Iran’s Crown Prince Reza Pahlavi has spent the past few weeks touring Europe, meeting lawmakers and parliamentarians in Sweden and Italy before arriving in Germany last week. Until Berlin, the trip had proceeded largely as expected, with the prince presenting his case for a democratic transition in Iran and seeking to build support among European policymakers.
In Germany, however, the visit took a different turn, and it’s one that reflects poorly on the Germans’ security arrangements, as well as on elements of the country’s political and media approach to the Iranian opposition.
During a press engagement in Berlin, Pahlavi was asked by German journalist Tilo Jung whether he was an “agent of Israel,” referencing his links to pro-Israel groups (Pahlavi’s trip was coordinated with the help of the Europe-Israel Press Association and the European Jewish Association) and broader geopolitical dynamics - Pahlavi has often stated that a free Iran should have peace with Israel and bring about a prosperous Middle East, rather than one rooted in war.
An Agent of Israel?
One could almost see the prince’s inner thoughts: “This is what he wants to ask me about? Over everything taking place in Iran?”
Rather than focusing on his political platform, his proposals for Iran, or his support base among Iranians, the question repeated the familiar narrative long promoted by the Islamic Republic - that opposition figures are primarily instruments of foreign powers.
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