Pro-monarchy and pro-democracy protesters gather across Europe in support of Iran
Pro-monarchy and pro-democracy protesters gather across Europe in support of Iran
Across Europe, demonstrators converged in cities like Berlin, Stockholm, and Paris on Saturday to rally behind the Iranian people. Their efforts coincided with the ongoing conflict involving the United States and Israel. Some protesters waved the lion emblem of Iran’s pre-revolution era, symbolizing their allegiance to the monarchy, while others championed democratic reforms.
In London, participants marched under the banner of “Hands Off Iran,” with the Metropolitan Police estimating attendance at between 5,000 and 6,000. Chants of “stop the bombing now, now, now” echoed through the streets. Meanwhile, in Paris, two separate gatherings emerged: one endorsing Reza Pahlavi, the exiled son of Iran’s final shah, as a path to transition, and another rejecting that vision.
“I support Pahlavi, who advocates for a revolution,” said Masoud Ghanaatian, a 35-year-old student, at a demonstration in southern Paris. “He’s a democrat and promises to lead Iran toward fair elections. We believe he can guide a peaceful shift in power.”
Stockholm’s protests featured participants holding portraits of Pahlavi and his late father. In Amsterdam, demonstrators marched along a canal, displaying Israeli, American, and pre-revolution Iran flags, as they urged the government to welcome Pahlavi and shut down the Iranian embassy.
Shortly after dawn in Britain, anti-war activists gathered near an air force base in Fairford, southwest of England. They held signs like “Hands off Iran” and “Yanks go home,” demanding an end to military actions against the country.
US President Donald Trump pledged to assist Iran’s economic recovery if Tehran appoints a successor to its late supreme leader deemed “acceptable” by him. Iran’s UN ambassador, Amir Saeid Iravani, countered this, stating, “The selection of Iran’s leadership will occur through our constitutional processes, solely reflecting the will of our people, free from foreign influence.”
