Ardeshir Zahedi

Ardeshir Zahedi

Ardeshir Zahedi (Persian: اردشیر زاهدی "Ardeshīr Zāhedī") (born October 16 1928) was an important Iranian diplomat during the 1960s and 1970s, serving as the country's foreign minister and its ambassador to the United States and the United Kingdom.

Early Life

Born in Tehran, he is the son of General Fazlollah Zahedi, who served as Prime Minister after the fall of Mohammed Mossadegh. The younger Zahedi received a degree in Agriculture from Utah State University in 1950 [http://www1.usu.edu/alumni/spotlight/zahedi.html] , where he was a member of Kappa Sigma. Seven years later, he married the daughter of the Shah of Iran, Princess Shahnaz Pahlavi; the marriage ended in divorce in 1964.

Political Life

Zahedi served as ambassador to the United States from 1959 to 1962 and to the United Kingdom from 1962 to 1966. Under Prime Minister Amir Abbas Hoveida, he served as Minister of Foreign Affairs from 1966 to 1973.

Zahedi then became ambassador to the United States from 1973 until the Iranian Revolution climaxed in January 1979. During his second stint in Washington, he won a reputation for extravagance. In the 1970s, Zahedi became known as a companion of the American movie star Elizabeth Taylor, with the two being dubbed "the hottest couple" in Washington D.C., according to the writer Barbara Howar. He later introduced Taylor to Senator John Warner of Virginia, and they eventually married. During the 1977 Hanafi Muslim Siege of a federal building in Washington, Zahedi and two other ambassadors from Muslim nations were able to talk the hostage takers into surrendering and releasing 149 hostages Over the course of 1978, it was reported in some circles that Zahedi urged the Shah to appease the rioters by making scapegoats of several high-ranking officials, including Amir Abbas Hoveida (then Prime Minister) and SAVAK directors Hassan Pakravan and Nematollah Nassiri. When the Shah fled Iran in 1979, Zahedi was already abroad but was present at the Shah's funeral, in Cairo in 1980.

Zahedi is retired and living in Switzerland. He has received honorary Doctoral Degrees of Law and Humanities from Utah State University, East Texas State University, Kent State University, St. Louis University, University of Texas, Montana State University, Washington College, Westminster College, Harvard University, Chungang University of Seoul, and the College of Political and Social Science of Lima in Peru. [http://www1.usu.edu/alumni/spotlight/zahedi.html] In December 1976, in a ceremony held in Washington D.C., Mr. Zahedi was awarded the KAPPA Sigma Fraternity ‘Man of the Year’ Award. [http://www1.usu.edu/alumni/spotlight/zahedi.html] In 2002, he was inducted into to Alumni Hall of Honor of the Utah State University College of Agriculture. [http://www1.usu.edu/alumni/spotlight/zahedi.html] He has received many awards and honors from nations around the globe for his humanitarian service and record in international affairs.

In an interview in May 2006, Ardeshir Zahedi voiced his support for Iran's Nuclear Program stating it as an "inalienable right of Iran", under the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT). [http://www.baztab.ir/news/38520.php] Ambassador Zahedi told Voice of America that the U.S. approved the start of Iran's $50 billion nuclear program in the 1970s. Two documents in particular, dated April 22, 1975 and April 20, 1976, show that the United States and Iran held negotiations on a nuclear program and the U.S. was willing to help Iran by setting up uranium enrichment and fuel reprocessing facilities. [http://www.ford.utexas.edu/library/document/nsdmnssm/nsdm292a.htm] [http://www.ford.utexas.edu/library/document/nsdmnssm/nsdm292b.htm] [http://www.ford.utexas.edu/library/document/nsdmnssm/nsdm324a.htm] [http://www.ford.utexas.edu/library/document/nsdmnssm/nsdm324b.htm] [http://www.ford.utexas.edu/library/document/nsdmnssm/nssm219a.htm] [http://www.ford.utexas.edu/library/document/nsdmnssm/nssm238a.htm] [http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A3983-2005Mar26.html]

