About 25 protesters gathered in the Octagon yesterday to stand in solidarity with civilians in Iran. PHOTO: GERARD O’BRIENAn Iranian expat living in Dunedin on a temporary visa says he would be killed if he returned to his country. Chanting included "down with Islamic Republic in Iran", "stop genocide in Iran" and "regime change for Iran". Mr Zaheri said, because they had shared photos and videos protesting on social media, he would be killed if he went back to Iran. "If Islamic regime is still there, and I go to Iran, they’re going to kill me.

Source: Otago Daily Times January 18, 2026 18:04 UTC