Members of Edmonton's Iranian community gathered for a second consecutive weekend, delivering a powerful message to the international community: the time for passive support is over. Approximately 200 people assembled at Dr. Wilbert McIntyre Park in Old Strathcona on Sunday, January 18, 2026, to rally for democratic reform in Iran and call for concrete action against the theocratic regime in Tehran.
A Rally for Voices Silenced in Iran
The scene in the park was one of solemn determination. Participants waved Iranian flags and held signs bearing the images of lost loved ones and Reza Pahlavi, the exiled son of Iran's last shah. The air filled with chants for "Democracy for Iran," "Regime change for Iran," and "Freedom for Iran." The gathering served as a direct show of solidarity with protesters in Iran who are facing a violent crackdown.
For many in attendance, the protest was deeply personal. Elham Saber, one of the organizers, shared the tragic story of her cousin, who was killed after attending an unarmed protest two weeks prior. She described how family members had to search through piles of the dead to claim the body. "We are here to be the voice of the people," Saber stated. "There still are family members there that we don’t know how they’re doing... That’s why we want the Government of Canada, we want the whole world to be their voice. We don’t want any verbal support. We want action."
An Urgent Call for International Intervention
The demonstrators' demands were unequivocal. They called on the United States to consider military intervention, urged Canada to leverage its diplomatic soft power to pressure Iran, and challenged neighboring Islamic nations in the Middle East to break their silence. Saber condemned the Iranian regime's actions, stating, "They bring in military weapons, machine guns, to kill their own people. If that’s not genocide, what is it?" She framed the rally as an SOS call for international help.
The protest highlighted the growing frustration with what participants see as inadequate global response. Reports indicate thousands of unarmed protesters have been killed by forces loyal to Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian and Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. The Edmonton group emphasized that moral support is no longer sufficient.
Canadian-Iranians Appeal to Their Government
Among the crowd was Dr. Adrian Norbash, who came to Canada from Iran as a teenager and later served in the Canadian Forces. He stressed the importance of Canada's role on the world stage. "What Canada says and does on the world stage matters," Norbash said. "We would hope that the government would be more vocal in their support for the protesters. We hope that the government will offer any aid they can to them."
He connected the protesters' fight to core Canadian values, arguing that Western democracies have a responsibility to assist. "The protesters there have been dying by the thousands, the tens of thousands. They’re mostly unarmed. They require the help of the international community, especially the Western democracies, because they are fighting for the same values."
The rally in Edmonton underscores how global conflicts resonate deeply in Canadian cities, mobilizing diaspora communities to advocate for change from afar. The event on January 18, 2026, stands as a clear signal that Edmonton's Iranian community is watching, grieving, and demanding tangible international action to support those risking everything for freedom in Iran.
