Ashraf Pahlavi facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Ashraf Pahlavi |
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| Born | Zahra Pahlavi 26 October 1919 Tehran, Sublime State of Iran |
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| Died | 7 January 2016 (aged 96) Monte Carlo, Monaco |
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| Burial | 14 January 2016 Monaco Cemetery |
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| Spouse |
Ali Ghavam
(m. 1937; div. 1942)Ahmad Shafiq
(m. 1944; div. 1960)Mehdi Bushehri
(m. 1960) |
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| House | Pahlavi | ||||
| Father | Reza Shah | ||||
| Mother | Tadj ol-Molouk | ||||
Ashraf Pahlavi (Persian: اشرفالملوک پهلوی, 26 October 1919 – 7 January 2016) was a princess from Iran. She was the twin sister of Mohammad Reza Pahlavi, who was the last Shah (king) of Iran. She was an important member of the Pahlavi dynasty, the ruling family of Iran at that time.
Many people saw her as a powerful person who influenced her brother. She played a key role in a big event in 1953 that helped her brother become a stronger ruler. Princess Ashraf also worked as an adviser to her brother in the palace. She was a strong supporter of women's rights both in Iran and around the world. After the Iranian Revolution in 1979, she lived outside of Iran in places like France and Monaco. She continued to speak out against the new government in Iran.
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Early life of Ashraf Pahlavi
Ashraf Pahlavi was born in Tehran, Iran, on 26 October 1919. She was born just five hours after her twin brother, Mohammad Reza. Her father was Reza Pahlavi, who later became the Shah of Iran. Her mother was Tadj ol-Molouk. Ashraf had many brothers and sisters.
In the early 1930s, Ashraf, her older sister Shams, and their mother made a big change. They were among the first important Iranian women to stop wearing the traditional veil. On 8 January 1936, they took part in a special event. They attended a graduation ceremony at the Tehran Teacher's College without their veils. This was part of her father's plan to help women be more involved in public life.
In 1932, she hosted a meeting called the Second Eastern Women's Congress. This meeting was organized by a group called the Jam'iyat-e Nesvan-e Vatankhah.
Ashraf Pahlavi was not allowed to go to university. Instead, she got married in 1937 when she was 18 years old. Her first husband was Mirza Khan Ghavam. His family was connected to her father's political group.
Politics and public work
Ashraf Pahlavi's role in 1953
In 1953, Ashraf Pahlavi was very important in an event known as Operation Ajax. This operation aimed to change the government in Iran. Her brother, Mohammad Reza Shah, was not sure about supporting this plan at first.
Ashraf met with agents from the American CIA. They asked her to talk to her brother. She was known as the only person who could really influence him. She traveled back to Iran from France to speak with her brother. She convinced him to agree to the operation.
Working for human rights
Ashraf Pahlavi was a strong supporter of women's rights and human rights around the world. She worked with the United Nations. In 1967, she was Iran's representative to the United Nations Commission on Human Rights. She also worked with the United Nations Economic and Social Council. In 1975, she was very involved with the International Women's Year and spoke at the United Nations.
She believed that women should have basic things like "food, education, and health." She thought that many governments were not doing enough to help women.
Princess Ashraf also worked to spread literacy, which means the ability to read and write. This was especially important in Iran. Her brother, the Shah, also supported efforts to end illiteracy. She was part of a committee that worked on literacy around the world.
In 1977, there was an attempt to assassinate Ashraf Pahlavi. It happened at her summer home in France. Many bullets were fired at her car. Her assistant was killed, but Princess Ashraf was not hurt.
After the 1979 revolution, she asked her friend David Rockefeller to help her brother find a safe place to live. She also criticized some world leaders for not supporting her brother during the revolution.
Character and family
When Ashraf Pahlavi was younger, she sometimes felt unsure about herself. She wished she looked different, with fairer skin and more height. She often felt like she was shorter than almost everyone else. This feeling might have made her want to be bold and strong.
Her twin brother, Mohammad Reza Pahlavi, was her closest friend. She wrote in her memoirs that she looked up to him as a child. She said his voice became the most important one in her life as they grew up.
Important roles
- Honorary President of Red Lion and Sun Society, 1944
- Chairwoman of the United Nations Commission on the Status of Women, 1965
- Iranian delegate to the United Nations Commission on Human Rights, 1967
- Iranian delegate to the United Nations Economic and Social Council, 1967
- Chairwoman of the United Nations High Commission for Human Rights, 1970
- Member of the Consultative Committee of International Women's Year Conference, 1975
- President of the Women's Organization of Iran, 1967–1979
- Chairwoman of the Imperial Foundation for Social Services
- Honorary Fellow of Wadham College, Oxford
- Member of the International Consultative Liaison Committee for Literacy
Marriages and children
First marriage
Ashraf Pahlavi first married Mirza 'Ali Muhammed Khan Ghavam in March 1937. They divorced in 1942. They had one son named Prince Shahram Pahlavi-Nia, born in 1940.
Second marriage
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Her second marriage was to Ahmed Chafik Bey. They married in 1944 in Cairo, Egypt. They divorced in 1960. They had two children together:
- Captain Prince Shahriar Mustapha Chafik (1945–1979)
- Princess Azadeh Pahlavi-Chafik (1951–2011)
Third marriage
Ashraf Pahlavi married for the third time on 5 June 1960 to Mehdi Bushehri. They did not have any children together. They often lived in different places, with Ashraf in New York City and Mehdi in Paris.
In an interview in 1980, Princess Ashraf said, "I have never been a good mother. Because of my way of life, I was not with my children very much."
Life in exile and death
After the 1979 Iranian Revolution, Princess Ashraf lived in different places. She spent her time between New York City, Paris, and Juan-les-Pins in France.
Princess Ashraf Pahlavi passed away on 7 January 2016 in Monte Carlo, Monaco. She was 96 years old. Her nephew, Reza Pahlavi, announced her death. An adviser said she died peacefully in her sleep due to old age.
Her funeral was held on 14 January 2016 at the Monaco Cemetery in Monaco. Members of the Pahlavi family, including Empress Farah Pahlavi, attended the service. At the time of her death, she was the oldest living member of her family.
Books written by Ashraf Pahlavi
Ashraf Pahlavi wrote several books:
- Faces in a Mirror: Memoirs from Exile (1980)
- Time for Truth (1995)
- Jamais Résignée (1981) (This book was written in French)
Her books were published after she wrote an article in The New York Times in 1980. In that article, she said she would fight against false stories about her and her family. Her books mostly try to explain her family's side of the story. She also wanted to help Western readers understand Iran's culture and the Iranian Revolution better.
Before the 1979 revolution, Princess Ashraf also translated several books from French into Persian. These books included topics like nursing and child care.
Honours and awards
From Iran
- Member 1st Class of the Order of Aryamehr
- Member 1st Class of the Order of the Pleiades
From other countries
- Ethiopia: Grand Cordon of the Order of the Queen of Sheba
- Germany: Grand Cross 1st Class of the Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany
- Netherlands: Grand Cross of the Order of the House of Orange
- Honorary doctorate from Brandeis University (USA) in 1969
Images for kids
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Princess Ashraf Pahlavi
See also
In Spanish: Ashraf Pahlaví para niños
