Reza Pahlavi, the son of Iran’s ousted shah, receives a German “Freedom Prize” in Frankfurt as demonstrators rally in support of him. DW reports about 18,000 people gather in the city, while police estimates cited by Al-Monitor put the figure at that level, with attendees chanting and waving pre-revolutionary flags.
The prize is described as being awarded to the Iranian people, presented by the Friedrich Naumann Foundation, which Al-Monitor says is close to Germany’s liberal FDP party. Iran International adds that Pahlavi says he will hold the award until he can hand it to Iranians in Tehran.
Opposition factions and critics frame the ceremony as illegitimate or question Pahlavi’s politics, with DW noting accusations that he does not sufficiently distance himself from his father’s rule. While outlets largely agree on the event and the turnout, they vary in emphasis—some foreground the size and support, others highlight the controversy over the award and its granting body.
