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Mohammad Reza Shah and Shahbanu Farah Pahlavi
Photo Album
1

 
Part 1, 2, 3, 4, 5    

Mohammad Reza Shah and Shahbanu Farah Pahlavi Photo Albums
Photo Album Series in 5 Volumes
Part One

Ahreeman X
September 5, 2009


Mohammad Reza Shah and Shahbanu Farah Pahlavi

Introduction

I am the harshest critic of Mohammad Reza Shah Pahlavi, the last Shah of Iran. I am also a fair judge of characters but most important, I am a scientific historian; therefore, I must put all his good deeds and bad deeds, his right efforts and wrong doings, his progressive actions and irreparable damages in perspective. In this piece, I will try not to criticize him too much. Some readers ask me: “How come you never give credit to the Shah for all the good that he had done for Iran?” Well, I assure you that in my upcoming historical paper titled: “Mohammad Reza Shah Pahlavi, the Real Story!”, I will line up all his great services to Iran and then I will state all his unforgettable blunders side by side for the readers to judge him for themselves. To write the accurate history of Mohammad Reza Shah Pahlavi, the author can neither be a biased Monarchist (pro Shah) nor a Marxist, Islamist, or Mosadeqist (anti Shah). It takes a simple Nationalist and a scientific historian such as me to document Shah’s history. Stay tune for soon to be published history of the Shah of Iran written by me.


Pahlavi Coat of Arms

Shah’s Good Works

Shah of Iran had done many goods for Iran. His greatest work was the “White Revolution of Shah and People”. The White Revolution was one of the few bloodless revolutions in the world which had 12 amendments. On 1962 (2521 Shahanshahi) this revolution had jump started and revived the industry, agriculture, healthcare and economy of the nation. In my future work, I will vastly expand on this phenomenon. For more information review this date on the IPC Calendar:

IPC Calendar

With all the good which he had done for Iran, yet he will always be remembered as the last Shah of Iran who handed Iran to Islam and Islamists. Iran was lost on his watch. In two separate occasions (1953 and 1979) rather than standing his ground and fighting the foes, he fled and had abandoned Iran and Iranians!

Jimmy Carter had also played an important part for giving birth to Islamic Republic of Iran. For more information, review: 1. Part 4 of this photo album series for sensitive dialogues traded between Shah and Carter in Washington DC and Tehran, and 2. Reasons for the birth of IRI article:

Mohammad Reza Shah and Shahbanu Farah Pahlavi - Part 4

Reasons for the Birth of IRI (Islamic Republic of Iran)

In the past, I have called him a coward, a weak man, a bad friend to his comrades, a selfish man, an arrogant man, and a man who made many mistakes; however, I have never called him a thief, a corrupt and a traitor. I have called the rest of the Pahlavis these names but I have never referred these words to the Shah. Back in Iran, I have always referred to him as “Alahazrat” (equivalent to Imperial Majesty).


Pahlavi Gold Coin

Technically he was not a Shahanshah (Emperor) and he was a Shah (King), simply because Iran during his reign was not an empire, but a kingdom; however, due to all the good which he has done for Iran, we have granted him the honorary title of Shahanshah (King of Kings).

The First and the Last Persian Emperors

The same goes for Farah. I have called her a superstitious religious woman, an opportunist and a woman with many flaws, but I simply cannot deny all the good work which she had done for Iran and Iranians. Farah Pahlavi is a fine nationalist.

I practically worship Reza Khan (Father of Nation) and I admire him as a great nationalist:

Reza Shah the Great, the Real Story!

But I have always had a love-hate relationship and feeling towards Mohammad Reza Shah and I surely do not believe that he was worthy to reign Iran after Reza Khan. But again I am not here to criticize him or at least not in this piece!


Shah of Pahlavi’s Crown


Shahbanu of Pahlavi’s Crown

My Personal Feelings Towards the Shah of Iran

To elaborate about my feelings towards the Shah of Iran, I must briefly state a flashback in history.   Before 1979, My father was a popular journalist, author and historian. Amongst his great number of fans was also the Shah of Iran. Eventually my father become Shah’s favorite journalist. Shah was actively following all his articles, analysis, papers and books. Due to his popularity and trustworthiness, he was granted a “Political License” to publish a popular political magazine. Shah would only grant political licenses to a handful of people. To own a political license in the Imperial Iran was similar to owning a Gold Mine or an Oil Field in the Roaring 1920s in America!


Shah and Shahbanu of Pahlavi Coronation

As I stated, Political License was only granted to a handful of people in Imperial Iran. My father was one of those handful of people with this privilege. So after years of serving as a reporter, columnist, writer, author, editor and general editor in all the major newspapers and magazines of Iran, he had finally started to publish his own political-intellectual magazine. His readers were mostly students, faculty, authors, politicians, artists, intellectuals, professionals and indeed Shah of Iran. After years of close friendship with Amir Abbas Hoveyda, great reformist prime minister of Iran, down the road my father had become a minister in his cabinet. By then he was the publisher and general editor of a major political magazine and a cabinet minister in his Excellency Hoveyda’s cabinet.

