Ali Reza Pahlavi II
Encyclopedia
Prince Ali Reza Pahlavi (28 April 1966 – 4 January 2011, Persian: شاهزاده علی رضا پهلوی) was a member of the Pahlavi Imperial Family
.
He was the younger son of the former Shah Mohammad Reza Pahlavi
and his third wife Empress Farah
and the grandchild of Reza Shah
. He was second in line of succession to the Iranian throne before the Iranian revolution.
where he attended Saint David's School
in New York City and Mt Greylock Regional High School in Williamstown, Massachusetts. Pahlavi received a BA
degree from Princeton University
, a MA
degree from Columbia University
, and was studying at Harvard University
as a PhD student in ancient Iranian studies and philology
(at the time of his death).
Close confidantes and acquaintances describe Ali Reza Pahlavi as "gracious" and "unassuming," with a militaristic discipline reflective of his royal upbringing. He was engaged in 2001 to Sarah Tabatabai, but it seems that the relationship ended some time afterwards. He was once voted as one of the "world's most eligible princes. "
in his South End Boston apartment after a long battle with depression. Boston police said that he died from a self-inflicted gunshot wound. Police said officers responding to a 911 call found Pahlavi dead in his home shortly after 2 a.m. The official statement on the website of his brother Prince Reza Pahlavi
read:
“It is with immense grief that we would like to inform our compatriots of the passing away of Prince Alireza Pahlavi”, the Pahlavi family website said. The family learned of the death Tuesday at 2:30 a.m., said spokesman Ahmad Oveyssi.
PRNewswire reports that the Pahlavi family stated:
Mahnaz Afkhami
told the BBC World Service
that Pahlavi and his family being forced in to exile in 1979 was very "traumatic" for him and that he had experienced a "loss of identity" in exile. Alireza's sister, Princess Leila Pahlavi
also committed suicide in June 2001. Close family friends say that Alireza became very depressed after the death of his sister whom he was very close with. He is survived by his mother, Farah Pahlavi, his older brother Reza, his sister Farahnaz, half-sister Shahnaz. and daughter Iryana Leila Pahlavi.
At a press conference in Boston his brother Reza said that Alireza Pahlavi had left his final wishes including his wish to be cremated and for his ashes to be scattered in the Caspian Sea
.
reported that there has been an outpouring of public mourning by Iranian emigres following Pahlavi's death.
Iryana Leila has the surname Pahlavi and the title "princess".
Pahlavi dynasty
The Pahlavi dynasty consisted of two Iranian/Persian monarchs, father and son Reza Shah Pahlavi and Mohammad Reza Shah Pahlavi The Pahlavi dynasty consisted of two Iranian/Persian monarchs, father and son Reza Shah Pahlavi (reg. 1925–1941) and Mohammad Reza Shah Pahlavi The Pahlavi dynasty ...
.
He was the younger son of the former Shah Mohammad Reza Pahlavi
Mohammad Reza Pahlavi
Mohammad Rezā Shāh Pahlavi, Shah of Iran, Shah of Persia , ruled Iran from 16 September 1941 until his overthrow by the Iranian Revolution on 11 February 1979...
and his third wife Empress Farah
Farah Pahlavi
Farah Pahlavi is the former Queen and Empress of Iran. She is the widow of Mohammad Reza Pahlavi, the Shah of Iran, and only Empress of modern Iran...
and the grandchild of Reza Shah
Reza Shah
Rezā Shāh, also known as Rezā Shāh Pahlavi and Rezā Shāh Kabir , , was the Shah of the Imperial State of Iran from December 15, 1925, until he was forced to abdicate by the Anglo-Soviet invasion of Iran on September 16, 1941.In 1925, Reza Shah overthrew Ahmad Shah Qajar, the last Shah of the Qajar...
. He was second in line of succession to the Iranian throne before the Iranian revolution.
