A few dozen people chanted anti-Israel slogans outside the Italian embassy in Tehran on Thursday in protest at Italian criticism of Iran's policy towards the Jewish state.
The small protest, organised by several student groups was called in response to a rally due to be held outside the Iranian embassy in Rome on Thursday evening.
Italian politicians from both government and opposition ranks are due to attend the Rome demonstration to protest against comments by Iran's President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad last week in which he said Israel should be "wiped off the map".
Around 70 people stood outside the large Italian embassy compound in central Tehran chanting "Death to America. Death to Israel" and "Islam will win, Israel will be destroyed".
Such protests outside foreign embassies are fairly common in Tehran although Italy and Iran typically enjoy warm political relations and healthy commercial ties.
Iran's Foreign Ministry on Wednesday summoned Italian Ambassador Roberto Toscano to protest about the Rome rally.
Tehran says Ahmadinejad's comments were a restatement of its pro-Palestinian policy and did not represent an actual threat of violence against Israel.