"Reza Shah and His Crown Prince" by Abbas Milani
This is an English translation of the original article published in Persian on Aasoo. This translation was autogenerated by ChatGPT and may include minor errors.
"A while ago, I wrote an article about Reza Shah and his modernization efforts. It is part of a book I am writing about Reza Shah, and naturally, I should call it "In Search of Reza Shah." Then, I wrote a piece named the Goharshad Mosque War.
Modernization was undoubtedly Reza Shah's most important intellectual concern, and the
Goharshad incident (war) was the largest confrontation between the anti-modernism
clergy and Reza Shah. I believe there should be no doubt that Reza Shah's relationship
with his crown prince was the most significant emotional and political relationship of
his life. The 156 letters from the crown prince to his father, which I have recently
acquired, open a new window into this relationship, and my goal here is not a complete
examination of the relationship between Reza Shah and his crown prince. I only want to
explore aspects of this relationship revealed from these letters.
The work of history can be likened more than anything to the work of a court.
There are historians who claim their work is merely to issue an indictment against the
character or event under study. Other claimants of historiography see themselves in the
role of defense lawyers and employ every trick, including cherry-picking " observational
proofs" they prefer and ignoring even denying "evidence" that is troublesome to
exonerate or sometimes even sanctify their client. The work of empirical history is an
endless search for a narrative and understanding as close to reality and truth as possible,
not historical sermon and issuing an immutable certain verdict . In my opinion, the
difficulty of the work of history lies in the fact that the historian must sit simultaneously
as both prosecutor, defense lawyer, and a detective as adept as Sherlock Holmes. At the
same time, he must humbly accept that even after performing these difficult, arduous
tripartite duties thoroughly, his judgments are only provisional. Tomorrow or a hundred
years from now, new evidence or a witness, in the words of Beyhaqi, "Thiqah ," may
necessitate the reconsideration and alteration of this judgment. Intellectual humility’s
twin is accepting the reality that in the court of history, the "ultimate judge" is not the
historian but the people. They sit in the high position of the "jury" and, not as an excited
and hasty mass—or in Beyhaqi's words, "mob" or in Persian, “Ghogha”—but as a body
reaching their thoughtful and measured verdict through experience and contemplation.
In Iran, another inescapable reality adds complexity and difficulty to the work of
the court of history . In any court, including the court of history, firsthand documents,
reports, and letters are of infinite value . These are narratives that were available during
the lifetime of the figure or event under review, written or spoken by one of the ‘accused’
or by witnesses present and observing. In any fair court, all these documents are
provided equally to the prosecutor, defense attorney, and even the jury. But in Iran, for a
thousand and one reasons, it's a different story. This reality appears starkly evident and
detrimental concerning the era of Reza Shah. Many of the most prominent documents of
that time, including speeches and official letters of Reza Shah, were never published
during the reign of his son, Mohammad Reza Shah. Even two of Reza Shah's important
books, the travelog of Mazandaran and the travelog of Khuzestan, were only published
late in the reign of Mohammad Reza Shah. As far as I know, none of the letters that form
the basis of this article were published at that time.
With the advent of the Islamic regime, documents from the era of Reza Shah were
transformed into tools for political combat and intellectual obstinacy. The clerical
regime’s conflict with Reza Shah recognizes no limits and rightly sees him as the greatest
enemy of the clericalism claiming power and authority. From the very outset, the regime
endeavored to enforce its dogmas, particularly through distorting and belittling the era of
Reza Shah, employing both professional and turban-wearing mourners to implant and
spread their fabrications, thereby bewildering and misleading the “jury” in the court of
history. All evidence attests to the complete failure of this program and shows that new
generations of Iranians, even those who lived during the time of Mohammad Reza Shah,
are determined to review and rethink the character and time of Reza Shah without any
prejudice. These letters from the crown prince to Reza Shah reveal a small but significant
part of Reza Shah’s character and the nature of his relationship with his son.
Reza Shah was deeply committed to his crown prince’s upbringing and intervened
and supervised all its details. Until Mohammad Reza became crown prince, Reza Shah,
perhaps unilaterally, separated him from his mother and sisters who lived together in one
house, and placed him in an independent home. The father’s special attention to the
education of this son can be interpreted in part as a reality that Mohammad Reza, in his
position as crown prince, was for his father a symbol and guarantor of the dynasty’s
stability, which Reza Shah had established. From the very start of his work, Reza Shah
not only focused on creating change but also on the persistence of these changes,
considering the education of the crown prince as one of the most important conditions for
the dynasty’s endurance and an Iran that he was striving hard to build. Perhaps another
part of Mohammad Reza’s special position in Reza Shah’s mind is also interpretable that
he was his eldest son and, in the patriarchal tradition of that time in Iran, the first son held
exceptional esteem. Although both narratives presumably encompass aspects of Reza
Shah’s emotional reality, all evidence including these letters tells of immense affection
from the father to the son. These same letters indicate a love sometimes close to worship
and at times accompanied by the son’s fear for the father. In one of the letters, the crown
prince describes this affection, which he believes is mutual. He writes, “That you had
said you were thinking of me during your travels and while viewing beautiful landscapes
and the clear coasts, I am utmost grateful. This is nothing but the result of an unbreakable
love that exists between that dear father and this devoted son, always growing.” (Letter
dated 19 Aban 1313)
In Tehran, Reza Shah wanted his crown prince to become familiar with European
ways of life and the French and English languages. At the same time, he wanted to
cultivate a military spirit in his son. This was presumably one of the reasons for his
decision to separate the boy from his mother and sisters. He established a special military
primary school for the crown prince and a few select students, including Hossein
Fardoust. Madame Arfa’, who was originally French and had lived in Tehran after
marrying an Iranian man, was put in charge of the daily life of the crown prince.
According to Fardoust, all aspects of the crown prince’s life, “from the way of eating
lunch and the type of food, to the timing of study sessions and sleep, were under the
control” of this lady. Reza Shah had given her the freedom to visit him whenever she
wanted. In those years, apart from French, Reza Shah also emphasized learning more
Persian language and literature. Mostashar al-Molk in Tehran was the Persian teacher of
the crown prince, and Reza Shah sent him along with the crown prince to Europe.
Reza Shah wanted his crown prince to be familiar with the ways of the world and
sent him to Europe to complete his high school education. Initially, the plan was for the
crown prince to go to France, and preparations began, but for several reasons, Reza Shah
chose Switzerland instead. This country was relatively “neutral” and had no colonial
history in Iran. Its schools were known for their outstanding educational quality and for
having notable students, all from “elite” families around the world. Reza Shah sent his
crown prince to Switzerland along with his new friend Hossein Fardoust and also
Mostashar, his Persian teacher, to continue his studies. Gholam Reza Shahpour, another
son of Reza Shah and one of Mohammad Reza’s brothers, and Mehrpour Teymourtash,
the son of Reza Shah’s powerful court minister, were also part of the entourage. The
supervision of the group and oversight of all aspects of the crown prince’s life were the
responsibility of Dr. Mo’adab al-Dowleh Nafisi.
