Turkey Blocks Iranian Protesters Outside Consulate in Istanbul

Turkish authorities prevented Iranian nationals from protesting outside Iran's consulate in Istanbul on Sunday. Police cordoned off the area, stopping crowds from gathering.

The protests in Iran, which began on December 28, have spread nationwide, challenging the theocratic government that has ruled the country since the 1979 Islamic Revolution. The demonstrations initially started over rising living costs but have since evolved into a broader movement against the regime.

Turkey, a majority Sunni Muslim country, shares a 500-kilometre (300-mile) border with Shiite-majority Iran and hosts over 74,000 Iranians with residence permits and about 5,000 refugees.

Despite the rain, protesters gathered in Istanbul to show solidarity with those in Iran. Nina, a young Iranian exile, said, “It’s been 72 hours since we had any news from our families. No internet or television— we can’t reach Iran anymore. The regime kills at random; it spares no one.”

Amir Hossein, a Tehran-born singer exiled in Turkey for 20 years, criticized Turkey for not allowing demonstrations and called on the international community to act. “In every country, permits are granted to demonstrate for freedom, for democracy, but in Turkey, unfortunately, never,” he said. “Our regime is not normal; it kills.”

According to Norway-based NGO Iran Human Rights, at least 192 protesters have been killed during the unrest, marking Iran’s largest anti-government movement in over three years.

Some protesters expressed support for Reza Pahlavi, the exiled son of Iran’s former shah, while others called for a democratic republic rather than a monarchy. Mehdi, an exiled engineer, said, “We want democracy, a republic, not a monarchy. Pahlavi is incapable of uniting people.”

During the protest, demonstrators also displayed the pre-revolution Iranian flag, featuring a lion and sun symbol.