Protests - Thousands of Iranian exiles demonstrate in Berlin
Called upon was the so-called National Resistance Council of Iran, which had announced the gathering of tens of thousands of participants the day before, including Bundestag members. The protest, according to the National Resistance Council of Iran, is against the clerical regime in the country.
In Iran, around 61 million people were called upon to elect a new prime minister on Friday. Iran's political system combines republican and theocratic elements since the 1979 revolution. Free elections do not exist: The Guardian Council always checks the candidates' suitability. Fundamental criticism of the system is not tolerated, as the suppression of protests in the past years showed.
The National Resistance Council of Iran was founded in 1981 from the so-called People's Mujahedin. The exile group has set itself the goal of overthrowing the ruling system in Iran. However, the organization is controversial and is largely rejected by opposition groups both within and outside Iran. The group is banned in Iran.
Despite the upcoming presidential election in Germany, demonstrations in support of the National Resistance Council of Iran were held at Bebelplatz in Berlin, attracting both German politicians and Iranian expats. The German police closely monitored the protests, fearing potential escalations given Iran's history of crackdowns on similar events. Amidst the political turmoil in Iran, some German politicians publicly voiced their support for the council's goals, sparking controversy among the European Union and other world powers.
