Iran’s exiled prince says he was banned from Munich security conference

iranintl – Iran’s exiled Prince Reza Pahlavi accused Germany of barring him from the upcoming Munich Security Conference, calling the decision an effort to silence the Iranian people and appease the Islamic Republic.

“I was pleased to be invited to take part in this year’s @MunSecConf. However, my participation in this conference has been blocked by @GermanyDiplo [German Foreign Office],” Pahlavi wrote in an X post.

“This decision was not about silencing me. This was about silencing the Iranian people. It was about silencing all those who stand for freedom, justice, and dignity. And that we will not stand for,” he added.

It is unclear why Pahlavi has been banned. The conference, which is scheduled to begin later this month, has previously welcomed speakers that have criticized the Iranian government. Last year, it also banned Iranian government officials from attending.

From his X post, Pahlavi has, however, suggested the German government has been influenced by Tehran in its decision.

“So while the German government caves to the Islamic Republic, I urge the German people to stand with Iranians fighting for human rights and democracy— not only for Iranians’ sake, but for their own,” he wrote.

In Berlin, a decision has been made to sideline and silence the Iranian people and to appease the Islamic Republic.

At this important moment of change in Iran, I was pleased to be invited to take part in this year’s @MunSecConf. However, my participation in this conference has…— Reza Pahlavi (@PahlaviReza) February 6, 2025

Pahlavi, the heir of Iran’s last monarch, has been calling on Western nations to sever links with the Islamic Republic and provide support for Iran’s protest movement.

He vowed to travel to Munich despite the exclusion, saying that Iran’s liberation “will never be determined by foreign governments.”

Germany’s Foreign Office has not publicly commented on Pahlavi’s exclusion.