Thousands celebrated in the Netherlands after the killing of the Iranian Supreme Leader
Thousands of people gathered in the Netherlands on Sunday to celebrate after U.S. and Israeli strikes in Iran killed top officials, including Supreme Leader علي خامنئي. Around 2,000 people celebrated in Amsterdam’s Dam square, while roughly 200 gathered near the Iranian embassy in The Hague.
In Amsterdam, attendees waved pre-revolutionary Iranian flags, along with Israeli and Dutch flags. A vintage Iranian car from before the 1979 revolution was parked in the square. Some participants carried signs reading “No more Islam for Iran” and “Make Iran Great Again,” and sweets were handed out to passersby.
Aigin, born in Iran but raised in the Netherlands, handed out pistachio chocolates. She said, “You can’t be happy about someone’s death, of course, but Khamenei was a very bad person,” citing his suppression of political freedoms and strict religious laws. She hopes former crown prince Reza Pahlavi will lead a transitional period to establish democracy in Iran.
Not all attendees agreed on monarchy as a solution. Farzad, an entrepreneur from Amstelveen who left Iran over 30 years ago, said he preferred a republic over a transitional monarchy. “I’ve never experienced a free Iran,” he said, expressing doubt about quickly establishing a democracy under Pahlavi.
In The Hague, the celebration included the Iranian national anthem and a large flag for dancing. Many waved old Iranian flags alongside Dutch, Israeli, and U.S. flags. Police were present to monitor the gatherings, ensuring the events remained peaceful.