Munich Protest: 200,000 Rally Against Iran Regime & Support Pahlavi
- MUNICH – An estimated 250,000 people demonstrated in Munich on Saturday, February 14th, against the government of Iran, according to police reports.
- The protest, largely comprised of pro-monarchist supporters, took place on the Theresienwiese fairgrounds.
- Many protesters openly expressed support for Reza Pahlavi, the exiled son of the last Shah of Iran.
MUNICH – An estimated 250,000 people demonstrated in Munich on , against the government of Iran, according to police reports. The demonstration unfolded as international leaders gathered in the city for the Munich Security Conference.
The protest, largely comprised of pro-monarchist supporters, took place on the Theresienwiese fairgrounds. Demonstrators voiced strong condemnation of the Islamic Republic’s leadership, particularly in the wake of the deadly repression of nationwide protests in January. Human rights groups have reported thousands of protesters killed in Iran during the recent unrest.
Many protesters openly expressed support for Reza Pahlavi, the exiled son of the last Shah of Iran. They waved flags bearing the emblem of the former monarchy – a lion and sun against a green, white, and red striped background – a symbol overthrown during the 1979 Islamic Revolution.
“We are here today to support the people in Iran that were murdered by the mullah regime,” said Ali Farzad, a 40-year-old protester, to AFP. “And we are here to support Reza Pahlavi as our leader through the transition for a period.”
The sentiment of discontent was widespread. “The Iranian regime is a dead regime,” stated a 62-year-old protester, identified only as Said, who originally hails from Iran. “It must be game over.”
Chants reverberated through the Theresienwiese, including “Javid shah” (long live the shah), “Pahlavi bar migarde” (Pahlavi is coming back), and “Reza II,” reflecting calls for Pahlavi to assume a leadership role in a future Iran. Similar rallies were planned in Toronto and Los Angeles on , demonstrating a coordinated global effort.
Earlier on , Pahlavi addressed the Munich Security Conference, appealing to US President Donald Trump for assistance to the Iranian people. He urged for an outside “humanitarian intervention to prevent more innocent lives” being lost in Iran, echoing concerns over the escalating violence within the country.
Razieh Shahverdi, a 34-year-old Iranian living in Paris and working in marketing, explained her motivation for attending the Munich demonstration. “So that is why we are here, to amplify their voices and to show our support,” she told AFP, referencing Pahlavi’s call for diaspora support for those protesting within Iran. She added, “We are here to ask the world to support the leader of Iranians in the transition phase, to have a transitional government and then to have a referendum. And also we need intervention from the foreign powers.”
Several demonstrators expressed skepticism towards ongoing international negotiations with Iran, arguing that the current leadership lacks legitimacy. “They shouldn’t talk to them because they are not actually a government. We don’t like them, we don’t accept them,” said Riana, a 40-year-old doctor based in Germany, who declined to provide her last name due to concerns for her family’s safety. “When a government kills their people on the street, they are not (trustworthy),” she added, emphasizing the scale of the violence: “too many people have been killed and too many people have been injured.”
Another protester, Ali Farzad, echoed this sentiment, stating, “The people that you are negotiating with are not representative of the Iranian people.”
The Theresienwiese, typically known as the venue for the annual Oktoberfest celebration, lies less than 3 kilometers from the Munich Security Conference location. This proximity underscored the stark contrast between diplomatic discussions and the passionate outcry of those demanding change in Iran.
The Munich demonstration followed a rally in Berlin the previous week, where approximately 10,000 people gathered in response to a call from the MEK, an exiled Iranian opposition group that is designated as a “terrorist” organization by Tehran.
The scale of the Munich protest – estimated by police at 250,000, exceeding organizers’ expectations – highlights the growing international concern over the situation in Iran and the widespread desire for political change. The demonstration serves as a powerful signal to the international community, particularly as world leaders convene to discuss global security challenges.