Joint Letter of Support from Iranian Freedom Advocacy Organisations, Associations and Professional Networks Worldwide

In a joint letter, 43 Iranian organisations, associations and professional networks around the world thanked the Friedrich Naumann Foundation for honouring the people of Iran with the 2026 Freedom Prize and for inviting Prince Reza Pahlavi to accept it in trust on their behalf.

19 October 2026

Mr Steffen Saebisch
Chairman of the Board
Friedrich Naumann Foundation for Freedom
Germany

Subject: Support for the 2026 Freedom Prize with Crown Prince Reza Pahlavi as the Recipient on Behalf of the Iranian People

Dear Mr Saebisch,

We, the undersigned Iranian freedom advocacy organisations, associations and professional networks from across the world, including Australia, Canada, the United States, Europe, New Zealand and the Asia-Pacific region, write to express our sincere appreciation and unequivocal support for the Friedrich Naumann Foundation for Freedom's decision to honour the Iranian people with the 2026 Freedom Prize and to invite Crown Prince Reza Pahlavi to accept this distinction in trust on their behalf.

We regard this decision as a meaningful recognition of the courage, sacrifices and enduring struggle of the Iranian people for freedom, human dignity and the right to determine their own future.

For nearly five decades, Iranians have faced political repression, imprisonment, executions and severe restrictions on fundamental rights. Successive generations have nevertheless continued to demand liberty and accountability. The nationwide protests of January 2026 and the violent repression that followed further underscored the extraordinary personal risks borne by those seeking change.

We particularly welcome the Foundation's decision to invite Crown Prince Reza Pahlavi to accept this honour on behalf of the Iranian people. Over decades of opposition to the Islamic Republic, he has advocated Iran's territorial integrity, the separation of religion and state, equal rights, individual liberties and the Iranian people's right to choose their future political system through democratic processes.

Across Iran and among diaspora communities, many demonstrators have expressed support for Crown Prince Reza Pahlavi through their words, symbols and public gatherings. Our signatory organisations, associations and professional networks, spanning Canada, the United States, Europe, Australia, New Zealand and the wider Asia-Pacific region, reflect a shared commitment to supporting the Iranian people's aspirations for freedom and self-determination. We believe these voices, especially those raised inside Iran despite grave personal danger, merit serious attention in international discussions about the country's future.

We recognise that Iranians hold diverse political perspectives. Our collective endorsement of this award reflects the position of the undersigned organisations and networks, and our support for the Foundation's decision to recognise the Iranian people through this symbolic act.

This distinction is not simply an honour bestowed on one individual. It is an opportunity to remember those who have lost their lives, suffered imprisonment or endured persecution in their pursuit of freedom. At a time when Iran is often discussed primarily through the lens of regional security and geopolitics, the experiences and aspirations of ordinary Iranians must remain central.

The choice of Frankfurt's historic St Paul's Church, associated with Germany's democratic and constitutional history, lends further significance to an occasion devoted to freedom and self-determination.

We thank the Friedrich Naumann Foundation for Freedom for its recognition of the Iranian people and reaffirm our collective support for Crown Prince Reza Pahlavi accepting the 2026 Freedom Prize in trust on their behalf. We hope this occasion will strengthen international solidarity with Iranians striving for a free, secular, democratic and sovereign country.

Yours sincerely,

The Undersigned Iranian Freedom Advocacy Organisations, Associations and Professional Networks
Australia, Canada, Europe, New Zealand, the United States and the Asia-Pacific Region

Original letter and signatories