The work of empirical history is an endless search for a narrative and
understanding as close to reality and truth as possible, not historical sermon and
issuing an immutable certain verdict .
When I was writing my book “A look at the Shah”, I learned from existing
documents and accounts that during his years in Switzerland, the crown prince was
required to write a letter to Reza Shah every week. I knew how much Reza Shah
cherished these letters. He eagerly awaited them every week on a specific day, and if a
letter was delayed, he would become extremely anxious. He would order postal and
police officials to track down the delayed letter and report its status. I was aware that
Reza Shah sometimes showed these letters to his educated acquaintances to seek their
opinions on the crown prince’s handwriting and composition skills. Occasionally, he
would proudly boast about the contents of these letters. Once, he had proudly told others
that his son had topped among more than eighty high school students.[2] Today, we know
that Reza Shah’s claim was based on a letter he had received from this series. In a letter
dated 20 Aban 1312, the crown prince wrote, “Dear father, I have worked very hard in
my studies. I have recently become the top student in my class. Dr. Nafisi will report this
to your esteemed presence.” In another letter, he expressed gratitude for Reza Shah’s
“pleasure” upon hearing this news and added, “I know that my studies are for myself, but
they are also to earn your esteemed satisfaction.” (letter dated 25 Aban 1312) In yet
another letter, he explained to his father why he might not be the top student in other
terms, saying, “Dear father, my endeavor is to maintain this first-place rank throughout
the year, but it is quite challenging because there are many intelligent and diligent
students.” (letter dated 27 Aban 1313)
According to a second-hand account, I knew that at least once the crown prince
asked his father to go easy on a suddenly disgraced court minister for his friend’s sake,
Mehrpour Teymourtash. I knew that when the Crown Prince became Shah, he would
recall with great admiration the weekly task of writing letters and sending a copy of that
week's Persian dictation and composition. But at that time, I had not seen or read even
one of these letters. I did not know if Reza Shah responded to the letters with the same
discipline as his son. I did not know if there was any change in the nature and content of
this correspondence. Today, with 156 letters from the son to the father in hand, many of
these questions can be answered, and unseen aspects of the character and values of the
father and son can be explored.
A few points should be noted about these letters. The crown prince was in
Switzerland from 1931 to 1936, and apart from travel times, he spent all of it in high
school. From there, he wrote a letter every week, always on Saturday, to Reza Shah.
Exceptions were certainly rare. Thus, it can be assumed that in the 55 months he was
away from Iran, at least about 200 letters had been written from son to father. I have only
managed to access 156 of these letters. It can definitely be said that Reza Shah also wrote
letters to his son nearly every week. Sometimes, some of these letters were handwritten
by Reza Shah himself, which brought particular joy to his son. For example, he writes in
a letter from September 1934, “Your other handwriting, which was in your beautiful
script, made me so happy that I cannot imagine a limit to it.” A year later, he writes, “I
have read your ‘sacred handwriting’ very carefully because ‘every word of it is a valuable
lesson,’ and emphasizes that ‘in these four years that I have been away from father, I have
kept all your dear handwriting and never let them out of my sight.’” (Letter from
December 1935) It can almost certainly be guessed that copies of these letters exist in the
Pahlavi court archives, much of which has now fallen into the hands of the current
regime. Only a few excerpts of these letters have been published, and they are always
accompanied by phrases condemning Reza Shah. Seeing the regime’s continuous efforts
and its preachers’ campaigns against Reza Shah, does the refusal to publish all documents
and letters and the persistent effort to prevent ‘non-aligned’ researchers from accessing
these documents mean anything other than the fact that what is in the documents
contradicts the regime’s established narrative about Reza Shah?
The evidence of the vast array of documents in the regime’s possession and their
often futile efforts to turn a historical document into a political weapon can be seen in an
article titled “Content Report of Correspondence Documents Relating to the Shah’s
Education Period in Switzerland from 1932 to 1936.” It is mentioned there that the
regime’s archive contains “about 3000 pages” solely regarding the crown prince’s
education in Switzerland. Apparently, they have none of the crown prince’s letters to his
father, or they have not published them. The effort seems mostly aimed at highlighting
the excessive expenses of this trip and Reza Shah’s autocratic decision-making.[3]
The first letter from the crown prince to his father in the collection I have received
is dated 6 Esfand 1311, and the last letter is dated 25 Farvardin 1315. None of them are
more than two pages long. All the letters have neat handwriting, mature prose, a formal
tone, and military precision. Even the dots of the words are aligned and uniform. The
structure and length of the letters are more or less consistent. As one might expect from
the weekly assigned letters of a twelve or thirteen-year-old to his father, many of the
themes in the letters are repetitive. Among all the letters, only in one letter, and that too in
the final line, do we encounter a word that is clearly added above the other words of that
line after rereading the text. There we read, “Father, I conclude my petition and send a
thousand blessings to your esteemed presence.” (Letter dated 1 Dey 1313) In the original
letter, “ می کنم ”, the tense maker, is inserted between “ خت م ”,the verb, and “ هزاران ”, the
numeral modifier. In other words, from the military orderliness of the other letters and
also the absence of any strikethroughs, it can be understood that the crown prince drafted
the letters cleanly. Undoubtedly, there is no doubt that his Persian teacher read the initial
text of the letters and presumably suggested corrections. At the same time, we recall that
Reza Shah was informed of the details of his son’s life through various sources, and there
is no doubt that the letters fundamentally represent the work of the crown prince.
