Freedom Prize: Shah's son receives prize for Iran's people - demonstrations

On the sidelines of the award in Frankfurt's Paulskirche, numerous supporters wave flags for Reza Pahlavi. Others see him critically. A large rally is planned for the afternoon.

The Iranian opposition politician, Reza Pahlavi: He accepts the Freedom Prize from the Friedrich Naumann Foundation in Frankfurt's Paulskirche on behalf of the Iranian people.

Frankfurt am Main. Accompanied by demonstrations of several thousand people, the Iranian opposition politician Reza Pahlavi accepted the Freedom Prize from the Friedrich Naumann Foundation in Frankfurt. He acted on behalf of the Iranian people harassed by the mullahs' government, to whom the FDP-affiliated foundation awarded the prize for their will for freedom.

According to the police, there were around 5,000 demonstrators throughout the city at lunchtime, mostly Pahlavi supporters. Among them were the first participants in a major rally in Ostpark, which was scheduled to begin in the afternoon. According to the city, a total of 30,000 people are registered for this.

Pahlavi is a son of the Shah who was overthrown in 1979 and lives in exile in the USA. He has put himself in play as an interim leader if the ruling government in Tehran were to fall. He is also viewed critically by many, simply because of the country's monarchist past under his autocratic father.

Pahlavi announced at the ceremony in Frankfurt's Paulskirche that he would one day place the award in the hands of the Iranian people - "not on foreign soil, but in our capital Tehran." He sees his role as a bridge builder. “The Islamic Republic is not the legitimate government of Iran.” The largely Iranian audience in the Paulskirche, the symbol of German democracy, repeatedly drowned out the ceremony with chants: “Long live Shah, long live Iran!”

FDP MEP Marie-Agnes Strack-Zimmermann emphasized that Pahlavi had always said that the Iranian people themselves decided on their future. Not everyone agreed with the awarding of the prize to the Shah's son. “Then you always know that you are on the right track.”

Major rally for 30,000 demonstrators registered

But Pahlavi also has many supporters. According to police reports, around 3,000 people were out and about with flags and posters on the Römerberg alone and around the Paulskirche at midday - mostly Pahlavi supporters.

The police have assembled a large number of emergency services in the city. According to police, a man was arrested in the area of ​​the rally. Officials said there was a reference to a live stream in which he was said to have announced crimes.