Berlin — February 7, 2026
Tens of thousands of demonstrators gathered at Berlin’s Brandenburg Gate on Saturday, braving freezing temperatures to mark the anniversary of Iran’s 1979 anti-monarchical revolution while voicing support for ongoing protests inside Iran. The rally brought together Iranian communities from across Europe alongside political figures and activists, reflecting a coordinated effort by diaspora groups to draw international attention to developments inside the country and to present competing visions for Iran’s political future.
Participants carried banners calling for freedom, justice for victims of repression, and accountability for those responsible for human rights abuses. Organizers described the gathering as part of a broader wave of mobilization among Iranians abroad, intended to amplify demands heard in recent protests that have increasingly moved beyond economic grievances toward calls for fundamental political change. Some speakers and participants joined remotely after weather disruptions affected travel, but the program proceeded with a series of speeches centered on opposition to both monarchical and clerical rule.
Peter Altmaier: "The Ten-Point Plan is the path forward: free elections, gender equality, and the abolition of the death penalty. Millions of Iranians are ready to fight for this vision. They are entitled to our full support and help."#OurChoiceMaryamRajavi…
— People's Mojahedin Organization of Iran (PMOI/MEK) (@Mojahedineng) February 7, 2026
Mrs. Maryam Rajavi, President-elect of the National Council of Resistance of Iran (NCRI), said in her address that recent protests marked a decisive phase in what she described as a long-running struggle against dictatorship. Addressing the crowd, she stated that the “countdown” to overthrow had begun and portrayed the Resistance Units as the organized backbone of the uprising. Referring to years of opposition activity, she said, “For years and years, we said: overthrow, overthrow,” framing the current moment as the result of sustained resistance.
Mrs. Rajavi also warned against what she described as attempts to divert the direction of protests through monarchist slogans such as “Long Live the Shah,” calling them a source of division that benefits repression. Reiterating the slogan “No to Shah, no to the mullahs,” she presented a political roadmap centered on the establishment of a democratic republic, separation of religion and state, gender equality, and a non-nuclear Iran. She outlined a transition framework in which a constituent assembly would draft a new constitution within months of political change and called for international measures including open internet access for Iranians and legal accountability for senior officials accused of human rights violations, while emphasizing that change must be led by Iranians themselves.
Other speakers framed the Berlin gathering within broader international and historical contexts. Charles Michel, former President of the European Council, drew parallels between Berlin’s own political transformation and Iran’s trajectory, telling participants that “no wall is eternal” and that “freedom cannot be defeated forever.” He argued that European policy should move beyond treating Tehran as a permanent fixture and described the existence of an organized political alternative as essential for a stable transition, referring to the NCRI’s Ten-Point Plan as a framework for moving from protest to democratic governance.
In the January uprising, all witnessed how the culture of struggle and revolution advanced through Iran’s alleys, streets, and cities, forging the force of overthrow.#BerlinFreeIranDemohttps://t.co/pWBHPkONhd
— Maryam Rajavi (@Maryam_Rajavi) February 7, 2026
Former U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo described the moment as extending beyond a cycle of unrest, telling rallygoers that the struggle inside Iran is primarily internal and cannot be imposed from outside. He pointed to organized resistance networks as evidence that opposition persists despite repression and presented the NCRI’s political program as an answer to questions often raised in Western capitals regarding alternatives and post-transition stability. Pompeo warned against what he characterized as “strongman solutions,” including monarchist restoration, arguing that such outcomes risk reproducing authoritarian rule under a different form.
Peter Altmaier, former German Federal Minister for Economic Affairs and Energy, addressed Europe’s approach to Iran, arguing that expectations of gradual reform had lost credibility in light of repression. He called for stronger sanctions and urged media organizations to expand reporting on developments inside Iran, describing independent information as essential for societies facing censorship. Rather than focusing on individual leaders, he referred to democratic guarantees such as rule of law and equal rights as benchmarks for political transition.
Sabine Leutheusser-Schnarrenberger, former German Federal Minister of Justice, framed the rally in legal and human rights terms, emphasizing freedom of expression, free elections, and separation of religion and state as measurable standards of democracy. She called for the release of detainees arrested during protests and condemned executions, urging accountability that extends to senior decision-makers. Women’s rights, she noted, remain a central indicator of democratic legitimacy.
Speakers representing Iranian political organizations and civil society also addressed the crowd. Jalal Khoshkelam of the Khabat Organization of Iranian Kurdistan described internet shutdowns and restrictions on communication as attempts to conceal repression, calling for international institutions to respond by increasing pressure on the Iranian authorities. Sasan Khatouni, representing the Democratic Party of Iranian Kurdistan, emphasized the importance of pluralism and equal political participation for Iran’s diverse nationalities, warning against a return to personality-driven rule.
Activists and younger speakers echoed similar themes. NCRI supporter Naghmeh Rajabi stressed rejection of authoritarianism in any form, describing the goal as a democratic republic rather than the replacement of one ruling system with another. Iranian youth speaker Hiva Mohammadi focused on organization and continuity, telling protesters inside Iran that diaspora demonstrations aimed to signal solidarity and sustained support.
As the rally concluded, participants dispersed after several hours of speeches and demonstrations that combined remembrance, political messaging, and appeals for international engagement. The Berlin gathering illustrated the continued mobilization of Iranian communities abroad and the persistence of organized efforts to influence international discourse on Iran’s political future. While speakers differed in emphasis, the event reflected a shared effort to connect diaspora activism with ongoing developments inside Iran, presenting the uprising as part of a broader and unresolved political struggle whose outcome remains contested.
