BySHOSHANA BAKER
Updated: 

Some 250,000 people demonstrated against Iran’s Islamic regime in Munich’s Theresienwiese on Saturday afternoon, according to local police.

The demonstration was part of a global day of action called for by Reza Pahlavi, the son of the last Shah of Persia. Pahlavi was in Germany to attend the Munich Security Conference over the weekend.

The demonstration’s slogan was “Human rights and freedom for Iran. International solidarity with the Iranian people.”

Chants calling for the end of the mullahs in Iran were heard repeatedly, and flags of the USA and Israel were visible, according to reports from the German public broadcaster Bayerischer Rundfunk (BR).

Pahalvi, who spoke at the rally after attending the Munich Security Conference, said he wanted to lead the “transition” in Iran and enable a democratic future for the country, BR reported.

Reza Pahlavi speaks to people protesting for human rights in Iran at Theresienwiese during the 62nd Munich Security Conference on February 14, 2026 in Munich, Germany.
Reza Pahlavi speaks to people protesting for human rights in Iran at Theresienwiese during the 62nd Munich Security Conference on February 14, 2026 in Munich, Germany. (credit: Hannes Magerstaedt/Getty Images)

At the conference, he told journalists that Iran’s future was a critical test for global security and asserted that the Iranian regime had been exporting instability for nearly fifty years, undermining the sovereignty of its neighbors, fueling conflicts in various regions, and advancing its nuclear ambitions.

In his speech at the Theresienwiese, Pahlavi urged the international community to support the freedom of the Iranian people, according to BR.

“Above all, the free nations of this world and their governments should place themselves on the right side of history,” he said.

‘I have chosen the Iranian people over the ayatollah’

US Senator Lindsey Graham also spoke at the Munich rally and commented on his participation in a post on X/twitter.

“I have chosen the Iranian people over the ayatollah. I believe they could be good allies of the United States and would march the region toward the light.” Senator Graham wrote.

“I believe the ayatollah is a religious Nazi, who would keep the region and the world in turmoil. He’s a religious fanatic who wants to purify Islam, destroy the Jewish people, and come after the United States, which he refers to as the Great Satan.”

International protests

Munich was not the only gathering for those eager to respond to Pahlavi’s call that weekend.

Large demonstrations took place in cities around the world, including Toronto, Melbourne, Athens, Tokyo, and London.

CBC News reported that people marched down Yonge Street in Toronto, accompanied by the beat of drums and chants of “King Reza Pahlavi.”

Tens of thousands potentially killed in Iran protests

In Iran, conservative estimates amid the Islamic regime’s deadly crackdown on protesters suggest that the death toll could be between 40,000 and 50,000. The US-based Iranian rights group HRANA has confirmed just over 7,000 deaths, and the organization is currently reviewing an additional 11,730 cases.

In addition to the large number of casualties, a campaign of mass arrests and intimidation has led to the detention of thousands, as Iranian authorities attempt to prevent further protests following last month’s crackdown, which was the bloodiest unrest since 1979.

The protests began on December 28 as a small demonstration in Tehran’s Grand Bazaar, fueled by economic hardship, and quickly spread across the country.

Reuters contributed to this report.