The Iranian foreign ministry “expressed to the German ambassador its strong protest against Germany’s destructive approaches to Iran’s internal developments,” the ministry said on its website.

In a video posted on his Twitter account on Saturday, Scholz expressed support for protesters in Iran and condemned Tehran’s violent response to them.

“It is clear that the Iranian government is solely responsible for this spate of violence,” he said, adding: “We want to continue to step up the pressure on the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps and the political leadership.”

“I can only say this to the leadership in Tehran: what kind of government does it make you if you shoot at your own citizens?”

Protests sparked by the death in police custody of 22-year-old Mahsa Amini have rocked Iran since mid-September. Demonstrators have been chanting against Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei and calling for regime change.

Over 300 people have been killed by security forces since the protests began and thousands have been detained, according to rights groups.