Exiled Iranians in Germany show anger and tears over government crackdown on protesters

(16 Jan 2026)
RESTRICTION SUMMARY:

ASSOCIATED PRESS
Berlin - 14 January 2026
++NIGHT SHOTS++
1. Close of protester in Berlin burning picture of Iranian Supreme leader Ali Khamenei and lighting a cigarette UPSOUND Anahita Safarnejad, protester (English/German) "Burn! We have to cut with the Iranian government"
Maryam Nejatipur, protester (Farsi): "Death to Khamenei"
2. Protesters burning photos of Khamenei UPSOUND (Farsi): "Islamic Republic - we don't want"
3. Protester burning photo of Khamenei and lighting cigarette
4. SOUNDBITE (English) Maryam Nejatipur, protester:
"We're worried about all of them actually and now I feel like it's not just about my family because I think I have 90 million people inside Iran and they are killing everyone. And all the news is just scary for us because we know Islamic Republic, we know who is Ali Khamenei."
5. Close of protesters burning photo of Khamenei
6. Close of Safarnejad crying
7. SOUNDBITE (German) Anahita Safarnejad, protester:
"And people ask me if I have any family in Iran. And the answer is yes, I have 90 million families in Iran. And how can I just stay silent and do nothing? And yes, unfortunately, the world never hears us."

ASSOCIATED PRESS
Berlin - 15 January 2026
8. People in Berlin café with portrait of late Iranian novelist and journalist Abbas Maroufi in background
9. Pull focus from books on shelf to Maral Salmassi, chairwoman and founder of the Zera Institute think-tank in Berlin, talking
10. SOUNDBITE (German) Maral Salmassi, chairwoman and founder of the Zera Institute think-tank in Berlin:
"And now it is much, much more. It has much more to do with identity. It's not just about oppression and women's rights anymore. It's really about our identity as Iranians. It is now clearly stated: We are colonized. We are Islamized. We want to be Iranians again. We want our culture back. We want our country back. We no longer want this occupation."
11. Wide of a bookstore with owner Mehregan Maroufi walking in store
12. Maroufi working behind counter
13. Maroufi taking coffee and cake out to customer
14. SOUNDBITE (German) Mehregan Maroufi, owner of the Heyadat bookstore and daughter of Abbas Maroufi:
"Over four to five days, so many people, so many children have died. It's unbelievable. And I wish we could get more support from other countries. Ultimately, it's about humanity, right?"
15. Wide of Maroufi in her bookstore
16. SOUNDBITE (German) Mehregan Maroufi, owner of the Heyadat bookstore and daughter of Abbas Maroufi:
"I think our goal is to have a beautiful country. And we deserve that."
17. Zoom out of picture of Abbas Maroufi made from collage of Iranian faces
STORYLINE:
Across Europe, thousands of exiled Iranians — among them a big number of women — have taken to the streets to shout out their rage at the government of the Islamic Republic which has cracked down on protests in their homeland, reportedly killing thousands of people.

But beyond the anger, there’s also a sense of fear and paralysis.

Iran's government has been shutting down the internet and limiting phone calls for days, making it nearly impossible for Iranians in the diaspora to find out if their families back home are safe.

Anahita Safarnejad, 34, fled Iran seven years ago.

She came to Berlin to study theater but now works in a bar when she's not attending one of the almost-daily protests in the German capital.

"People ask me if I have any family in Iran. And the answer is yes, I have 90 million families in Iran," she told the AP.











She lends an ear to anyone who has to get worries off their chest.




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