Berlin Rallies: Thousands Demand End to Iran’s Regime & Support Protests

Berlin Rally Shows Iranian Dissidents Divided, Determined

Berlin, Germany – February 7, 2026 – Tens of thousands of protesters gathered in Berlin on Saturday, demonstrating both solidarity with ongoing uprisings in Iran and deep divisions within the Iranian diaspora regarding the future leadership of their homeland. The demonstrations, coinciding with the anniversary of Iran’s 1979 revolution, drew a diverse crowd with differing visions for a post-clerical Iran.

Police estimated that approximately 10,000 people attended a rally organized by the People’s Mojahedin Organization of Iran (MEK), an exiled opposition group. Another demonstration, supporting Reza Pahlavi, the son of the last Shah of Iran, attracted around 1,600 participants, according to police counts. The Pahlavi supporters marched along a major avenue, displaying both pre-revolution Iranian flags and flags from the United States, Germany, and Israel.

The protests in Berlin reflect a broader wave of demonstrations across Europe sparked by the unrest in Iran, which began in late December and escalated into widespread anti-government protests in January. These protests were met with a violent crackdown by Iranian security forces, with rights groups reporting thousands of deaths.

The MEK rally featured prominent figures including Charles Michel, former president of the European Council, and Peter Altmaier, former German economy minister. Mike Pompeo, the former U.S. Secretary of State, addressed the crowd via video message. The MEK seeks to position itself as a leading force for change in Iran, but remains controversial due to its past alignment with Iraq during the Iran-Iraq War in the 1980s, a history that alienates many Iranians.

Reza Pahlavi, whose image has become a symbol for some protesters within Iran, is also attempting to establish himself as a key opposition figure, distinct from the MEK. He has used interviews and social media to urge Iranians to prepare for further protests.

Participants at the MEK-organized rally expressed a desire for fundamental political change in Iran. Samin Sabet, a 40-year-old hotel employee, stated, “We don’t want a dictatorship, nor a monarchy,” emphasizing a call for free and fair elections.

The personal toll of the Iranian government’s crackdown was also evident among the protesters. Iraj Abedini, a 61-year-old psychologist who left Iran four decades ago, shared that he was there “to support the Iranian people” after “having lost two nephews in the January protests” in Isfahan. He expressed skepticism about ongoing negotiations between Iran and the United States, predicting they “will go nowhere.”

“The Iranian regime is trying to use the negotiations to stay in power. And the US government, which has other plans, doesn’t support the Iranian people,” Abedini said.

The demonstrations in Berlin underscore the complex dynamics at play within the Iranian opposition movement, as exiled groups and individuals grapple with differing visions for the future of Iran while maintaining a unified call for an end to the current clerical-led government and its repression of dissent. The protests also highlight the continued international attention focused on the situation in Iran, as the country engages in talks with the United States amid threats of military action.