For the first time in decades, Iran was not represented by its foreign minister at the annual Munich Security Conference. Instead, organizers of the February 17-19 event invited three members of Iran's exiled opposition: the former crown prince of Iran, Reza Pahlavi; rights activist Masih Alinejad; and Nazanin Boniadi, an actress and ambassador to Amnesty International. Iran's Foreign Ministry denounced the decision, with spokesman Nasser Kanani on February 20 saying the organizers had made a "huge mistake" for "giving the stage to notorious people."
