Voice of America censors Reza Pahlavi: Did US withdraw support for the exiled Prince?
&imwidth=600&imheight=450&format=webp&quality=medium "Voice of America censors Reza Pahlavi: Did US withdraw support for the exiled Prince?")
A grab taken on January 11, 2026, from an undated video message released by Reza Pahlavi on social media, shows Reza Pahlavi, the US-based son of Iran's ousted shah, speaking in Farsi and telling protestors not to "abandon the streets" and that he will "soon be by [their] side Photograph: (AFP)
VOA’s Persian Service is accused of censoring Reza Pahlavi during Iran protests, raising questions over US support for regime change in Iran.
Voice of America network’s Persian Service has decided to censor the ousted Crown Prince Reza Pahlavi, who was central to stirring up anti-government protests that engulfed the country in late December and early January. The Voice of America staff was overhauled by the Trump administration since Trump came to office in 2025. Three staff members said to the Hill that Ali Javarmandi, a journalist of Voice of America, has stopped featuring any video and audio of the exiled Prince.
What are the key allegations?
The key allegations from the VOA insiders were that there were no chants or protests aired which featured the name of Reza Pahlavi. Guests were also refrained from speaking about him on Persian broadcasters. Critics suggest that this amounts to a violation of media ethics alleged that Ali Javarmandi has significant influence in the newsroom and was always opposed to Palhavi. “This is the kind of censorship that you would expect to see in authoritarian countries run by dictatorships,” said one of the VOA staff as quoted by the Hill.
Did the US retract support for Reza Pahlavi?
Javanmardi and VOA leadership, including the head of the US Agency for Global Media, say the decision isn’t about promoting or opposing any political figure. I am neither a spokesman for the opposition nor its enemy,” Javanmardi wrote in a post on X. “I only stand by the truth, the truth that is written every day in the streets of Iran with blood and courage.”
Trending Stories
&im=FitAndFill=(700,400))
)
)
)
)
&im=FitAndFill=(700,400))
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
&im=FitAndFill=(700,400))
)
)
)
)
)
&im=FitAndFill=(700,400))
)
)
)
)
)
&im=FitAndFill=(700,400))
)
)
)
VOA is a US government funded network and was established in 1942 to counter Nazi Propaganda. Since its establishment, it has been objective but often representative of the US policies. US President Donald Trump has previously said that the exiled Prince Reza Pahlavi does not have the people's support. Palhavi was projected on social media extensively by the Mossad-backed campaign and the majority of the Western media as the successor of the Islamic regime. But as the protests were at their peak, the Trump administration refrained from openly admitting or elevating Reza Pahlavi as a leader for the transition of Iran.
