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Title: Ardashīr Zāhidī papers
Date (bulk): 1973-1979
Collection Number: 2009C59
Contributing Institution: Hoover Institution Library and Archives
Language of Material:
Persian
Physical Description:
301 manuscript boxes, 86 oversize boxes, 9 card file boxes, 2 oversize folders, 924 computer files (1.6 GB)
(241.0 Linear Feet)
Abstract: Correspondence, speeches and writings, interview transcripts, financial records, photographs, video and sound recordings,
printed matter, and computer disks relating to Ardeshir Zahedi's diplomatic career during the Pahlavi era in Iran. Zahedi
served as Ambassador to the United States, Ambassador to the United Kingdom, and as Minister of Foreign Affairs during the
reign of Mohammad Reza Pahlavi. The collection also contains the papers of Ardeshir's father, Fazlollah Zahedi, a general
who occupied the post of prime minister. Topics of note include: Mohammad Reza Pahlavi, Iranian foreign relations, Iranian-American
relations, the Cold War, the events of August 1953, the 1977 Hanafi Siege, and Iranian dissent.
Creator:
Zāhidī, Ardashīr, 1928-
Physical Location: Hoover Institution Library & Archives.
The collection is open for research; materials must be requested in advance via our reservation system. If there are audiovisual
or digital media material in the collection, they must be reformatted before providing access.
This finding aid is currently undergoing revision while the collection is being digitized. As a result, there may be delays
in serving collection materials in the reading room, as well discrepancies between the materials described and their respective
boxes and/or folders. If you are interested in accessing this collection, please contact us for the most up-to-date description.
For copyright status, please contact the Hoover Institution Library & Archives.
Materials were acquired by the Hoover Institution Library & Archives in 2009, with an additional increment received in 2016.
[Identification of item], Ardashīr Zāhidī papers, [Box no., Folder no. or title], Hoover Institution Library & Archives.
Persian names of individuals have been Romanized according to Library of Congress standards as well as common usage.
Dates mostly follow the Gregorian calendar; Iranian calendar dates are accompanied by conversions.
This finding aid is currently undergoing revision while the collection is being digitized. As a result, there may be delays
in serving collection materials in the reading room, as well discrepancies between the materials described and their respective
boxes and/or folders. If you are interested in accessing this collection, please contact us for the most up-to-date description.
Ardeshir Zahedi (Ardashīr Zāhidī) was an Iranian statesman and diplomat during Shah Mohammad Reza Pahlavi's reign (1941-1979).
He was born in 1928 to Fazlollah Zahedi and Khadijeh Pirnia, who both stemmed from significant political backgrounds.
Fazlollah Zahedi, one of the generals who overthrew Mohammed Mossadegh in 1953, occupied the post of prime minister from 1953
to 1955. Prior to that, Fazlollah Zahedi had a significant military and political career, participating in military campaigns
such as the suppression of the Jangal movement and the arrest of Sheikh Kha'zal Khan. During World War II, he was interned
by the British in Palestine from 1941 to 1945, under the allegation of collaborating with German forces. After his internment,
Fazlollah Zahedi held posts of Chief of National Police and Minister of Interior. Meanwhile, Ardeshir obtained his Bachelor
of Science from Utah State University in 1950, and worked for the Point Four Program upon his return to Iran. Both Ardeshir
and Fazlollah Zahedi found themselves at odds with the Mossadegh government, and during the turbulent events of August 1953,
Ardeshir Zahedi stayed close to his father's side. These events, known as the 28 Mordad coup, resulted in the overthrow of
Mossadegh and the appointment of Fazlollah Zahedi as Prime Minister. However, Fazlollah Zahedi's term was short-lived, as
he was forced to resign in 1955. He was then appointed Ambassador to the United Nations in Geneva, and lived in Switzerland
until his death in 1963. Ardeshir Zahedi maintained close relations with the Shah, and married his eldest daughter, Shahnaz
Pahlavi, in 1957. They had one child, Mahnaz Zahedi, and divorced in 1964. Ardeshir Zahedi held his first diplomatic post
in the United States from 1959 to 1961, and was then appointed Ambassador to the United Kingdom from 1962 to 1966. From 1966
to 1971 he served as Minister of Foreign Affairs. Ardeshir Zahedi was appointed Ambassador to the United States a second time
in 1973, and occupied this position until the Iranian Revolution forced the Shah from power in 1979. Ardeshir Zahedi tried
to find political asylum for the Shah and his family, and was present for his death and funeral in Cairo. In the wake of Iran's
transformation from a monarchy to an Islamic republic, Ardeshir Zahedi has resided in Montreux, Switzerland, occasionally
providing interviews and commentary on Iranian politics. He has spent the last several years working on his memoirs, a multi-volume
project.
Scope and Content of Collection
The Ardashīr Zāhidī papers contain correspondence, speeches and writings, interview transcripts, financial records, photographs,
video and sound recordings, printed matter, and computer disks relating to Ardeshir Zahedi's diplomatic career during the
Pahlavi era. Zahedi served as Ambassador to the United States, Ambassador to the United Kingdom, and as Minister of Foreign
Affairs during the reign of Mohammad Reza Pahlavi. The collection also contains the papers of Ardeshir's father, Fazlollah
Zahedi, a general who occupied the post of prime minister. Topics of note include: Mohammad Reza Pahlavi, Iranian foreign
relations, Iranian-American relations, the Cold War, the events of August 1953, the 1977 Hanafi Siege, and Iranian dissent.
The
Faz̤l Allāh Zāhidī Papers document Fazlollah's military and political career, his internment in Palestine during World War II, his tenure as prime
minister, and his appointment as diplomat to the United Nations in Geneva. They also contain materials related to Ardeshir's
youth and marriage.
The
Minister of Foreign Affairs File includes correspondence, transcripts, notes, and reports related to meetings with foreign officials, dignitaries, and heads
of state.
Ardeshir's second appointment as Ambassador to the United States spanned the presidencies of Richard Nixon, Gerald Ford, and
Jimmy Carter, and ended with the Shah's abdication. The
Ambassador to the United States File documents this period and includes embassy documents and Ardeshir's correspondence. Ardeshir corresponded with a wide range
of people, including U.S. and Iranian government officials, and members of the press.
Since resigning from his diplomatic post, Ardeshir has resided in Montreux, Switzerland. The
Career after Diplomacy File demonstrates his engagement in editing and providing resources for works about the Pahlavi era, drafts and documents compiled
for his memoirs, and editorial and interview materials.
The
Photographs series includes photographs and albums from Fazlollah's youth through Ardeshir's second appointment in the United States.
Although different stages of Ardeshir's life and career are depicted, including his wedding and his first appointment in the
United States, his second appointment in the United States is the most documented aspect of his life. Other areas of interest
include photographs from the 1953 coup and of the Pahlavis.
Subjects and Indexing Terms
Iran -- Foreign relations
Iran -- Foreign relations -- United States
United States -- Foreign relations -- Iran
Iran -- History -- Mohammad Reza Pahlavi, 1941-1979
Iran -- Foreign relations -- Great Britain
Great Britain -- Foreign relations -- Iran
Diplomats -- Iran