All letters start with the name of the city where the crown prince was living at that
time and the always solar date of writing the letter. The names of the months are all
Iranian. The letters range from fourteen to twenty lines. Common and recurring themes in
all letters include the date the father’s letter was received, reports on the physical
condition of the crown prince and his brothers, their studies and school situation, his
Persian classes, the weather, and reports on his sports activities—sometimes referred to as
“sport.” If a letter is shorter than the usual average, the crown prince explains the reason
for the brevity of the letter and apologizes. From the tone of the son, it can be understood
that the father did not tolerate superficial and short letters. In a letter dated 20 Esfand
1311, the crown prince writes, “Due to not having any significant content, I conclude my
petition with a prayer for your holy existence and send my blessings.” In another letter,
he seems to be responding to his father’s specific complaint about the brevity of one of
the letters, writing, “Dear father, as my day-to-day life is uniform and you well know that
every hour of it is occupied according to the school’s schedule, I have nothing new to
report.” (Letter dated 10 Aban 1314) From this same letter, it appears that Reza Shah,
perhaps out of curiosity and perhaps to lengthen the letters, asks his son to send him the
speech he delivered at the “school principal’s birthday celebration.” The crown prince
replies, “Dear father, I recited that speech from memory” and did not have a prepared
text, then he provides a brief summary of his speech, which is perhaps the longest letter
in this collection. (Letter dated 10 Aban 1314)
All the letters conclude with phrases full of respect and affection, such as “I offer
my affectionate regards to your dear presence” (Letter dated 21 Mehr 1313). Other
common concluding phrases include “I send my affection to you,” “I remain
affectionately yours a thousand times,” “I am devoted to you, my dear father,”
“Affectionately yours, to my esteemed father,” “Your loving son,” and “A thousand
affectionate regards to you.” In the content of the letters, he often speaks about his father
with language that demonstrates deep respect and enduring affection. For example, he
once refers to him as “father, nurturer of arts and seeker of knowledge” (8 Farvardin
1315) and elsewhere states, “My dear father, I regard you as above mere mortals and am
certain you are a divine emissary.” In a letter dated 9 Mehr 1314, responding to a specific
grievance of his father regarding the brevity of a previous letter, he writes, “Dear father,
as my life is monotonous and you are well aware that every hour is scheduled according
to the school program, I have nothing new to report.” This excerpt indicates that he not
only respects but deeply cherishes and reveres his father, aligning with the overall tone of
deep affection throughout the letters.
“The Europeans are surprised that from now on our country should be called
Iran instead of Persia, but I tell everyone that the word Persia is derived from Pars,
which was and is just a province of our vast country. It was Iran that had
intimidated great Rome and ancient Greece. Dear father, I hope that under your
blessed shadow, this name will become renowned throughout the world and that the
progress and greatness of modern Iran will reach the level of ancient Iran.”
Although these letters are generally uniform in structure and length, and recurring
themes are abundant, there are noticeable changes in the topics discussed between father
and son, as well as an evolution in the crown prince's writing style. As the son grows
older and his return to Iran approaches, the language in the letters becomes more refined.
Occasionally, literary references appear in the text. In the second year of his life in
Switzerland, he mentions receiving "a thousand dollars as a Nowruz
gift"—approximately equivalent to ten thousand tomans at the time—and includes a
poem, the author of which I could not determine. Perhaps the crown prince did not recite
it accurately, and he writes: "How can I give thanks when all blessings are from you/How
can a blessing itself give thanks?" (Letter dated 1 Farvardin 1311). In a letter dated 15
Azar 1312, he references Saadi and starts the letter with "Your sacred handwriting, which
always cheers my being and supports my life, has arrived." By 15 Farvardin 1315,
anticipating his return to Iran, he predicts that with the attention of a "father, nurturer of
arts and seeker of knowledge," Iran will soon surpass its ancient status, then he tells his
father, "May the dawn of your fortune rise/For this is still from the effects of the dawn."
In a letter dated 6 Azar 1314, after praising the transformations his "crowned father" has
made in "rebuilding the ruined Iran," he writes, "Indeed, such is what great men do when
action is needed," and immediately adds that he tries to emulate "your precious existence"
and "be worthy of such a father," then quotes the verse: "A son who does not resemble
his father/Call him not a son, call him a stranger." In another letter, after mentioning his
struggles with algebra and geometry, he promises to overcome this deficiency with
"greater seriousness," as "imperfect knowledge is ignorance, so that later, under the
shadow of that great father, I may become both a warrior and a scholar." (Letter dated 1
Mordad 1314)
He refers to becoming a warrior in connection with a letter Reza Shah wrote about
mathematics to his son. After receiving his son's letter and also a report from Modabber
al-Dowleh Nafisi and employing a tutor who "extraordinarily trained with servants in
algebra, calculus, analytical geometry, and trigonometry during the holidays," in one of
the few published letters of Reza Shah to the crown prince, he writes, "You had written
that you performed well in the exams, and only in mathematics were you somewhat
weak. Of course, with effort and attention in this subject, you can also become strong ...
The aim is not that you specialize in this field. After all, you must be a brave officer. If
you are not very strong in math, it will not matter much."[4] Naturally, the "researcher"
appointed by the Islamic regime to introduce this document regards it as an indication of
"the gendarmerie role defined for Reza Shah."
Among his lessons, the crown prince most often reports to Reza Shah about his
Persian lessons and his writing and composition. About 15% of all three thousand pages
of documents from this period of education are about this issue of writing.[5] In one of
the letters, he writes, "A few days ago, when I was looking through my dictations and
notebooks, I found two sheets from Tehran's dictations. I laughed at my handwriting at
that time. Hence, I am sending them so that you can laugh too." (Letter dated 24 Tir
1313) From a letter dated 26 Farvardin 1313, we learn that even earlier, Reza Shah had
"expressed satisfaction with my handwriting and spelling," and for this reason, sending a
sample of handwriting and reiterating the improvement of the crown prince's handwriting
can be associated with another theme of the letter of 24 Tir. At that time, Reza Shah had
bought a new Hispano Suiza car for the crown prince but had not yet allowed him to use
it, even with an experienced driver. In any case, the essence of that letter was that the
reward for my good handwriting is permission to ride in my car. In a letter dated 25
Farvardin 1313, the crown prince speaks of the illness of "my teacher, Modabber,"
explaining that for this reason, "I could not present more than two dictations to your
blessed presence, but since the presence of a teacher is not necessary for writing practice,
this is why I have presented eight pages of practice at your blessed feet."
It was already known that Reza Shah paid close attention to the crown prince's
handwriting, exercises, and dictations in letters. Now we see that even about practice
papers, he had serious and strict views.
We know that the topics of these lessons on writing and composition were quite
broad, covering the life of Benjamin Franklin, the story of Sultan Mas'ud and the
merchant, the life of Avicenna, and the story of the musician Barbad.[6]
For this reason, the crown prince and his Persian tutor, Modarres Molk, paid
careful attention to every aspect of the samples they sent to Reza Shah. In a letter from
Modarres Molk to the special office, we read that "The pens recently sent... are for
practicing bold script. They are not good for writing and notetaking. Please send slightly
thinner ones of the same type and strength." Conversely, the special office, on behalf of
Reza Shah, notes in a letter to Modarres Molk that "the handwriting of His Highness is
extraordinarily interesting and very good," but immediately adds that in the dictation of
His Highness sent last week, "verses by Sana'i were seen under his own life story," and it
seems "such verses or poems do not seem appropriate for His Imperial Majesty... and this
matter also came to the attention in the exalted presence of His Majesty." It is written,
"Sana'i is one of the famous poets of Iran... and his statements can still be used for
literary purposes today... but it is better that... poems and verses" used should be "suitable
for presentation and offering" to the crown prince. It is mentioned that the verses of
Sana'i used in the practice and essays "mostly lament and complain about the conditions,
which perhaps were appropriate at that time. But evoking this kind of mood in the mind
of the person... the crown prince is not necessary and even inappropriate for today's
life."[7] As one might guess, the "researcher" who published this document, following
the regime's policy, claims that "perhaps the main reason" for the objection to Sana'i is
Sana'i's devotion "to the household of infallibility and purity."
