US president signals he is not ready to back the Israel-aligned opposition figure to lead Iran in case of regime change.

United States President Donald Trump has ruled out meeting with Iran’s self-proclaimed Crown Prince Reza Pahlavi, suggesting that Washington is not ready to back a successor to the Iranian government, should it collapse.

On Thursday, Trump called Pahlavi, the son of Iran’s last shah who was toppled by the Islamic revolution of 1979, a “nice person”. But Trump added that, as president, it would not be appropriate to meet with him.

“I think that we should let everybody go out there and see who emerges,” Trump told The Hugh Hewitt Show podcast. “I’m not sure necessarily that it would be an appropriate thing to do.”

The US-based Pahlavi, who has close ties to Israel, leads the monarchist faction of the fragmented Iranian opposition.

Trump’s comments signal that the US has not backed Pahlavi’s offer to “lead [a] transition” in governance in Iran, should the current system collapse.

The Iranian government is grappling with protests across several parts of the country.

Iranian authorities cut off access to the internet on Thursday in an apparent move to suppress the protest movement as Pahlavi called for more demonstrations.

The US president had previously warned that he would intervene if the Iranian government targets protesters. He renewed that threat on Thursday.

“They’re doing very poorly. And I have let them know that if they start killing people – which they tend to do during their riots, they have lots of riots – if they do it, we’re going to hit them very hard,” Trump said.

Iranian protests started last month in response to a deepening economic crisis as the value of the local currency, the rial, plunged amid suffocating US sanctions.

The economy-focused demonstrations started sporadically across the country, but they quickly morphed into broader antigovernment protests and appear to be gaining momentum, leading to the internet blackout.

Pahlavi expressed gratitude to Trump and claimed that “millions of Iranians” protested on Thursday night.

“I want to thank the leader of the free world, President Trump, for reiterating his promise to hold the regime to account,” he wrote in a social media post.

“It is time for others, including European leaders, to follow his lead, break their silence, and act more decisively in support of the people of Iran.”

Last month, Trump also threatened to attack Iran again if it rebuilds its nuclear or missile programmes.

The US bombed Iran’s three main nuclear facilities in June as part of a war that Israel launched against the country without provocation.

On top of its economic and political crises, Iran has faced environmental hurdles, including severe water shortages, deepening its domestic unrest.

Iran has also been dealt major blows to its foreign policy as its network of allies has shrunk over the past two years.

Syrian President Bashar al-Assad was toppled by armed opposition forces in December 2024; Hezbollah was weakened by Israeli attacks; and Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro has been abducted by the US.

But Iran’s leaders have continued to dismiss US threats. Iranian Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei doubled down on his defiant rhetoric after the US raid in Caracas on Saturday.

“We will not give in to the enemy,” Khamenei wrote in a social media post. “We will bring the enemy to its knees.”

It wasn’t love at first sight for longtime collaborators Joachim Trier and Eskil Vogt, who met when they were both in their late teens.

“We were both camera assistants, taking care of the cables on a quiz show in Norway. Joachim was still skating and wearing the biggest pants I’d ever seen. They were as wide as they were tall. I was the black jeans and Dr. Martens type, so I was skeptical,” laughs Vogt, who co-wrote “Sentimental Value” with Trier.

Then they started talking about films. 

“Suddenly, there was someone who’s seen more Fellini films than I had, and I had Hal Hartley films on VHS he wanted to borrow. This was the first time I met someone who shared my dream of making films, and that made the dream more tangible and real,” says Vogt.

Six features later, they are much more similar now, says Trier. Their way of working hasn’t really changed — they still start with ideas and develop the plot later on. 

“We know it would be easier the other way around, but we still think of the plot quite late. Instead, we put notes up on the board and say: ‘Oh, I love this scene.’ And then we try to keep most of our darlings,” explains Vogt. 

Trier agrees: “We don’t construct the story until very late. Instead of having scenes I don’t want to shoot and we don’t want to write, we try to make sure none of them just ‘tells the story.’ They all have to be about the characters or [present us] with an exciting visual situation.”

“We still have a phase when we entertain a lot of ideas, but we come to the core of it quicker now. I think we’re more honest with ourselves — and about what we want. We also have this silly rule that we shouldn’t think too much about production limitations and money when we write. When I become the director again, it bites me in the ass.”

How do they keep it fresh? 

“I think we don’t,” laughs Vogt. 

“There’s a lot of stuff going on when you make and release films, and we both like to go back to that safe space and rediscover that calm where it’s just our two voices. We are fortunate enough that our films generate more and more noise that we have to shut out, so when we work, we make it personal and small again.”

