Pictures are from Farah Pahlavi Internet Site
Empress of the People
Beverly Hills Weekly - July 11-17, 2002
Pictures are from Farah Pahlavi Internet Site
Coverstory
TEHRAN'S JACKIE O.
More than 20 years after the Shah's death, Queen Farah Pahlavi still entrances Beverly Hill's Iranian community.
By Bryson York
The British admire their royal Windsor family at Buckingham ~.Palace; the United
States has the Kennedys; and the Iranians have their Pahlavis.Farah Pahlavi, wife of
the-late Shah of Iran, shares many similarities with Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis. Queen
Farah remains a symbol of fashion and glamour, she lost a powerful husband at an early
age, and she endured numerous triumphs and tragedies. Like Jackie Onassis, Queen Farah has
been sought after by the media for more than 40 years, during half of which the Queen was
left to raise her children alone as a widow, no longer holding the throne. Farah was also
a great patron of the arts.
More than anything, Queen Farah remains an Icon to Beverly Hills, a symbol of the old
government and the lasting hope for a free Iran.
"She’s very popular because she’s a very, very nice lady who as helped
so many people," said Jimmy Sedghi, a business onsultant in Beverly Hills for 20
years, former confidante of ie Pahlavi family and one of the most outspoken pro-Pahlavi
Dices in the United States. "Any dust storm, she was the first go; earthquake, flood,
she was the first one to go there and help."
TRIUMPH OVER TRAGEDY
The Pahlavi family can also be compared to America’s Kennedy family in the
similarity of their quest for power-- and inordinate amount of personal suffering. The
Pahlavi family sp~nt two years in exile after the Shah was forced to abdicate the throne
and flee Iran in 1979. While in exile, the Shah succumbed to cancer in Egypt in 1980.
Queen Farah’s daughter, Leila, also passed away amidst a bout with depression last
summer.
According to Kambiz Atabai, official spokesperson for the Empress, Princess Leila
died in her sleep due to an overdose of sleeping pills and painkillers. She suffered
severe stomach pain and headaches due to chronic fatigue syndrome. Family websites suggest
that she never recovered from the trauma of having to leave Iran at the age of nine and
losing her father soon after. Sources close to the family say the princess never truly
recovered, from the trauma. She was 31.
In exile Atabai indicates, the family did an impersonation of the Flying Dutchman,
living sequentially in Egypt, Morocco, the Bahamas, Mexico, New York City, Lakeland Air
Force Base in Texas, Panama, and finally Egypt for two years where the late Shah passed
away from cancer of the lymph nodes.
The Empress has made few public appearances since her daughter’s death. She now
lives most of the year in Paris, France away from her grandchildren in Maryland.
Of the Queen’s three surviving children, her eldest son, Reza Pahlavi III, is
politically active in the United States. The subject of a recent Beverly Hills Weekly
cover story, Reza lives in Maryland with his wife, Yasmin, a lawyer, and their two
daughters, Noor and Iman. Queen Farah’s eldest daughter, Farahnaz, holds a degree in
child psychology and lives in New York, and her youngest son, Alireza, is completing his
thesis on ancient Iranian history in Boston.
Indeed, the Pahlavis have settled across the United, States, but they have not
forgotten about their homeland.
All of her children, Queen.Farah told the Weekly, "have endured immense
suffering, just like most of their contemporary compatriots, as a result of being uprooted
from their homeland."
"Recently, she lost one of her daughters," said Beverly Hills real estate
agent Mali Sanadaj. "I feel very bad for her. She’s already been through so
much."
EMPRESS OF THE PEOPLE - -
Affectionately known in the Persian community as "Shahbanou" (wife of the
Shah), the Empress was born Farah Dibah and studied at the L’Ecole de Beaux Arts in
Paris before marrying the Shah in 1959 (his first wife was Princess Fawzieh). Upon their
marriage, the Shah of Iran said, "I got married not only for dynastic reasons, but
for human reasons." The Queen became an Empress of. the people, visiting earthquake
sites before any other public figures and, most notably, visiting leper colonies and
actually holding ailing lepers.
The royal couple’s first meeting was in Paris where th~ late Shah paid a state
visit and met the future Empress as a student in Paris in late 1950s. Through the
Shah’s eldest daughter, Princess Shahnaz, from his previous marriage to Princess
Fawzieh, he was introduced to the future queen in the princess’ home in Tehran. They
were engaged just before graduation and married in 1959 after a very private courtship.
"She’s-very down to earth," said Maryam Seyhoun, a local lawyer and patron
of the arts who has met Queen Farah on several occasions. "She’s easy to talk
to, not someone you can’t approach. She’s very modest. If you see her somewhere
she’ll spend time with you, talk to you. She’s not a person who seems to say
‘I was a queen and I can’t talk."’
It is interesting that many Persians, when asked about Queen Farah as a symbol of the
Iranian monarchy, will first mention her kindness, then her poise, and finally her
education. Rarely is there a mention of her impeccable style and timeless beauty, still
unquestionable at age 65.