The seriousness of the issue of Persian handwriting in these correspondences is
evident from the crown prince's most serious disagreement with an opinion that came in
his father's letter about this issue. One of the people Reza Shah consulted about the
handwriting of the crown prince's letters was Emad al-Ketab, Mohammad Hossein Saifi
Qazvini, known as one of the best calligraphers of the time. He was a renowned
constitutionalist and xenophobe, and he had been imprisoned for a while for being a
member of the "Punishment Committee" active in the years before Reza Shah's rise to
power. He had been a teacher of handwriting to Ahmad Shah, and Reza Shah had made
him the royal calligrapher. The epitaph of Ferdowsi's tomb and the opening of the
university were written by him. As appears from a letter from the crown prince dated 29
Mehr 1312, "Emad had sent a very excellent piece of the calligraphy of Darvish Abdul
Majid [who lived at the end of the Safavid era and is considered the greatest calligrapher
of broken Nastaliq script] as a gift... He had also written a paper and given instructions on
my dictations. Of course, some of the things he wrote are correct because I myself am
somewhat knowledgeable about calligraphy teaching. But all these things are well known
to Modarres, especially he says that now I must write more words in Nastaliq to make the
script strong. Broken words are not currently permissible." He writes, "I am used to
Modarres's script; changing it would be troublesome for me." He even says, "I have
compared Modarres's handwriting with others, and it is very good." To avoid upsetting
his father, the crown prince adds, "Despite this, whatever you command, I will obey." (29
Mehr 1312) Reza Shah, as far as other letters reveal, did not insist on changing the style
of the crown prince's handwriting, but the crown prince's explicit language and passionate
support for his teacher Modarres and his decisiveness in showing his own knowledge of
handwriting are remarkable.
But beyond the coherence of the prose and the increase in literary references,
another significant change in these letters is noticeable. If in the letters of the first year,
written with understandable caution and respect mingled with fear by a young man newly
arrived in Europe for his powerful and perfectionist father, he writes more about lessons
and schoolwork, in the last one or two years, he increasingly writes in the language and
relative mental comfort of a crown prince who knows he will soon return to Iran and
gradually take part in running the country. As can be understood from the son's responses,
Reza Shah encouraged this new style and these interventions of the crown prince, even in
military affairs. He took every opportunity to show the grandeur and authority of his
crown prince to Iranian officials and even the royal family and to make following him a
fixture in their minds. Iranian ambassadors visited the crown prince at his school
residence more and more often. In a letter dated 11 Farvardin 1313, we read that the
crown prince, "in a meeting with Foroughi [the then Iranian ambassador to Switzerland],
had learned that 'the blessed entourage' of his father was coming to Switzerland and he
'was also informed that he would soon see his great father.'" The possibility of this trip
was also rumored at that time in Tehran, namely when it became clear that Reza Shah
intended to visit Turkey. But in a letter dated 6 Mordad 1313, we read that Reza Shah had
informed him that "despite the short distance between Istanbul and Switzerland, in view
of state interests," he would not go to Switzerland. The intention to visit Switzerland,
aside from seeing the crown prince, according to the British embassy at the time, had
another purpose. Diplomatic sources in Tehran those days spoke of "ill temper" and the
possibility of Reza Shah's illness. It was commonly believed that he was suffering from
an incurable disease like cancer and might "travel to Switzerland for treatment by a
specialist" and to see the crown prince.[8] For reasons that are not clear, the trip to
Switzerland never took place. In this same report from the British embassy, we read that
Reza Shah had appointed Zaka al-Molk Foroughi's brother, Mirza Abolhassan Foroughi,
despite his lack of experience in diplomatic affairs, "to the Iranian embassy in
Switzerland" to "send another trusted supervisor for the crown prince."[9] When Reza
Shah eventually traveled to Turkey, the crown prince also met with the Turkish
ambassador in Switzerland and in a letter informed his father that he was following the
news of his trip to Turkey in the newspapers. Reza Shah even wrote a letter to his son
every week while in Turkey and once sent him a postcard. (Letter dated 16 Tir 1313) In a
letter from the same period, the crown prince wishes that his father "had enjoyed his trip
to Turkey" and immediately adds that "I hope, thanks to the patriotic attentions of my
dear father, Iran's level of progress will exceed what you have observed in Turkey."
(Letter dated 9 Tir 1313) The desire to elevate Iran to the highest possible contemporary
level, and also to a level worthy of the glorious history of ancient Iran, is evident several
times in these letters.
From Alam's memories and other evidence, we know that Mohammad Reza
Shah asked every day about the amount of snow and rain across the country and
was cheered by news of snow and rain. In a letter dated 12 Esfand 1314, he says he
became "saddened" due to the lack of snow and rain because "snow and rain are
very necessary for agriculture, especially in our beloved homeland."
