Hundreds of thousands of protesters took to the streets in Munich, Germany, on Saturday to rally against Iran‘s regime and urge President Donald Trump to intervene militarily.
Protesters congregated in Munich as a security conference featuring top Trump administration officials and European leaders takes place in the city this weekend. The demonstration reportedly saw around 200,000 people attend, with many waving pre-revolution Iranian flags, holding posters of exiled crown prince Reza Pahlavi, and chanting calls for regime change.
Pahlavi himself attended the Munich protest after his “Global Day of Action” spurred demonstrations across the globe. A key opposition figure whose family ruled Iran until the 1979 Islamic Revolution, Pahlavi positioned himself as the leader of any transition government if the regime is indeed toppled.
“I am here to guarantee a transition to a secular democratic future. I am committed to be the leader of transition for you so we can one day have the final opportunity to decide the fate of our country through a democratic, transparent process to the ballot box,” he told the massive crowd.
Pahlavi was joined by Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-SC), who has been firmly behind the Iranian protesters after the regime’s security forces killed thousands of them last month.
Graham, donning a “Make Iran Great Again” hat, received a loud ovation from the crowd and was seen waving the pre-revolution Iranian flag as demonstrators broke out into “USA” chants. In his remarks, he repeatedly assured the Iranian people that “help is on the way,” referencing potential large-scale U.S. military action against Tehran.
Trump, however, has wavered on both prospects that Pahlavi and Graham envisioned for Iran’s future on Saturday.
About Pahlavi potentially leading the country in some capacity, Trump has suggested he may not have popular support. Trump has also, thus far, declined meeting Pahlavi, who has lived in Washington since his family’s exile in 1979.
Possible military intervention in Iran, meanwhile, has been on Trump’s mind for months. After vowing to attack if Iran killed protesters, he held off after he claimed the regime canceled scheduled executions.
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Instead, Trump has surged military assets to the region, including what is now two U.S. aircraft carriers, as he weighs a response. He has also remained open to a nuclear deal with Iran, though only one round of talks has been held and the regime has been unwilling to stop enrichment or end its ballistic missile program.
Nonetheless, a second round of negotiations will be held on Tuesday in Geneva, according to multiple reports.