When pressed, Maryam Seyhoun says, "Yes, she was really elegant. She has allure
in a Parisian sense and all the Persians look to see [how she dresses wherever she
goes]."
"I think it’s from her character that she’s a symbol," said
Sanadaj. "Very calm, very kind to everyone; she was very honest. Maybe that’s
why she’s a symbol."
ART LOVER AND POLITICAL ACTIVIST
With her artistic background, the Empress became a patroness for the arts during her
rule. A painter at Beaux Arts, Farah Pahlavi reportedly continued to paint privately as
queen.
"My family is in art in Iran," said Seyhoun. "Her Majesty really
helped the new artists. She helped send them to Paris to study art. She was instrumental
for young artists who didn’t have money. She gave scholarships to study, especially
in Paris."
The Empress.organized visits with famous artists, including a visit from Andy
Warhol. Warhol was also a guest of Seyhoun’s mother, a famous gallery owner and
talent scout -in Iran to this day.
Queen Farah made her first radio broadcast since her daughter’s death just weeks
ago to talk about "fake books," anti-Pahlavi propaganda circulating in Iran
which, among other things, accuse the royal family of numerous unspeakable acts including
leaving the dead body of the Shah’s mother in the street. The Empress also discussed
art stolen by the mullas. (Iranian clergy) from the Iranian museums and sold all over the
world.
"In my latest interview on June 30th with "Radio Sedaye Iran" of Los
Angeles, I referred to an article I had recently read in a newspaper published in Iran
concerning the sale of a number of valuable paintings belonging to the Tehran Museum of
Contemporary Arts," Queen Farah wrote. "I regret should this piece of news be
true, for any future democratically chosen government would definitely seek the return of
these paintings."
Sèdghi, who helped found Iranian radio in the United States and is president of a
California Iranian political action committee, recently interviewed a man on his radio
program who now lives in New Jersey, but in current Iranian propaganda, was allegedly
decapitated by the Pahlavi family.
"It’s sad, they’re making it up and disturbing the people," said
Sedghi of the allegedly -defamatory books.
Another of the Empress’ few public messages since her daughter’s death
last-summer was, characteristically, to express sympathy for the victims of the Ghazvin
Earthquake Tragedy on June 22. Her recent absence does not, however, indicate a retirement
from public life.
"As for my future plans," Queen Farah wrote, "I shall cbntinue to
speak about my country whenever I am given the opportunity, and discuss the hopes and
aspirations of my compatriots. In this manner, I also hope to contribute to the fruition
of the efforts of my son, H.M. Reza II, in restoring freedom to Iran."
Today, the queen’s website guestbook boasts adoring entries from Persians around
the world. Via e-mail through her website, www.farahpahlavi.org,
she is able to correspond with young Iranians currently living in Iran.
Questions surrounding the Pahlavi family about a possible return to Iran have been
arising amidst the former king of Afghanistan’s brief return to his country this
spring. It is notable that the Pahlavi family supports the establishment of democracy in
Iran rather than the return of a monarchy. What is unclear,however, is what role Reza
Pahlavi II and his. family would play if such a change in government in Iran ever took
place.
HOMECOMING
After such a long journey, a clear, happy ending seems in order. Queen Farah remains
somewhat politically active and supports the activities of her son, but a homecoming
‘seems far off.
"She’s definitely hopeful that her son will [eventually] go back (to
Iran]," said Sedghi of the Queen’s eldest son, Reza II. "She would like to
see a free Iran and would particularly like to see the women out of this bondage from an
Islamic regime and Iran to regain its good name in the international community."
Pahlavi recently visited a private home in Beverly Hills, to speak to local
supporters. Pahlavi also met and was photographed with members of the Beverly Hills City
Council.
"I’m sure that if her son goes back to his country then she will go
also," said Sanandaj. "I know one of her wishes is to go back to the country and
give a few years, but right now I don’t think [it will happen]. I hear from people in
Iran that know her that she’s very worried about her son. Many of their enemies
[might] try to kill him. She’s lost almost everything and she doesn’t want to
lose her son also."
To Iranians living in the United States, the Queen wrote, "I am proud to hear of
the highest standards and achievements and the valuable contributions that so many of my
fellow citizens (a.k.a Iranian-Americans) have given to their adopted homeland, the United
States of America. In spite of being forced into exile, and in the face of hardship and
adversity, my compatriots in America were not only able to blend in, but also to value
freedom and the opportunities it brings along."
Her message is not, however, without mandate.
"Through these years, I have carried Iran within my heart, and it is my dream to
be In my country again," wrote the Empress. "My message to all true Iranians
looking for free~dom, democracy and human. rights in our homeland is that your country
needs each and every one of you, your voices and your contributions. Our history and
culture must survive, and Iran must regain its respectable place in the family of free
nations. The forces of darkness are not sitting idle;"
HOW DO YOU THINK QUEEN FARAH HAS BEEN MOST INFLUENTIAL
IN THE IRANIAN COMMUNITY?
Send us an e-mail at: editor@bhweekly.com