In some of the letters where the crown prince talks about his meetings with
ambassadors, unlike the caution of the letters from the first years, we can see the newly
acquired tone of someone who knows he will soon be on the throne of power. He writes,
"Last Sunday, Kazemi [the Foreign Minister at the time] had asked permission to come
see me and introduce Adl, our new ambassador in Switzerland. I accepted him." (29 Dey
1313) In a letter about his meeting with Abolhassan Foroughi, the Iranian ambassador to
Switzerland, he writes, "He is an intelligent man but talks a bit too much." (20 Aban
1312) In the same letter, we learn that the crown prince even had a special status at the
boarding school at that time. His meetings took place in the special hall of the school
principal. In another letter, he writes that when it was planned for all the students of the
boarding school "to go on a trip and spend two nights outside, but I knew that your
blessed mind would be upset by such outings," he decided not to go "and the school
principal suspended this outing and spending the night outside for my sake." (7 Mordad
1312)
Another significant event of those years was when the Queen Mother and
Princesses Shams and Ashraf, by order of Reza Shah, went to Switzerland to see the
crown prince. In several letters, the son gives a detailed report of his mother's and sisters'
trip to Reza Shah. He says he and his brother, along with Hossein Fardoust and Dr. Nafisi
and Modarres, "went up to the railway station to receive" the guests. He even explains
where each sat in the car. (Letter dated 21 Tir 1313) The details mentioned in this report
can be seen as an indication of the level of information that Reza Shah wanted and
received about the life of his crown prince. We know that in addition to the weekly letters
from his son, he consistently received reports from Dr. Nafisi, the Iranian embassy in
Switzerland, and several other Iranian officials. From the crown prince's letters, we learn
interesting details about Reza Shah's relationship with the Queen Mother and the crown
prince's role in this sometimes tense relationship. We learn that Reza Shah sent "twenty
thousand francs [approximately forty thousand tomans at the time] of motherly kindness
and ten thousand francs" to his older sisters for the crown prince to give to his mother and
sisters. From these letters, we also learn that despite the crown prince's pleas, Reza Shah
refrained from writing to the Queen Mother for a while. The crown prince writes, "You
had noted that due to engagements and busy schedules, you did not have the opportunity
to respond to the affectionate mother's letter and they should not be distressed." The
crown prince continues to insist in the next letter, writing, "Of course, they pray for your
exalted existence, but if you write even briefly to my dear mother, they will be
immensely grateful." (6 Mordad 1313) In letters from the following two weeks, the
crown prince still insists on persuading Reza Shah to write a letter to the Queen Mother
and is unsuccessful. In a letter dated 20 Mordad 1313, he writes, "My dear mother waits
every week for your blessed handwriting, and although they know you are very busy,
they still expect it." Eventually, in a letter dated 3 Shahrivar 1313, he writes to his father
that "My dear mother was immensely delighted last week by the visit of your blessed
handwriting." (Letter dated 3 Shahrivar 1313)
It's intriguing that in these letters, there are a few mentions of Princess Shams and
her efforts to learn French and also her hiring a piano teacher, but there is no mention of
Princess Ashraf and her efforts to stay in Switzerland. We know that when the Crown
Prince was headed to Europe, Ashraf was supposed to go with her brother to Switzerland.
Reza Shah changed his mind at the last moment and refrained from sending his daughter
to Europe. From Ashraf Pahlavi's memoirs, we know that this decision weighed heavily
on her and influenced her behavior throughout her life. She then reconnected with her
father and asked for permission to stay with the Crown Prince and attend school, which
was again decisively, or as Ashraf puts it, harshly and decisively rejected. Reza Shah
apparently told her to stop the nonsense and come back.[10] One must wonder what
impact it would have had on her life and even on the fate of the Pahlavi dynasty if
Ashraf, who was as intelligent and politically inclined as her brother Mohammad Reza,
had been allowed to study. Often, the patriarchal values of society, even in the behavior
of a man like Reza Shah, who had strived for women's freedom and equality and
achieved considerable success, have far-reaching consequences not just in the lives of
women but in the destiny of society.
The Crown Prince not only "interceded" for his mother with Reza Shah in these
letters but also requested help for his third wife, Touran Amir Soleimani. Reza Shah's
marriage to this wife was hurried and lasted only about a year. Shapur Gholamreza was
the only child from this marriage and had been sent to Switzerland with the Crown Prince
by Reza Shah's orders. The Crown Prince writes on 20 Dey 1314, "Dear father, you must
know I love all my brothers dearly and cannot bear to see them distressed. Gholamreza's
mother apparently occasionally complains about her financial situation to Gholamreza,
which saddens and worries him. I beseech my dear father to ensure, as much as possible,
her comfort and ease so she can endure the separation from her only child and live
comfortably under your blessed shadow." (20 Dey 1314) It's hard to imagine that in those
times, when Reza Shah was at the height of his power, anyone other than the Crown
Prince dared to intervene in his relations with his past (or subsequent) wives in such a
manner. Another aspect of this boldness in meddling in Reza Shah's life can be seen in
the son's concerns for his father's health.
The letter dated 23 Shahrivar 1314 is a clear example of this new aspect of the
father-son relationship. Most of the letter discusses serious and new issues, far from the
familiar flattery and repetitions. The Crown Prince writes, "You had written that you
neither have the time for rest nor the desire for comfort and recreation... Father
unparalleled, with the love and adoration I have for your esteemed self, I dare say that
you are a unique name, and the health and endurance of your unparalleled being are more
necessary for the country than anything else." He then suggests, "Please spend an hour or
two of your valuable time on some light sports such as tennis [as it appears in the original
text] and horseback riding and leisure." He says, "Father dear, you know that Gustav V,
the current king of Sweden, still spends at least a few hours a day playing tennis at the
age of 78 and apparently remains in good health because of it." He knows that with these
suggestions, a new dimension of the relationship with his father opens up, and to avoid
Reza Shah's wrath, he says, "Father dear, I apologize for the boldness and hope you will
forgive me." (23 Shahrivar 1314) We know that during all the years Reza Shah lived in
Iran, few saw him dressed in anything but military attire. It's unlikely, almost impossible,
to imagine him in tennis attire among a group.
Incidentally, one of Reza Shah's letters to the Crown Prince, published by the
"Center for the Study of Historical Documents" in Iran, is Reza Shah's full response to
this letter dated 23 Shahrivar. There we read, "My dear and diligent Crown Prince, the
description you wrote on 23 Shahrivar has arrived, and I am informed and pleased that
you are healthily and happily engaged in your studies. I derive special pleasure every
time from reading your writings. In the recent letter, you referred to my health and
reminded me of the necessity of preserving health and exercising. I am delighted by these
references, which are a sign of your heartfelt love and affection. Although health is
monitored as much as possible, there is no time for various sports. You know that all my
time must be devoted to state affairs and I must always be thinking and studying. For this
reason, the sport I have chosen is walking because it does not prevent thinking. I walk a
bit every day and it is beneficial and effective for improving my disposition. I will
certainly not forget your loving reminders, which are a source of encouragement and
motivation. I hope you also continue to have the utmost health and happiness and with
the expression of your sincere feelings, bring joy and satisfaction to me."[11] In response
to another of these letters from Reza Shah about never taking a break from work, the
Crown Prince promises, "I strive greatly to follow this valuable and worthy example of
such a kind father." At the same time, he somewhat complains about the Iranian people,
saying that if "the workers of our dear homeland did one-tenth of what you do, our
country under your esteemed presence would become one of the most important countries
in the world." (30 Farvardin 1314) The same spirit can be seen in another letter from the
Crown Prince. In a letter dated 16 Esfand 1314, he writes, "For us Iranians and our
beloved homeland, your presence, Reza Shah, is a great blessing, and if it weren't for this
blessing, Iranians would be humiliated and miserable, and whatever we have is because
of you." Reza Shah's responses to these letters are not currently available to the public
and researchers, but in his speeches, he often talks about the duty and responsibility that
he and government officials must feel toward the people and the history of Iran. If he has
any complaints, they are about the Qajar rulers and the ruling elite who, through
negligence, brought the affairs of the nation to ruin.
