Reza Pahlavi Receives German Freedom Prize, Pledges to Give It to Iranian People

Reza Pahlavi, the heir to the deposed Iranian monarchy, accepted the prestigious "Prize for Freedom" in Frankfurt, Germany, on November 7, 2026. The ceremony, organized by the German Friedrich Naumann Foundation, took place in the historic St. Paul's Church and immediately sparked significant controversy among politicians and public figures. Pahlavi stated that he is holding the award temporarily and will present it to the Iranian people once a democratically elected government is established in Iran, following a regime change in Tehran. The event faced organized opposition from the Iranian diaspora and local activists, with approximately 200 former and current Iranian political prisoners signing an open letter of protest. They described Pahlavi as a reminder of the previous dictatorship and deemed his honoring by human rights organizations unacceptable. Several leading German political parties, including the Social Democratic Party and the Greens, boycotted the event. Politicians from these parties emphasized that Pahlavi does not represent all of Iranian society. The party Die Linke also criticized the use of the church building for political gatherings, which violates its rules. Critics also pointed to Pahlavi's consistent public support for Israel and his avoidance of directly condemning the authoritarian rule of his father, who was overthrown in the 1979 Islamic Revolution.