More than 200,000 people demonstrated in Munich on Saturday, according to police estimates, protesting against the Iranian government. The demonstration unfolded alongside the Munich Security Conference, a major annual gathering on international security policy.
The protest, organized by the Munich Circle under the banner “Human Rights and Freedom for Iran: International Solidarity with the Iranian People,” leveraged the presence of global political and military leaders in the Bavarian capital. The Munich Security Conference, which began Friday and continues through Sunday, is considered the preeminent global forum for security policy experts, drawing over 60 world leaders and approximately 100 foreign and defense ministers this year.
Munich city authorities reported over 15 additional demonstrations related to the conference were scheduled throughout the weekend, increasing the workload for local police. The Hotel Bayerischer Hof, the conference venue, has become a high-security zone with road closures and heightened police presence.
Reza Pahlavi, the exiled son of the last Shah of Iran and a speaker at the Munich Security Conference, similarly participated in the demonstration. He has publicly called for a U.S. Military intervention in Iran, arguing it could save lives and urged the administration of Donald Trump to avoid prolonged negotiations with the current Iranian leadership.
In an interview with Reuters, Pahlavi suggested the Iranian government was on the verge of collapse and that military action could hasten its downfall. “It’s a matter of time. We hope this strike will accelerate the process and people can finally take to the streets and bring it to the final fall of the regime,” he stated, adding that he has been living outside of Iran since before his father’s overthrow in the 1979 Islamic Revolution.
Pahlavi celebrated the participation of protestors in Munich, as well as demonstrations in cities like Toronto and Los Angeles, stating they were sending a clear message to Western democracies to stand in solidarity with the Iranian people. He described the current moment as “an hour of profound danger,” arguing the world must decide whether to support the Iranian people or appease the Iranian leadership. “The fate of Iran is not just an Iranian matter. We see a defining test for global security in our time. For nearly half a century, the Islamic Republic has acted as a revolutionary enterprise, exporting instability through its proxies, undermining the sovereignty of its neighbors, fueling conflicts in various regions, and pursuing its nuclear ambitions,” he said.
“But something irreversible has changed,” Pahlavi continued, asserting that the struggle within Iran is no longer between reform and revolution, but between occupation, and liberation.
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi criticized the decision to revoke the invitation to Iranian officials and provide a platform to opposition figures like Pahlavi, calling the Munich Security Conference a “circus” in relation to Iran, according to a post on X.
The U.S.-based Human Rights Activists News Agency (HRANA) estimates that more than 7,000 people have died as a result of the Iranian government’s crackdown on anti-government protestors angered by the country’s economic situation. The unrest began in late December and reached its peak on January 8 and 9. While protests have subsided, activists continue to document deaths and fear the number may rise.
Iranian authorities have acknowledged the legitimacy of the grievances but have blamed the unrest on organized groups funded by the United States and Israel, as well as exiled monarchist factions.
On Saturday evening, Iranians were reported to have been chanting slogans against the Islamic Republic from their windows and rooftops in northern Tehran, more than a month after the government suppressed the anti-government protests. Chants of “Death to the Dictator!” and “Death to [Ali] Khamenei!” – the Supreme Leader of Iran – were reportedly heard in unison, along with slogans such as “Long Live the Shah!” and “Reza, Reza Pahlavi!”