Apart from such suggestions regarding Reza Shah's private life, the Crown Prince
increasingly addresses political issues of the day and even some military matters in his
letters. On 13 Bahman 1313, he talks about the growing discussion of the name Iran
among foreigners and writes, "The Europeans are surprised that from now on our country
should be called Iran instead of Persia, but I tell everyone that the word Persia is derived
from Pars, which was and is just a province of our vast country. It was Iran that had
intimidated great Rome and ancient Greece. Dear father, I hope that under your blessed
shadow, this name will become renowned throughout the world and that the progress and
greatness of modern Iran will reach the level of ancient Iran." (13 Bahman 1313) In other
letters, he sometimes requests military rank promotions with higher salaries for his
former employees in Iran and at other times for his companions. On 9 Tir 1313, he asks
his father to find a job for his former office employee who "is now unemployed and has
to support an eight-member family and has had no work since then... I ask that he be
given a job." The letter does not specify who the Crown Prince is referring to, but from
the content of the Crown Prince's letters, it appears that Reza Shah usually accepted such
requests from his son. On 6 Bahman 1312, he requests a higher administrative rank for
his Persian teacher, justifying his request by writing, "Modarres takes great care and
attention" and "has corrected the foundation and origin of my writing." His first request
for a military rank promotion is for the father of Hossein Fardoust, and from the tone of
the letter, it is clear that he knows he must tread even more cautiously in this area. He
writes, "Since Nowruz is approaching and many officers hope for a promotion, I ask that
if it is appropriate and you wish, order a rank for the father of Hossein Seyfollah
Fardoust. Of course, this matter is up to your royal discretion." He says Fardoust "has
been with me for a long time, and I am very satisfied with him." (5 Esfand 1312)
Today, by studying the Crown Prince's letters and comparing them with some
letters and many of Reza Shah's speeches, we can say that even in the young Crown
Prince's mind, the seeds of a religious-friendly perspective are visible. Since we do
not have Reza Shah's letters to his son due to the narrow-mindedness of the Islamic
regime, we do not know if Reza Shah ever commented on the sometimes religiously
laden language of his son's letters or reprimanded him.
In some letters, he thanks his father for accepting his requests with the same
always-praising language. Occasionally, he also mentions the gifts he received and thanks
him for them. From the letter dated 5 Esfand 1313, we learn that Reza Shah sometimes
sent caviar to his son. We know that Mohammad Reza Shah did not eat caviar. Did he
also not like it during his crown prince days? Clearly, if he did not like caviar at that time,
his father was unaware of it. One can guess that teachers, principals, and classmates who
rarely saw caviar in Europe benefited from this bounty from the Caspian Sea. In this
same letter dated 5 Esfand, the Crown Prince tells his father that he sent this batch of
"very excellent" caviar, which "cannot be found in Switzerland," to the Iranian embassy
in Switzerland to be served at the "birthday celebration." In a letter dated 17 Azar 1313,
we find that Reza Shah sent "two ties made in Iran" to the Crown Prince, and he does not
know "how to express my gratitude for the endless kindness of my better-than-life
father." In another letter, we read that Reza Shah sent "an excellent rug" for the Crown
Prince to give to his new friend, an Indian prince, who had given him a gramophone for
his birthday. (9 Dey 1312) We know that during those years, Reza Shah worked in his
speeches and policies to advance the art of carpet weaving, production, handicrafts, and
Iranian textiles. Here we see that he follows the same approach in the private relationship
between father and son.
In some letters, the Crown Prince refers to events in Iran and comments on them.
On 6 Ordibehesht 1314, he says he was informed and affected by a "significant
earthquake" in Mazandaran and emphasizes that he is glad "that dear compatriots have
collected funds" and claims that "such chivalry" did not exist in the past and that Iran
"has learned all this progress during the blessed reign" of Reza Shah. Apparently, the
Crown Prince is referring to a 5.8 magnitude earthquake that occurred in Mazandaran on
14 Esfand 1313.[12] In another letter, we encounter the first signs of the Crown Prince's
interest in the Air Force. We know that during his reign, he made continuous efforts to
make the Iranian Air Force one of the most powerful in the world. He asks Reza Shah
about his visit to the aviation maneuvers and facilities, "You had written about the
number of aircraft and the air force and the new aircraft factory." (Letter dated 20
Ordibehesht 1314)
From the letter dated 12 Esfand 1314, we learn that Reza Shah mentioned in a
previous letter that the weather in Tehran had turned spring-like, and the Crown Prince
responds to this news with one of the concerns that occupied his mind continuously
during his reign. From Alim's memoirs and other evidence, we know that Mohammad
Reza Shah asked every day about the amount of snow and rain across the country and
was cheered by news of snow and rain. In the letter dated 12 Esfand 1314, he says he
became "saddened" due to the lack of snow and rain because "snow and rain are very
necessary for agriculture, especially in our beloved homeland."
One of the most striking aspects of these letters is the difference in religious
perspective between the Crown Prince and Reza Shah. This difference can sometimes be
seen in the style of speech in these letters and sometimes in their content. In a letter dated
9 Esfand 1314, the Crown Prince responds to a letter from Reza Shah in which his father
had spoken about the unveiling of women, writing, "You had written that I now
understand the importance of unveiling and especially the progress of women. Yes, father
dear, I have grown up under your blessed shadow, and I hope to express everything I
understand and feel in your presence, but I will mostly strive to keep my mouth closed
and my ears open to learn from your unparalleled advice." We do not have the Crown
Prince's previous letter that apparently commented on this issue, nor Reza Shah's
response. Should we interpret these phrases and their tone to mean that in the previous
letter, the Crown Prince had expressed opinions about unveiling that Reza Shah did not
like, and in response, Reza Shah says he "now understands the importance of unveiling"?
