Honouring the Iranian People’s Struggle for Freedom and Democracy — Reconsidering the Representation of Reza Pahlavi

Dear Members of the Board of Trustees of the Friedrich Naumann Foundation,

Honouring the Struggle of the Iranian People, Yes; Representing Reza Pahlavi, No!

Your valuable decision to honour the struggle of the Iranian people against the Islamic Republic and to support these struggles to strengthen the foundations of freedom and democracy deserves our appreciation and recognition. We also welcome your decision to award the Foundation’s 2026 Prize to the people of Iran as a meaningful gesture of solidarity with their struggle for freedom and democracy.

However, the decision to confer this award on Mr. Reza Pahlavi, as a representative of the broad spectrum of Iran’s democratic movement, is open to serious criticism and merits reconsideration.

While Reza Pahlavi is a well-known figure among the opposition to the Islamic Republic and is regarded as a supporter of a monarchical alternative, he does not represent the broad and diverse spectrum of Iran’s republican, democratic, environmental, women’s, ethnic, labour, and secular movements. Moreover, the conduct of Mr. Pahlavi and some of his supporters, including verbal attacks and insults directed at democratic and republican forces opposed to the Islamic Republic, has contributed to deepening divisions among opposition forces and undermining solidarity and unity within the struggle of the Iranian people.

In light of these considerations, awarding the prize to Reza Pahlavi as a symbol of the struggle of the Iranian people does not appear to be fully consistent with the inclusive and non-partisan purpose of this recognition.

We therefore propose that the Friedrich Naumann Foundation’s 2026 Prize instead be presented to one of the political or human rights figures who have stood at the forefront of the struggle for freedom and democracy in Iran, such as the mother of Mahsa (Jina) Amini, Parastoo Forouhar, Saeed Madani, Narges Mohammadi, Nasrin Sotoudeh, Sepideh Gholian, Toomaj Salehi, Reza Khandan, and others.

These are individuals who have paid a heavy price for freedom, human dignity, and democracy in Iran, enduring imprisonment, torture, security pressures, and deprivation of their fundamental rights.

Dedicating this symbolic award to Iran’s political prisoners could better reflect the inclusive nature of the Iranian people’s struggle and underscore the Foundation’s support for the universal values of freedom, human rights, and democracy.

Thank you for your attention and solidarity with the people of Iran, and wish you continued success in supporting the values of freedom and democracy.

Respectfully,

The Cooperation Forum of Republican Organizations
Congress of Democratic and Federal Republicans
Iranian Republican Municipal Organizations
Hamgami - A Coalition for a Secular and Democratic Republic in Iran
Convergence of Democratic Republicans

P.S: 

Five Blocks constitute a significant and diverse part of the opposition to the Islamic Republic, both inside and outside Iran. Over the past several years, numerous republican political groups and movements have emerged among the Iranian diaspora. These developments have led to the formation of several republican blocs and initiatives. Recognizing the need to build credible and democratic republican alternatives, five republican blocs have embarked on a process of collaboration and coordination.

Values Shared by the Five Republican Blocs

1. Commitment to the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and its supplementary conventions as the highest legal reference.

2. A firm commitment to a republican system and democracy, and opposition to personal, hereditary, religious, and ideological rule, as well as to any undemocratic system.

3. Belief in the separation of religion and state.

4. Commitment to political and social freedoms, including the free activity of political parties; freedom of the media; freedom of thought, expression, religion, art, and literature; the free circulation of information; and the right of people to access information.

5. Defence of national independence, territorial integrity, and the national interests of Iran.

6. Emphasis on pluralism and rejection of single-centred approaches or individual leadership.

7. Elimination of all forms of discrimination and ensuring the rights of all citizens of Iran.

8. Commitment to a non-violent transition from the Islamic Republic and rejection of exclusionary approaches in the process of political change.

9. Commitment to peace, respect for international obligations, and constructive engagement with other countries of the world.

International Relations

1. Mobilizing international support for the Iranian people’s struggle against the Islamic Republic, including support for the release of political and civil prisoners and an end to executions.

2. Bringing the demands of the Iranian people to the attention of the international community.

3. Presenting the views and positions of the five republican blocs to international institutions and organizations.

4. Engaging in dialogue and holding meetings with international institutions, parliaments, and foreign ministries.