As you can see, I am an insider to the Pahlavi Courthouse and I have grown inside the Imperial cabinet and courthouse. I am well aware of every glory and dirt which was going on with every character inside the Imperial Government. In my future articles and books, I will elaborate (as much as possible) about what went on inside the Imperial cabinet and courthouse. Please follow “X Diaries” (my memoirs).


Mohammad Reza Shah and Shahbanu Farah taking an informal walk

Until this day, I have a strained relationship with my father. It is a love-hate relationship full of mixed emotions. Without going into details, this is how I felt and feel about my father. He is my father and Shah of Iran was father of the people. I have the same relationship and feelings towards the Shah of Iran. But then again, we cannot dump our fathers in garbage can, can we? After all they are our fathers! Both Shah of Iran and my father are my fathers, so good or bad, they are still my fathers! This is why I am publishing this series of photo albums to commemorate the Shah of Iran.

I have earned the Right!

Some readers often ask me on why I am such a harsh critic of the Imperial family, monarchy and the Shah of Iran. Allow me to just state that spending 30 years of my life for the Iranian Opposition, grants me every right to be critical of anybody and state whatever my heart desires about anyone! I have earned my stripes!

In 1979, if Shah of Iran, Imperial Family, Imperial Generals and the Monarchists had done their homework and their job right, then people like me did not have to spend 30 years of efforts to clean up their mess (IRI) and fight to free Iran from Islam! That’s all I have to say to my critics! Now let us say a few good words about Mohammad Reza Pahlavi.

A Few Good Words

He was known as:

Alahazrat Homayoun, Shahanshah Aryamehr, Bozorg Artesh-daran, Pahlavi-ye Dovom, Nur-e Ariyayi, Pedar-e Tajdar, Shah-e Shahan, Mohammad Reza Shah Pahlavi, Shah of Iran.

But underneath all the titles, he was a simple nationalist.


Mohammad Reza and Farah Pahlavi during a romantic slow dance

Like it or not, harsh but factual, sad but true, Mohammad Reza Pahlavi has done many unforgettable mistakes in his life. On the other hand, he has done much good for Iran. In this piece, let us remember all the good that he had done for Iran. Let us celebrate and cherish the final Shah of Iran not as a Shah and a man of many titles, but as a human being and a nationalist who loved Iran.

About This Series of Photo Albums

These are the most complete and the best quality photo albums of Alahazrat Homayoun Shahanshah and Shahbanu Farah Pahlavi available on the Internet. Every picture in the series has been selected, photo shopped and published from various classic archives available in the world. The photos in these series, the same as every other photo on this website are photo shopped and their qualities have been brought up to the best possible photo quality existing for the web publishing.

For more photos and information review these indexes:

Iran Photos

Iran History

Iran Politics

Please enjoy this 5 part series about these two controversial but special characters, lovers, and nationalists. Let us celebrate and commemorate the last Shah and Shahbanu of Iran. This is all about Alahazrat Mohammad Reza Shah and Shahbanu Farah Pahlavi. You history geeks, Bon appetite …


Shah and Farah trying out a new motorcycle


Shah and Farah on the bike


The Biker Mohammad Reza and Farah Pahlavi!


Shah and Farah with Shahbanu coronation portrait in background


Young Shah of Iran and Harry Truman in Oval Office 1949


Young Shah of Iran with Dwight Eisenhower 1954


President Eisenhower greets Shah and Empress Soraya 1954


Mohammad Reza Shah Pahlavi and President Eisenhower in White House 1954


Vice President Richard Nixon greets Shah of Iran and Empress Soraya 1954


Mohammad Reza Shah and Shahbanu Farah Pahlavi Wedding 1959


Shah and Shahbanu of Iran’s wedding ceremony 1959


Shah and Shahbanu of Iran


Tea and cookie time for Shah and Shahbanu of Iran in early times


Shah and Shahbanu at girl and boy scouts ceremony


Shah and Shahbanu of Iran during an official factory inspection


Shahanshah and Shahbanu of Iran


Mohammad Reza Shah and Shahbanu Farah Pahlavi


Mohammad Reza Shah and Shahbanu Farah Pahlavi observing photos


Shah and Shahbanu of Iran observe the air show


An early Shah and Farah Pahlavi photo


An early photo of Shah and Farah Pahlavi visit


Shah and Shahbanu during an official visit


Shahanshah and Shahbanu of Iran


Shahanshah and Shahbanu

Continued next page

Part 1
Part 2
Part 3
Part 4
Part 5
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Back to History index

 
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