Former German MP Criticizes Inclusion of Reza Pahlavi in Freedom Prize Presentation

Former member of the Bundestag's Human Rights Committee, Martin Patzelt, has raised strong objections to the Friedrich Naumann Foundation’s decision to involve Reza Pahlavi in presenting its 2026 Freedom Prize for the Iranian people. According to Patzelt, more than 80 former ministers, politicians, academics, and cultural figures have signed an open letter criticizing the move.


Patzelt rejected arguments framing Pahlavi’s public visibility as sufficient legitimacy, emphasizing that "being well known" does not equate to democratic representation.

Describing the decision as politically damaging, Patzelt argued that the Iranian government has long sought to force the public into a binary choice between clerical rule and the restoration of the monarchy.


“Whoever gives prestige to the symbol of the former dictatorship in this way gives a gift to today’s dictatorship,” Patzelt stated.

He further noted that Reza Pahlavi does not serve as a unifying symbol for the opposition today, describing him instead as a controversial and divisive figure. Patzelt stressed that elevating such an alternative undermines republican opposition forces and ultimately works to the benefit of Tehran, adding that Iran needs neither a "hereditary monarchy" nor a clerical dictatorship, but rather a democratic political order.

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