Following the success of 2021’s “The Worst Person in the World,” which earned them an Academy Award nomination for original screenplay — it also scored an Oscar nomination for international feature — expectations were high. Then again, they always are. 

“Every film feels like that. The first one, ‘Reprise,’ was quite successful, so ‘Oslo, August 31^st’ was made out of panic: ‘Let’s do what we want now, before we don’t sell out’,” says Trier with a laugh. “’Worst Person’ was this fun film that generated a lot of attention and we knew we were going to put [“Sentimental Value”’”] into a climate of expectation. We used that panic and that energy to go deep into something we cared about.” 

In the film, which scored Grand Prix at Cannes, two sisters reunite with their absentee father, a movie director who wants to make a film about their family. It stars Stellan Skarsgård, “Worst Person” breakout star Renate Reinsve and Inga Ibsdotter Lilleaas, who seems to be on the same trajectory as Reinsve in terms of global recognition for her performance.

“A few months into that process, we thought: ‘We’re going to lose some of the people who loved ‘Worst Person’ for being so young and exuberant,’” says Vogt. Fast forward to November and the film is being embraced by an even younger audience and “spreading on TikTok,” says Trier with a hint of irony.  

Their friendship allows them to get “very intimate and very personal super quickly” when they write. 

“When I write alone, I procrastinate. When I’m procrastinating with Joachim, even if I haven’t done anything, at least I got to spend a day with my friend,” says Vogt. Trier adds: “It took me a long time to create a real family outside of art. I have one now, but Eskil is my longest relationship outside of my parents. We don’t need to be silly romantic about it, but we have to be honest: it’s a real gift.”

Trier continues: “If you look at our filmography, it becomes apparent we’ve been tracing the development of our life stages. I don’t think we could have made ‘Sentimental Value’ earlier in our collaboration.”

They say their relationship is “like every old marriage,” but having an open relationship isn’t an option just yet.

“I think we get enough excitement with other collaborators to keep the marriage happy,” says Trier.

“Eskil has always told me: ‘If you want to write with someone else, it’s OK’ We have those tough conversations, but it just hasn’t happened yet. I still call him during the shoot, so he’s used to me working with others and doing my own thing, and he allows that. I’m also happy to see Eskil making his own films without me at all.” 

Vogt, who directed “The Innocents,” adds: “Maybe it would be interesting for you to make a film without me involved…” 

“…And see how shitty I really am,” deadpans Trier. “I come from a family of artists — I love the team thing. Eskil can write alone — I would hate that. We get annoyed with each other, but that’s life: there’s still love at the end of the day. So, you know, touch wood. I hope it continues.”

Russia on Thursday warned that any Western military forces deployed to Ukraine under a post-war security arrangement would be considered “legitimate combat targets,” sharply criticizing a newly signed Paris declaration outlining security guarantees for Kyiv.

In a statement posted on the Russian Foreign Ministry’s Telegram channel, spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said the declaration, backed by Ukraine, the United States and several European countries, was not aimed at peace but at further militarizing Ukraine and escalating the conflict.

She specifically objected to provisions calling for a multinational force and continued military support for Ukraine’s armed forces, warning that any foreign troops, military infrastructure or facilities on Ukrainian territory would be viewed by Moscow as direct foreign intervention.

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“All such units and facilities will be considered as legitimate combat targets of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation,” Zakharova said.

“These warnings have been voiced more than once at the highest level and remain relevant.”

British Prime Minister Keir Starmer said on Monday the U.K. and France signed a declaration of intent to deploy forces to Ukraine in the event of a peace deal, including establishing military hubs and facilities to store weapons and equipment after a ceasefire.

“It paves the way for the legal framework under which British, French and partner forces could operate on Ukrainian soil – securing Ukraine’s skies and seas – and regenerating Ukraine’s armed forces for the future,” Starmer told reporters at a press conference after the Coalition of the Willing meeting in Paris.

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“We also have agreed [on] significant further steps. First, that we will participate in U.S.-led monitoring and verification of any ceasefire. Second, we will support the long-term provision of armaments for Ukraine’s defence. And third, we will work towards binding commitments to support Ukraine in the case of a future armed attack by Russia,” he added.

U.S. special envoy Steve Witkoff said on X that negotiators made significant progress on a bilateral security guarantee framework and a prosperity plan for Ukraine, calling durable security guarantees essential to a lasting peace.

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Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on Thursday said the document on security guarantees for Ukraine is essentially “ready for finalization at the highest level with the President of the United States.”

“Complex issues from the basic framework for ending the war were also addressed, and the Ukrainian side presented possible options for finalizing this document,” he added. “We understand that the American side will engage with Russia, and we expect feedback on whether the aggressor is genuinely willing to end the war.”