Iran’s exiled Crown Prince Reza Pahlavi was sprayed with red liquid – believed to be tomato juice – as he left a building in Berlin in an attack captured on camera on Thursday.A video showed Reza Pahlavi walking on the sidewalk, surrounded by his security team and others, when liquid was thrown at him from behind.The 65-year-old man, who lives in the United States, appeared unharmed despite fluid on his blazer and the back of his neck. He waved to supporters before getting into a car, which drove away. Police later said the substance appeared to be tomato juice.The incident occurred outside the federal press conference building in the German capital, shortly after he left a news briefing, where he criticized the ceasefire between the United States and Iran. The ceasefire was extended by US President Donald Trump amid uncertainty over the second round of talks in Islamabad, Pakistan, where the first round of talks held on April 11 and 12 ended in failure.The suspected attacker, whose identity was not revealed in line with German privacy laws, was taken into custody at the scene.Pahlavi is the son of Iran’s last shah, whose rule ended in 1979 when mass protests ousted him from power, paving the way for the establishment of the Islamic Republic.Now in exile for nearly five decades, he has tried to position himself as a figure in Iran’s future, although the extent of his support inside the country is unclear.The Islamic republic has been at war with the US and Israel since the allies launched joint attacks against their common rival on February 28. The conflict has since spread throughout the Middle East.
Pahlavi on US-Iran ceasefire
Pahlavi, who did not meet any representatives of the German government during his visit to Berlin, argued that the ceasefire assumes that Tehran’s behavior “will change” and that its leadership will suddenly act as a pragmatist.“I don’t see that happening. I’m not saying diplomacy shouldn’t be given a chance, but I think it’s been given enough of a chance,” he said.He is bracing himself for a possible return to power if Iran’s Shia theocracy collapses and has supported US-Israeli military intervention in the Middle East.In Berlin, Pahlavi urged European countries to “do more” to support Iranians striving for democracy. He claimed that 19 political prisoners have been executed by Iranian authorities in the past two weeks, while another 20 have been sentenced to death.“Will the free world act, or silently watch the carnage?”. he asked.More than an hour after the incident, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz said in a statement that the government “welcomes the extension of the ceasefire.”“This presents an important opportunity to resume diplomatic talks in Islamabad with the aim of ensuring peace and preventing further escalation,” the statement said.(with AP input)
