Reza Pahlavi, the exiled son of Iran’s last shah, has called on the international community to support protesters seeking to overthrow Iran’s government, saying the fall of the Islamic Republic is inevitable.

Speaking at a news conference in Washington, Pahlavi said the world should help the protesters and urged “surgical” strikes on Iran’s Revolutionary Guards to weaken the authorities and prevent further loss of life.

Protests erupted across Iran on Dec 28 over the country’s weak economy and falling currency. The demonstrations later turned into calls for the end of the rule of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.

Human rights groups say more than 2,000 protesters have been killed in the crackdown. The Iranian government has described the unrest as riots backed by foreign enemies.

Pahlavi said parts of Iran’s security forces have refused to join the crackdown and claimed that foreign militia fighters were brought in to suppress the protests. He vowed to return to Iran and outlined plans for a new constitution based on democracy, individual freedom, and separation of religion and state.

He said Iran’s future leadership should be decided by its people. “I am trying to help them liberate themselves,” he said.

The protests began after shopkeepers in Tehran went on strike over rising prices and quickly spread nationwide. Demonstrators have chanted slogans against the Supreme Leader and the clerical leadership.

With inputs from BBC