Farhang Mehr facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Farhang Mehr
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| Deputy Prime Minister of Iran | |
| In office 26 January 1965 – 15 August 1966 |
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| Prime Minister | Amir Abbas Hoveyda |
| President of Pahlavi University | |
| In office 1971–1979 |
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| Preceded by | Hushang Nahavandi |
| Succeeded by | Amir Hushang Mehryar |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 11 December 1923 Tehran, Iran |
| Died | 3 March 2018 (aged 94) California, United States |
| Political party | New Iran Party |
| Spouse | Parichehr Naderi |
| Children | 3 |
| Alma mater | University of Southampton Boston University |
Farhang Mehr (born December 11, 1923 – died March 3, 2018) was an important Iranian-born American Zoroastrian scholar and politician. He was known for his work in government, education, and for supporting the Zoroastrian community.
Contents
Early Life and Education
Farhang Mehr was born into a Zoroastrian family in Tehran, Iran. His father, Mehraban Mehr, moved to Tehran from Kerman when he was 14. He later became the Chief Accountant in the Iranian parliament, which was called the Majlis Showraye Melli back then. Farhang's mother, Paridokht, was from a Zoroastrian family in Yazd. Farhang grew up as a dedicated Zoroastrian and a proud Iranian.
After studying mechanical engineering, Farhang Mehr went to Tehran University. He earned a degree in law, economics, and political science. He then traveled to England, where he got a Master of Laws (L.L.M.) from the London School of Economics. He also earned a Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) from the University of Southampton. Later, in 1975, the University of Pennsylvania gave him an honorary law degree.
Career in Government
When Farhang Mehr returned to Tehran in 1957, he started working at the National Iranian Oil Company. He was in charge of international contracts and how the company worked with its employees. He also advised the Minister of Commerce.
Later, he joined the Ministry of Finance. There, he held several important jobs. He was the Director General for Oil and International Relations. He also represented Iran in OPEC, which is a group of oil-producing countries. He became the Deputy Minister in charge of money matters and economic affairs.
Standing Up for What's Right
Farhang Mehr was considered for the role of Minister of Finance. However, at that time, Iran's laws said that only Muslims could be ministers. Because he was Zoroastrian, he could not get the title of Minister. Instead, he became the General Deputy Minister.
During the time of Prime Minister Amir Abbas Hoveyda, Farhang Mehr even served as Acting Minister for a few months. But he decided to resign publicly. He did this to show his strong disagreement with the unfair law that prevented non-Muslims from becoming full ministers.
To keep him in government, Prime Minister Hoveyda offered him the job of Deputy Prime Minister. This role had all the benefits of a minister, just not the official title. After a few months, Farhang Mehr resigned again. He wanted to continue showing his opposition to these unfair laws.
Work in Business and Education
After leaving government, Farhang Mehr became the head of "Bimeh-ye Iran," which was the largest insurance company in Iran. He helped create a new organization to oversee insurance companies. He also started programs to train insurance staff from Iran, Turkey, and Pakistan. The famous Shah Abbas Hotel in Isfahan was built during his time leading Bimeh-ye Iran.
Even while working in business, Farhang Mehr continued to teach. He taught at several universities, including Tehran University. He also served on the boards of many universities and colleges.
Leading Pahlavi University
His last big job in Iran before the Islamic Revolution in 1979 was being the president of Pahlavi University in Shiraz. Under his leadership, the university became very well-known around the world for its excellent academics. It also started new programs that other developing countries later copied. For example, in 1973, the World Health Organization (WHO) chose Pahlavi University to train medical school teachers from countries around the Mediterranean Sea.
For his great work, Farhang Mehr received two high honors from Iran: the First rank Homayoun Medallion and the Second rank Taj Medalion. He was the first and only non-Muslim Iranian to receive these awards.
Life in the United States
In 1981, after the Islamic Revolution changed Iran's government, Farhang Mehr moved to the United States. He became a professor at Boston University, teaching about international relations. In 1982, he was recognized by the Governor of Massachusetts, Michael Dukakis, for the contributions Iranians made to the state. He retired from teaching in 1997.
Helping the Zoroastrian Community
Farhang Mehr was very active in Zoroastrian communities all over the world. When he was young, he started a group called Sazeman-e Javanan-e Zartoshti. Its goal was to bring young Zoroastrians together and help them gain more rights in Iran. In 1949, he became the youngest member elected to the Anjoman-e Zartoshtian-e Tehran, a Zoroastrian council.
When he moved to England, he joined the Zoroastrian Association of Europe. He also regularly wrote articles for "Hukht", a Zoroastrian magazine published in Tehran. After returning to Iran in 1957, he became the Chairman of the Tehrani Zoroastrian Anjoman and held that position until 1979. He also helped start the "Ancient Iranian Cultural Society."
Farhang Mehr attended every World Zoroastrian Congress since they began in 1960. He also helped create the World Zoroastrian Organization (WZO).
Later Career and Personal Life
Farhang Mehr traveled a lot, giving lectures in many countries, including the United States, Canada, Europe, Australia, and China. He wrote twelve books in Persian and English on topics like law, insurance, religion, and international relations. Some of his books include The Zoroastrian Tradition. He also wrote many articles for professional journals and gave interviews on TV and radio.
Farhang Mehr was married to Parichehr Naderi. They had three children: Mehrdad, Mehran, and Mitra.
A book about his life, called Triumph Over Discrimination: The Life Story of Farhang Mehr, was published in 2000.