Two weeks later, they return to the issue of unveiling. The Crown Prince emphasizes that
"now that maidens parade like boys and men in neat clothes and show respect to the flag
of their beloved homeland, it is clear that progress has reached high degrees." (22 Esfand
1314)
From a broad historical perspective, one of the most important differences in the
political views of Reza Shah and Mohammad Reza Shah revolves around each's views on
the role and place of religion in society. Reza Shah considered the clergy who claimed
guardianship as enemies of modernization and progress—clergy who opposed the
achievements of the constitutional revolution, which stated that sovereignty belonged to
the people, and claimed (and still claim) that sovereignty entirely belongs to Allah and to
the clergy as the self-proclaimed representatives of God on earth. These clergy, relying on
this made-up claim, felt (and feel) entitled to impose their version of Sharia law on the
entire society. Reza Shah did not tolerate such claims and interference. However, as I
have detailed in "A Look at the Shah," Mohammad Reza Shah, under the influence of the
Cold War's bipolar atmosphere and the widespread belief that religion could be used to
combat communism, reconciled with the clergy. On the other hand, the spread of Marxist
ideas, particularly the Russian kind, frightened the Shah. I had written that Mohammad
Reza Shah's religious beliefs, compared to Reza Shah's entirely secular mind, language,
and politics, were another root of this significant difference in their modernization
policies. Today, by studying the Crown Prince's letters and comparing them with some
letters and many of Reza Shah's speeches, we can say that even in the young Crown
Prince's mind, the seeds of a religious-friendly perspective are visible. Since we do not
have Reza Shah's letters to his son due to the narrow-mindedness of the Islamic regime,
we do not know if Reza Shah ever commented on the sometimes religiously laden
language of his son's letters or reprimanded him. One might guess from the nature of the
father-son relationship that if Reza Shah had said anything, the Crown Prince would
likely have changed the tone of the letters. Perhaps the father thought that this sometimes
religiously laden language was a predictable aspect of a young man far from home and
hoped that with the Crown Prince's return to Iran and more time spent with his secular
father, he too would revise his views and language. But as Beyhaqi said, "Fate was lying
in wait and did its work." A world-shattering and devastating factor like World War II
abruptly and prematurely removed the father from power, and the rapid spread of Tudeh
Party's ideas made the Shah's perceived need to "reconcile" with the clergy part of his
strategy during his reign, leading to the eventual outcome after 37 years.
Reza Shah found the root of his mission more in history, while in these letters,
his Crown Prince sometimes considered him a "messenger of God."
In these 156 letters, there are few instances where we do not marvel at the
abundance of religious expressions. The Crown Prince fervently prays to the "merciful
and compassionate God for the long life and health of your unparalleled being." (Letter
dated 15 Farvardin 1315) He is always happy to "visit" his father's letter or "blessed
handwriting." In the letter dated 2 Farvardin 1314, he uses phrases like "blessed
handwriting," "your esteemed presence," "God willing," "under your sacred shadow,"
"May God preserve your blessed shadow," "always praying for your esteemed presence,"
"your esteemed mind," "the weather here, thank God." In the letter dated 4 Bahman 1314,
a few months before his return to Iran, he says, "I and all patriotic Iranians know that you
are God's chosen one and the savior of Iran, and from the bottom of my heart, I pray that
the pure God does not take you from us. The work you have done so far is not the work
of man. I cannot express my gratitude in words, so I pray for the survival of your dear
existence and the success of your esteemed self." In the letter dated 7 Bahman 1312, he
calls himself "your true worshiper." In one instance, he even describes a sacred
dream—like the one he described in "Mission for My Country." In one of the last letters
he wrote to his father from Switzerland, he says, "When I read your blessed handwriting
and close my eyes and wait to see nothing but light, then I supplicate to see your dear
visage. Suddenly, your radiant figure appears from the middle of the light, and I become
overwhelmed with joy." The Crown Prince ends the letter with, "Dear father, I consider
you above mere mortals and am certain you are a messenger of God." (Letter dated 4
Bahman 1314) Reza Shah found the root of his mission more in history, while in these
letters, his Crown Prince sometimes considered him a "messenger of God."
Another point evident in the letters from the last few months of the Crown Prince's
life in Switzerland is his growing longing for his father and his desire to return to Iran as
soon as possible. In "A Look at the Shah," based on a letter from La Rosey School, I had
written that the Crown Prince returned to Iran before completing his final exams and
before receiving his diploma. I had written that according to the school official, not
receiving the diploma had nothing to do with the Crown Prince's academic performance
(which was satisfactory). Perhaps one of the reasons for this early return can be found in
these letters. On 24 Aban 1314, he writes that he knows he is "the happiest of sons
because I have such a great father, but how wonderful it would be to be with my
unparalleled father because under his guidance, I would learn more than I could in a
lifetime of study." (Letter dated 24 Aban 1314) Even earlier, on 15 Ordibehesht 1313, he
had written to his father, "I dream of your blessed face almost every night, and this is my
greatest happiness." (Letter dated 15 Ordibehesht 1313) In another letter with a similar
tone, he writes, "Dear father, I wish I could see you with my own eyes and take endless
pleasure from beholding your esteemed self. This is my day and night wish." (Letter
dated 18 Aban 1314) In a letter dated 12 Esfand of the same year, his tone is even more
impatient, writing, "Alas, I cannot express my love and adoration as I should. The pen is
inadequate, and words fail me. I must wait to pour this sea of love and adoration at your
blessed feet in person." (Letter dated 12 Esfand 1314) Three weeks later, upon reading
his father's letter dated 20 Esfand 1314, he writes, "My eyes filled with tears of joy," and
says, "I needed these tears of happiness because they refreshed and rejuvenated my dry
heart." He says he cannot adequately express his gratitude, "but the pure God will reward
you for bringing joy to my sorrowful heart." (Letter dated 8 Farvardin 1315) Finally,
three weeks later, when he learns he will soon return to Iran, he writes that from joy, "my
soul almost left my body." (Letter dated 15 Ordibehesht 1315)
In every letter, as in every text, one must pay attention to both what is written and
what is left unsaid. Sometimes silence is as telling as sound, so the unspoken and
unwritten aspects of these letters also need attention. From the relatively extensive
collection of memories of the Crown Prince's foreign and Iranian classmates, school
documents, and reports from foreign embassies in Switzerland, the Crown Prince's
writings in the school newspaper, and finally the significant but bitter memoirs of
Fardoust, a relatively comprehensive picture of the Crown Prince's life in Switzerland can
be obtained. We know that he had extensive relations with his classmates. He sometimes
had disputes with them but mostly got along. According to Fardoust, he developed a
close relationship with at least one Swiss girl who worked at the school, and the girl even
claimed she was pregnant by the Crown Prince. In the letters, the Crown Prince almost
without exception talks about his progress in Persian writing and language. Naturally, he
knows that this issue is of special importance to his father. In none of the letters do we
see any mention of the fact that he wrote many articles for the school newspaper—a
detail I have elaborated on in "A Look at the Shah."
