Pro-monarchy and pro-democracy protesters gather across Europe in support of Iran

Pro-monarchy and pro-democracy advocates convened in multiple European cities on March 7, 2026, to express solidarity with Iran

Across Europe, demonstrators waved lion-emblazoned flags of pre-revolutionary Iran on Saturday, rallying in support of the Iranian populace amid escalating tensions with the U.S. and Israel. The protests spanned several major cities, including Berlin, Stockholm, and Paris, with participants endorsing Reza Pahlavi, the exiled crown prince and son of Iran’s final monarch, as a potential leader following the death of Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei in a joint Israeli-American strike.

In London, crowds split into two groups: some opposed the military actions, while others backed Khamenei’s leadership. The Metropolitan Police reported between 5,000 and 6,000 attendees at the “Hands Off Iran” demonstration, shouting “stop the bombing now, now, now” in unison. Paris hosted two distinct gatherings—supporters of Pahlavi’s vision for a transition and critics of that path—each carrying banners and symbols from the pre-revolution era.

“I back Pahlavi because he advocates for a revolution,” said Masoud Ghanaatian, a 35-year-old student at a protest in southern Paris. “He’s a democrat who can lead a shift and commit to organizing fair elections.”

Meanwhile, in Stockholm, thousands of pro-Pahlavi supporters displayed images of the crown prince and his late father, while in Amsterdam, marchers lined the city’s canals, holding Israeli, American, and pre-revolution Iran flags. They called for the government to welcome Pahlavi and shut down the Iranian embassy. In Fairford, England, anti-war demonstrators gathered at an air force base shortly after dawn, waving signs that read “Hands off Iran,” “Peace,” and “Yanks go home.”

U.S. President Donald Trump pledged to assist Iran’s economic recovery if the country appointed a successor deemed “acceptable” to him. Iran’s UN ambassador, Amir Saeid Iravani, countered, asserting that the U.S. would not influence the selection of Khamenei’s replacement. “The choice of Iran’s leadership will occur through constitutional processes, reflecting the people’s will without foreign interference,” he stated.