Masoud Rajavi opposes Friedrich Naumann Foundation award to Reza Pahlavi

Masoud Rajavi, leader of the People's Mojahedin Organization of Iran, has expressed opposition to the Friedrich Naumann Foundation's decision to award its 2026 Freedom Award to Prince Reza Pahlavi. The foundation intended to present the award to Pahlavi as a representative gesture on behalf of the Iranian people.

Rajavi issued a statement thanking various groups and individuals who opposed the decision, characterizing the move as an incentive for the followers of a dictatorship. This stance has been interpreted by some observers as the formation of an informal front against Pahlavi, uniting diverse political and ideological factions that previously held different views.

The controversy follows significant domestic unrest in Iran, where polling by the Goman Institute estimated that nearly 14 million people participated in protests across 31 provinces and 203 cities during the Dey 1404 demonstrations, which were met with violent suppression by the Islamic Republic.