At the same time, we know that during these years, a Swiss man named Ernest
Perron, who was a worker at the school and an educated and very religious person,
became one of the Crown Prince's close friends. I have detailed his story in "A Look at
the Shah." We know that when Perron came to Iran at the invitation of the Crown Prince,
he faced the wrath of Reza Shah. He wanted to expel him from Iran but faced resistance
from his Crown Prince and consequently exiled Perron outside Tehran. Reza Shah
considered Perron a British spy. At the same time, he could not tolerate his behavior
resembling that of a homosexual. After Reza Shah's abdication and exile, Perron became
one of the Shah's closest advisors. Some called him a clown, others a spy, and many
considered him one of the Shah's closest confidants.[13]
After Reza Shah's abdication and exile, the young Mohammad Reza Shah utilized
all his relatively limited resources to make his exiled father's life less burdensome. He
continually negotiated with the British embassy on this matter. He frequently sent letters,
gifts, and money to his father. Sometimes he sent a trusted person to deliver a message or
letter to his father and receive the response in the same manner. He certainly knew that all
the postal letters between him and his father were being reviewed and sometimes even
censored by British authorities. The most unusual and thought-provoking trusted envoy
during those years was Ernest Perron. At the end of June 1942, Perron, along with several
letters, a suitcase of Iranian snacks, a recording of the Shah's voice, and messages from
the son to the father, arrived in South Africa by plane. Mohammad Reza Shah was
certainly aware of his father's suspicion, disfavor, and even aversion towards Perron.
Why did he send him on such a mission despite this knowledge? Was it a form of
asserting independence against his once all-powerful father? Perhaps he thought Perron,
at least, was "trusted" by the British and suitable for such a crucial mission at that time?
What was Reza Shah's reaction to seeing Perron? We do not know the answers to any of
these questions. However, we have extensive information about Perron's behavior during
that trip.
Upon his arrival in South Africa, they took Perron's letters and suitcase at the
airport. The next morning, they returned them to him. In their detailed report of this trip,
British embassy officials in South Africa initially noted that Reza Shah always
considered Perron a spy and had condemned him to death just before leaving Iran. They
said the occupation of Iran also saved Perron's life. The highest British official in South
Africa at that time provided a brief description of his conversation with Perron in this
report. He said Perron emphasized that he had always believed in the necessity of
cooperation between Iran and Britain and that the current Shah of Iran also believed in
this cooperation. Perron claimed that because "there is always intrigue at the court," he
wanted "to return to Iran as soon as possible" lest "his position at court and Britain's
position in Iran be weakened." Perron claimed or admitted during his negotiations that
"Reza Shah sent verbal instructions about Iran's future policies for his son" and while
Perron "did not disclose the content of this message [to the British officials or at least
those who wrote the report], he emphasized that he did not intend to convey the message
to the current Shah." Perron said, "If Reza Shah had remained in power, there would have
been absolutely no hope for cooperation between Iran and Britain."[14] It is unclear how
much of Perron's claims can be believed. I think there can be no doubt that Reza Shah,
with his remarkable astuteness, understood Perron's character better than Mohammad
Reza Shah did.
Another interesting point about Perron's negotiations with the embassy is his
expression of "surprise" at the simplicity and modesty of Reza Shah's house in
Johannesburg, saying that such a house was not befitting a dethroned king. Embassy
officials said that Reza Shah himself rejected all the other houses shown to him because
he said their rents were too high. British officials claimed that Reza Shah even refused to
pay the bills of tradesmen whom he felt were excessively expensive. Apparently, after
consulting with Mohammad Reza Shah, money was sent from Iran to an account other
than Reza Shah's, managed by his physician and a British embassy official, used to pay
these disputed bills. Perron even suggested that more money be sent from Iran to buy a
house and then rent it to Reza Shah at a price he would accept. Reza Shah's physician told
Perron, "Reza Shah is overly worried about his financial situation and fears that money
will not arrive from Tehran.... He currently has 68,000 pounds—approximately 883,000
tomans—and if he spends at the current rate, this money will last for another five years."
It should be remembered that in these same letters and other documents published in Iran,
we know that while the Crown Prince was in Switzerland, Reza Shah paid 50,000 Swiss
francs to buy his son a favored car. At that time, there were reportedly only four other
Hispano cars in Switzerland. From these letters, we also learn that before the Hispano, a
Lincoln car—also very expensive—was bought for the Crown Prince. (25 Shahrivar
1312) Reza Shah knew that having such cars would give his Crown Prince a royal aura
and perhaps even self-confidence. Less than eight years later, the same Reza Shah was
worried about his daily living expenses in exile and avoided any extravagance. Even
when he bought those cars for his Crown Prince, he was sensitive to every qeran spent
from his account in Tehran. In any case, Perron, affected by seeing and hearing about
Reza Shah's living conditions, emphasized that "Reza Shah's current life in South Africa"
was not befitting him. At the same time, he noted that "Reza Shah's return to Iran would
end any cooperation with Britain." In other words, even when Perron felt sorry for Reza
Shah, he badmouthed him to the British and promised them that he would not deliver the
father's message to the son. As Akhavan-Sales said in "The Last Testament," "This is the
sad tale of exile in this treacherous, tumultuous century."
1. Hossein Fardoust, The Rise and Fall of the Pahlavi Dynasty, Volume One, Tehran,
1370 (1991), p. 27.
2. Iran Political Diaries, Edited by R. M. Burrell, Vol 8, 1927-1930, London, 1987,
p. 498.
3. "Content Report of Correspondence Documents Relating to the Shah's Study
Period in Switzerland 1311 to 1315," Quarterly Journal of Historical Studies, issue
53, Summer 1395 (2016), pp. 195–271.
4. Centre for Historical Document Studies, "Mohammad Reza Pahlavi and
Mathematics Lessons at Le Rosey."
5. "Content Report," op. cit., p. 201.
6. "Content Report," op. cit., p. 201.
7. Centre for Historical Document Studies, Mohammad Reza Pahlavi and Persian
Lessons at Le Rosey, and the Tyrant King.
8. Iran Political Diaries, Edited by R. M. Burrell, vol 9, 1931-1934, London, 1997, p.
498.
9. Ibid.
10. Princess Ashraf Pahlavi, Faces In A Mirror, New York, 1980, p. 23.
11. Centre for Historical Document Studies, Mohammad Reza Pahlavi and Sports at
Le Rosey.
12. N.N. Ambraseys and C.P. Melville, A History of Persian Earthquakes,
Cambridge, 1982, p. 164.
13. Daniela Meier, “Between Court Jester and Spy: The Career of a Swiss Gardener
at the Royal Court in Iran. A Footnote to Modern Iranian History,” Critique:
Critical Studies of the Middle East, published online on April 11, 2007.
14. PRO, FO 371/31393, "Report by Dr Tonkin on Mr. Perron’s Visit to the Ex-Shah,
30 October 1942.