day of Mourning on January 23 to honor the victims of Iran’s crackdown on protests, urging Iranians around the world to observe a minute of silence.
Former Iranian Empress Farah Pahlavi made a rare public appeal late Tuesday calling for a day of national mourning to honor Iranians killed in the Islamic Republic’s ongoing crackdown on nationwide protests.
In a statement posted on social media, Pahlavi said Iran had witnessed “crimes against humanity” in recent days, describing a wave of violence that she said had shocked the world and left the country “hurt.”
“The blood shed by thousands of our compatriots in Iran cannot be ignored or trampled on,” Pahlavi wrote, commenting that “the brave children of Iran sacrificed their lives and shed their blood on the roots of the young trees of freedom.”
Pahlavi, the widow of the late Shah Mohammad Reza Pahlavi, announced that January 23, 2026 would be observed as a National Day of Mourning by Iranians inside the country and throughout the diaspora. She called on Iranians around the world to observe a minute of silence at noon local time in memory of those killed.
“You, the great Iranian nation, affectionately call me ‘The Mother of Iran’. ‘Mother of Iran’ joins all mothers in Iran who were denied the right to mourn the loss of their dearest children during this merciless massacre,” the former empress said. “For this reason, I declare a National Day of Mourning on January 23, 2026, to be observed by all freedom-loving Iranians across the world, and I ask that we all join in a minute of silence at noon local time to honor our fallen children. »
Protesters burn images of Ayatollah Ali Khamenei during a rally in solidarity with the Iranian uprising, organized by the National Council of Resistance of Iran, in Whitehall, central London, January 11, 2026. (credit: CARLOS JASSO / AFP via Getty Images)
Death toll from Iran protests rises as internet outage continues
The statement comes as the Human Rights Activists News Agency (HRANA) updated its official statistics from Iran’s protests to 4,519 confirmed deaths, 9,049 under investigation, 5,811 seriously injured and 26,314 arrests. The country has also gone through 300 hours of government-imposed internet blackouts, as the regime continues to suppress protests. In Iran, residents reported that massacres took place and regime forces forced their way into homes to track down protesters.
Pahlavi concluded his message with a call for perseverance, urging Iranians not to give in until the country “regains its freedom”, and ending with the statement:
“The light will prevail over the darkness.”
Pahlavi’s son, Iranian Crown Prince Reza Pahlavi, emerged as a leader of the Iranian opposition during the protests, with support and calls for strikes across the country. Pahlavi also established, with the help of experts, a transition path for Iran in the event of the regime’s fall.
