Reza Pahlavi Receives 2026 Freedom Prize in Frankfurt as Thousands of Demonstrate in Germany

Frankfurt’s Cultural Affairs Chief Boycotts the Ceremony

Another significant development before the award ceremony was the decision by Frankfurt’s cultural affairs chief, Ina Hartwig, not to attend the event.

Hartwig, a Social Democratic Party (SPD) politician, described the foundation’s decision as unfortunate and joined other local political figures who expressed reservations about the choice of Pahlavi as the representative recipient.

Her absence highlighted the political sensitivity of holding the ceremony at the Paulskirche, a location associated with Germany’s democratic history.

The disagreement was not simply about the historical Pahlavi monarchy. It also concerned the question of whether an international award dedicated to democracy should be associated with a political figure whose role in a possible future Iranian government has not been established through an election.

The episode demonstrated that the Iranian diaspora’s political divisions were also being discussed within German political institutions.

November 7, 2026 | 3:11 pm