Frankfurt prepares for mass protests as Reza Pahlavi receives freedom prize at Paulskirche

In brief

• Reza Pahlavi, the son of Iran's former shah, is to receive a freedom prize in Frankfurt's Paulskirche on behalf of the Iranian people.
• Supporters expect a rally of around 30,000 people, and counter-demonstrations have been called.
• Pahlavi is controversial in the Iranian opposition because critics say he has not distanced himself from his father's rule.

Prize ceremony and planned rallies

Reza Pahlavi, 65, who lives in exile in the United States, is due to receive the freedom prize of the FDP-affiliated Friedrich Naumann Foundation in the Paulskirche in Frankfurt on behalf of the Iranian people (Iran - Zehntausende Demonstranten zu Preisverleihung an iranischen Schah-Sohn in Frankfurt am Main erwartet – Deutschlandfunk). Early in the morning, about 1,000 demonstrators had already gathered on the Römerberg, and several demonstrations are scheduled in the city in connection with the ceremony (Frankfurt am Main - Reza Pahlavi nimmt stellvertretend Freiheitspreis für iranisches Volk entgegen – Deutschlandfunk) (Frankfurt am Main - Demonstration zu Preisverleihung an iranischen Schah-Sohn Pahlavi – Deutschlandfunk). Supporters expect a rally of around 30,000 people, while earlier estimates had put the expected turnout at 20,000 (Schah-Sohn in Frankfurt: Großkundgebung mit 20.000 Teilnehmern erwartet – FAZ.NET).

Opposition to Pahlavi's role

Pahlavi wants to bring down the Iranian government and take over leadership of the country on an interim basis. Within the Iranian opposition, he is contested. Critics say he has never clearly distanced himself from the actions of his father, Mohammad Reza Pahlavi, who ruled autocratically until he was overthrown during the Islamic Revolution in 1979. Deutschlandfunk's Hesse correspondent Gregor Lischka notes that many critics object to Pahlavi's advocacy of a monarchist tradition rather than republican values, and that many Iranians now living in exile fled under the shah's rule from persecution and torture.

Pressure on organizers

Before the ceremony, several Iranian organizations pressed the organizers and the city of Frankfurt to reconsider the decision to hand over the Paulskirche to the foundation. Regime-aligned Iranian groups and critics of the award have also called for counter-protests (Großdemonstration in Frankfurt: Zehntausende zu Preisverleihung an Sohn des iranischen Schahs erwartet – ZEIT ONLINE).