See also

*Pahlavi Dynasty
*List of Prime Ministers of Iran

References used

* 'Alí Rizā Awsatí (عليرضا اوسطى), "Iran in the past three centuries" ("Irān dar Se Qarn-e Goz̲ashteh" - ايران در سه قرن گذشته), Volumes 1 and 2 (Paktāb Publishing - انتشارات پاکتاب, Tehran, Iran, 2003). ISBN 964-93406-6-1 (Vol. 1), ISBN 964-93406-5-3 (Vol. 2).
* Fereydoun Hoveyda, "The Fall of the Shah", translated by Roger Liddell (Wyndham Books, New York, 1980). ISBN 0-671-61003-1, ISBN 978-0-671-61003-6.
* ' ref name="time-77">cite news | title=The 38 Hours: Trial by Terror | url=http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,946751,00.html | date=March 21, 1977 | publisher="Time" magazine]

References

External links

* [http://www.ardeshirzahedi.org/ Ardeshir Zahedi Authorized Web Site]
* [http://www.ardeshirzahedi.eu/ Ardeshir Zahedi Authorized web site in Persian]
* [http://www.zahedi.info/ Zahedi Family Web Site]
* [http://homepage.mac.com/zahedi/Zahedi_History/PhotoAlbum80.html Ardeshir Zahedi on Duty]
* [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VPHBwYniCFQ Zahedi says Nixon approved start of Iran's $50 billion nuclear program in 1973] , Voice of America, 2006.
* [http://video.google.ca/videoplay?docid=8827726761835593264 Ambassador Zahedi's full interview] , Voice of America, 2006.


Wikimedia Foundation. 2010.

Игры ⚽ Поможем написать курсовую

Look at other dictionaries:

  • Ardeshir Zahedi — (en persan : اردشیر زاهدی) est un diplomate iranien né le 16 octobre 1928 à Téhéran. Il a joué un rôle important dans les années 1960 et 1970 en tant que ministre des Affaires étrangères et ambassadeur aux États Unis et au Royaume Uni.… …   Wikipédia en Français

  • Ardeshir — Ardeshīr, Ardashīr, or Ardashēr (PerB| اردشير ) is Middle Persian for whose reign is through arda (truth) and may refer to:* the throne name of several emperors: ** Ardeshir I Papakan, r. 224 241, founder of the 2nd Persian Empire. ** Ardeshir II …   Wikipedia

  • Zahedi — or Zahidi may refer to:*Fazlollah Zahedi (1867 1963), Iranian general and prime minister *Ardeshir Zahedi, Iranian foreign minister and ambassador *Caveh Zahedi, American film director *The descendants of Sheikh Zahed Gilani (1216 1301)ee… …   Wikipedia

  • Fazlollah Zahedi — Général Mohammad Fazlollah Zahedi Général Zahedi et Mohammad Reza …   Wikipédia en Français

  • Fazlollah Zahedi — Mohammad Fazlollah Zahedi (1897 1963) was an Iranian general, Prime Minister, and politician.BiographyEarly YearsBorn in Hamedan in 1896, Fazlollah Zahedi was the son of Abol Hassan Bassir Diwan Zahedi, a wealthy land owner at the city of Hamedan …   Wikipedia

  • Mohammed Reza Pahlavi — Infobox Monarch | name = محمدرضا شاه پهلوی Mohammad Reza Shah Pahlavi title =Shah of Iran, King of Kings caption = Mohammed Reza Shah Pahlavi and his wife, Empress Farah. reign =September 26, 1941 – February 11, 1979 predecessor =Reza Shah… …   Wikipedia

  • Mohammad Reza Pahlavi — The Shah redirects here. For other uses, see Shah. Mohammad Reza Shah Pahlavi محمد رضا شاه پهلوی Mohammad Reza Shah Pahlavi His Imperial Majesty Shâhanshâh and Aryamehr of Iran …   Wikipedia

  • Abadan-Krise — Anglo Iranian Oil Company, 1950 Die Abadan Krise war eine im März 1951 durch Verstaatlichung des iranischen Vermögens der in britischer Hand befindlichen Anglo Iranian Oil Company (AIOC) ausgelöste Auseinandersetzung um die iranischen… …   Deutsch Wikipedia

  • Mohammad Mosaddegh — محمد مصدق 60th 62nd Prime Minister of Iran In office 28 April 1951 – 16 July 1952 Monarch Mohammad Reza Pahlavi …   Wikipedia

  • Mohammed Mosaddeq — Infobox Prime Minister name=Mohammed Mosaddeq محمد مصدق‎ order=Prime Minister of Iran term start = 28 April 1951 term end = 19 August 1953 deputy = predecessor = Hossein Ala successor = Fazlollah Zahedi birth date = birth date|1882|6|16|df=y… …   Wikipedia

Share the article and excerpts

Direct link
Do a right-click on the link above
and select “Copy Link”