German cities hold rallies in solidarity with Iran protesters

The mass anti-government protests in Iran drew demonstrators onto the streets of Berlin and Frankfurt on Saturday.

The mass anti-government protests in Iran drew demonstrators onto the streets of Berlin and Frankfurt on Saturday.

In Berlin, police said around 1,400 people joined a solidarity march through the city centre, while a further 300 gathered at a nearby square. In Frankfurt, around 1,800 people took to the streets.

The rallies reflected the growing international support for the protesters in Iran, where surging inflation and a collapsing currency have fuelled anger at the hardline Islamic rulers.

Some participants in Berlin carried images of Reza Pahlavi, the son of Iran’s last shah, who was overthrown in the 1979 revolution. Placards held by demonstrators included slogans referring to him as the “King of Iran.”

Pahlavi, who lives in exile in the United States, has sought to position himself as a leading opposition figure amid the unrest in Iran, which is now approaching its second week.

The main march passed along Kurfürstendamm, Berlin’s best-known shopping boulevard, ending at Adenauerplatz, a major square nearby. 

Another rally took place at Wittenbergplatz, close to the city’s well-known KaDeWe department store.

Source: dpa