Letter of Thanks to the Friedrich Naumann Foundation for the Freedom Prize 2026

9 November 2026

To the Executive Board and the Board of Trustees
Friedrich Naumann Foundation for Freedom

Re: Thank you for awarding the Freedom Prize 2026 to the Iranian people

Dear Members of the Executive Board and the Board of Trustees,

It was with deep emotion that we followed how, on 7 November 2026 in Frankfurt’s Paulskirche, you awarded the Freedom Prize 2026 to the Iranian people. On behalf of the Patriotic Doctors of Iran, we would like to thank you most sincerely. We were particularly moved that Reza Pahlavi accepted the prize only in trust – until it can be handed over to freely elected representatives of the Iranian people.

In Iran, people stand up for freedom, human dignity and democracy despite persecution and imprisonment, often at the risk of their lives. You have honoured this courage. And you have shown the people there that their struggle has not been forgotten and that their voices are heard in Europe.

How great the longing for a new political beginning is can be heard on the streets of Iran. One of the best-known chants of the protest movement is:

«این آخرین نبرده، پهلوی برمی‌گرده»
“This is the final battle – Pahlavi will return.”

For many demonstrators, this chant expresses the hope that the Islamic Republic will end and that Reza Pahlavi can return to a free Iran. We support his efforts to bring the democratic forces together and to pave the way to a secular state under the rule of law. At the same time, one thing is just as important to us: the Iranian people themselves must decide on his political future and the future form of government – in a free, democratic process.

We would be delighted if your example were to set a precedent and encourage other democratic institutions and human rights organisations to stand clearly on the side of the people of Iran.

Our thanks go to you, the Executive Board, the Board of Trustees and everyone who contributed to the award ceremony. You have sent a strong signal of solidarity. To the people who have been fighting for a free Iran for years, this gives hope – and attention that reaches far beyond the borders of their country.

With heartfelt thanks and kind regards,

The Board
Patriotic Doctors e. V.
Patriotic Doctors of Iran

Sources: Friedrich Naumann Foundation, announcement of 7 November 2026 · HRANA, report on protest slogans, February 2026