Following reports of Reza Pahlavi, the son of Iran’s last Shah Mohammad Reza Pahlavi, traveling to Germany to attend a session at the Bundestag (Germany’s federal parliament), the German government announced that it will not receive him and sees no reason to negotiate with him.
Stefan Kornelius, spokesperson for the German government, said that during the Thursday visit of the son of Iran’s last Shah to Berlin, German government representatives will not receive him, and the German government sees no reason to negotiate with him.
He added that the German government expects the people of Iran to have the right to freely choose their own leadership.
Additionally, 21 political figures in Germany addressed a letter to the Bundestag president and the heads of parliamentary factions, expressing serious concern about the visit of the former Shah’s son to Berlin and emphasizing that this trip would be an insult to millions of Iranians who overthrew the Shah’s dictatorship.
More than 24 associations and groups of Iranians residing in Germany across different parts of the country have strongly criticized the planned trip of Reza Pahlavi, the son of Iran’s last Shah Mohammad Reza Pahlavi, to Berlin this week and warned about its consequences. These groups emphasized that any meeting between members of the German parliament and him could legitimize a figure who, according to them, does not represent the will and demands of the Iranian people and plays a divisive role.
A number of active associations, particularly organizations representing segments of Iran’s ethnic groups, including Kurds, have reiterated these concerns. Among Iranian Kurds in particular, references to historical background and bitter memories of repression during the Pahlavi era have intensified these criticisms.
Press Portal (a media outlet) writes that these groups, representing a diverse spectrum of Iranians living in Germany, believe that Reza Pahlavi’s positions and actions are in conflict with the principles of democracy, human rights, and coexistence among ethnic groups. According to Iranian groups in Germany, Reza Pahlavi’s notoriety stems from the disgraceful past of his father, a dictator who ruled for 37 years through a one-party system based on the notorious SAVAK intelligence organization, as well as through the killing and torture of political opponents and intellectuals.
Reza Pahlavi has not distanced himself from his father’s documented crimes. Just last week in Sweden, he described his father’s bloody record as a source of pride.
These groups also criticized Reza Pahlavi’s positions regarding developments in Iran, stating that his calls for foreign military action against Iran are unacceptable to them. According to them, some of his close associates have also expressed similar views regarding the country’s infrastructure.
Sania Kohansal, spokesperson for the Voices of Youth Association, also stated: “Reza Pahlavi does not have a clear mandate from Iranian society. His statements about connections with certain elements within Iran’s power structure, as well as positions that have increased divisions among opposition groups, are concerning. As part of the younger generation of Iranians living in Germany, we see no reason for Bundestag representatives to meet with him.”
According to this report, Reza Pahlavi’s recent trips to European countries, including Sweden and Italy, have also been met with reactions and criticism from some Iranians abroad as well as certain political and academic circles.
