Profile Text
Date of Birth: 31 October, 1960
Place of Birth: Tehran, Iran
Ethnicity: Iranian, including Mazanderani, Azeri/Turkic, Ayrum Gilak, Caucasian
Reza Pahlavi is an Iranian political activist, dissident, and heir apparent. He lives in exile in the U.S. He has been Head of the House of Pahlavi, since 31 October, 1980. He is the son of Farah Pahlavi (born Farah Diba), who was Queen and Empress of Iran (شهبانو, Shahbânu); and Mohammad Reza Pahlavi , or Mohammad Reza Shah (محمدرضا شاه), who was a politician, statesman, and Shah of Iran, the country’s head of state, from 16 September, 1941 to 11 February, 1979; succeeding his own father. Reza’s father was born in Tehran, Sublime State of Persia, now Iran. His father introduced the “White Revolution” series of reforms in the early 1960s. His mother was also born in Tehran, to an upper-class family. Reza was Crown Prince of Iran until his father was overthrown in 1979. After his father’s death in 1980, he named himself “Reza Shah II.”
Reza has a half-sister, Shahnaz Pahlavi, from his father’s first marriage, to Fawzia of Egypt ; and three siblings, Farahnaz Pahlavi, Ali Reza Pahlavi, and Leila Pahlavi. Shahnaz was married to politician and diplomat Ardeshir Zahedi.
Reza is married to Yasmine Pahlavi (born Yasmine Etemad-Amini), with whom he has three children, including businessperson, political activist, and socialite Noor Pahlavi. Yasmine was also born in Tehran, the daughter of Abdollah Etemad-Amini and Forough Eftekhari. Reza is a Twelver Shia Muslim.
Reza’s paternal grandfather Reza Shah/Reza Shah Pahlavi was an army officer and politician. He joined the Persian Cossack Brigade at sixteen, and later served in the Imperial Army. In February 1921, as leader of the Persian Cossack Brigade, Reza’s grandfather marched on Tehran, conquering the city and declaring himself commander-in-chief of the army and minister of war. In the same year, he passed a law requiring all Iranians to have surnames. He chose the surname Pahlavi for himself, the name for the Middle Persian language. In 1925, the constituent assembly of Persia elected Reza’s grandfather as “Shah of Iran,” thus founding the Pahlavi dynasty.
Reza is the paternal nephew of royal Shams Pahlavi, who was president of the Red Lion and Sun Society; his father’s twin sister Ashraf Pahlavi; and military officer Ali Reza Pahlavi; and a paternal half-nephew of Hamdam al-Saltaneh Pahlavi, prince Gholam Reza Pahlavi, Abdul Reza Pahlavi, Ahmad Reza Pahlavi, Mahmoud Reza Pahlavi, Fatemeh Pahlavi, and Hamid Reza Pahlavi. His paternal first cousin, twice removed, was senior military leader Mohammad-Hosayn Ayrom. His mother’s Diba family includes politician Abolhassan Diba, architect Kamran Diba, and Iranian-American curator Layla Diba.
Reza’s paternal grandfather was Reza Shah/Reza Shah Pahlavi (born Reza Khan, the son of Major Abbas-Ali Khan and Noush-Afarin/Noushafarin Ayromlu/Ayromlou). Reza Shah was born in Alasht, Savadkuh County, Mazandaran province, Iran, and was raised mostly in Tehran. He was Minister of War, from 24 April, 1921 to 1 November, 1925, Prime Minister of Persia, from 28 October, 1923 to 1 November, 1925, and then Shah of Iran, from 15 December, 1925 to 16 September, 1941. Reza’s great-grandfather Abbas-Ali was born in Alasht, and was a Mazanderani, of the Palani clan. He was commissioned in the 7th Savadkuh Regiment. Abbas-Ali was the son of Moradali Soltan Khan, who was born in Alasht, the son of Haji Mohammad Hassan Khan.
Reza’s great-grandmother Noush-Afarin was originally from Georgia, or Yerevan, Armenia; both then in the Russian Empire. Her family was forced to cede its land in the Caucasus, after the Russo-Persian Wars of the early 1800s. They subsequently moved to the Guarded Domains of Iran/Qajar Iran.
Reza’s paternal grandmother was Tadj ol-Molouk (born Nimtaj Ayromlou/Ayromlu, the daughter of Brigadier-General Teymūr/Teymour Khan Ayromlou, born Teymur-Xân Âyromlu, and of Malek os-Soltan/Zahra). Tadj was born in Baku, Russian Empire, now Azerbaijan. She became Queen consort of Iran in 1925, upon Reza’s grandfather’s ascent as Shah. Reza’s great-grandfather Teymūr was of Azeri/Turkic Ayrum descent, and was a prominent figure in the Persian Army c. 1900.
Reza’s paternal grandparents’ marriage was arranged.
Reza’s maternal grandfather was Captain Sohrab Diba (the son of Mehdi Diba Shoa-a Doleh and Mah Taj Tabatabai-Diba). Sohrab was an officer, and captain, in the Imperial Iranian Armed Forces/Imperial Iranian Army; and a law student. Reza’s great-grandfather Mehdi was born in Tabriz, Azarbaijan, and was the Persian Ambassador to the Romanov Court in St. Petersburg, Russia. The Diba family was from Iranian Azerbaijan. Reza’s great-grandmother Mah Taj was born in Tiblissi, then in the Russian Empire, the daughter of Seyyed Mahmoud Tabatabai-Diba, who was from Tabriz; and of Mahi Khanoum.
Reza’s maternal grandmother was Farideh Ghotbi (born Tadji Ghotbi). Farideh was born in Lahijan, Gilan province, Sublime State of Iran, and was also known as Farideh Diba and Farideh Qotbi. She was of Gilak origin, from Lahijan, on the Caspian Sea’s Iranian Coast. She was a descendant of Qutb al-Din al-Ashkawari, a Sufi scholar (c.1601-1664).
Sources: Genealogy of Reza Pahlavi – https://www.geni.com
Genealogy of Reza’s father – https://www.findagrave.com