Biography
Prince Alireza Pahlavi was born on 28 April 1966. He attended the Niavaran Palace primary school in Iran but was forced to leave Iran and go to exile alongside his family after the Iranian revolution. He moved to the U.S.United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
where he attended Saint David's School
Saint David's School (New York City)
Saint David's School is a private, independent Catholic elementary school located on East 89th Street in the Upper East Side of Manhattan, New York City, USA. It is a single-sex establishment that educates boys from pre-kindergarten through grade eight. The headmaster is P. David O'Halloran...
in New York City and Mt Greylock Regional High School in Williamstown, Massachusetts. Pahlavi received a BA
Bachelor of Arts
A Bachelor of Arts , from the Latin artium baccalaureus, is a bachelor's degree awarded for an undergraduate course or program in either the liberal arts, the sciences, or both...
degree from Princeton University
Princeton University
Princeton University is a private research university located in Princeton, New Jersey, United States. The school is one of the eight universities of the Ivy League, and is one of the nine Colonial Colleges founded before the American Revolution....
, a MA
Master of Arts (postgraduate)
A Master of Arts from the Latin Magister Artium, is a type of Master's degree awarded by universities in many countries. The M.A. is usually contrasted with the M.S. or M.Sc. degrees...
degree from Columbia University
Columbia University
Columbia University in the City of New York is a private, Ivy League university in Manhattan, New York City. Columbia is the oldest institution of higher learning in the state of New York, the fifth oldest in the United States, and one of the country's nine Colonial Colleges founded before the...
, and was studying at Harvard University
Harvard University
Harvard University is a private Ivy League university located in Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States, established in 1636 by the Massachusetts legislature. Harvard is the oldest institution of higher learning in the United States and the first corporation chartered in the country...
as a PhD student in ancient Iranian studies and philology
Philology
Philology is the study of language in written historical sources; it is a combination of literary studies, history and linguistics.Classical philology is the philology of Greek and Classical Latin...
(at the time of his death).
Close confidantes and acquaintances describe Ali Reza Pahlavi as "gracious" and "unassuming," with a militaristic discipline reflective of his royal upbringing. He was engaged in 2001 to Sarah Tabatabai, but it seems that the relationship ended some time afterwards. He was once voted as one of the "world's most eligible princes. "
Death
On January 4, 2011, news outlets reported that Alireza Pahlavi had committed suicideSuicide
Suicide is the act of intentionally causing one's own death. Suicide is often committed out of despair or attributed to some underlying mental disorder, such as depression, bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, alcoholism, or drug abuse...
in his South End Boston apartment after a long battle with depression. Boston police said that he died from a self-inflicted gunshot wound. Police said officers responding to a 911 call found Pahlavi dead in his home shortly after 2 a.m. The official statement on the website of his brother Prince Reza Pahlavi
Reza Pahlavi
Reza Pahlavi may refer to:*Reza Shah , aka Reza Shah Pahlavi, Shah of Persia from 1925 until 1935 and Shah of Iran from 1935 until 1941* Mohammad Reza Pahlavi , Shah of Iran from 1941 to 1979, son of Reza Shah...
read:
“It is with immense grief that we would like to inform our compatriots of the passing away of Prince Alireza Pahlavi”, the Pahlavi family website said. The family learned of the death Tuesday at 2:30 a.m., said spokesman Ahmad Oveyssi.
PRNewswire reports that the Pahlavi family stated:
Mahnaz Afkhami
Mahnaz Afkhami
Mahnaz Afkhami , is Founder and President of Women's Learning Partnership . She is also the Executive Director of Foundation for Iranian Studies and former Minister of Women's Affairs of Iran...
told the BBC World Service
BBC World Service
The BBC World Service is the world's largest international broadcaster, broadcasting in 27 languages to many parts of the world via analogue and digital shortwave, internet streaming and podcasting, satellite, FM and MW relays...
that Pahlavi and his family being forced in to exile in 1979 was very "traumatic" for him and that he had experienced a "loss of identity" in exile. Alireza's sister, Princess Leila Pahlavi
Leila Pahlavi
Princess Leila Pahlavi , , born in Tehran, Iran was the youngest daughter of Mohammad Reza Pahlavi, Shah of Iran, and his third wife, Farah Pahlavi.-Early life:Leila was born on 27 March 1970 in Tehran...
also committed suicide in June 2001. Close family friends say that Alireza became very depressed after the death of his sister whom he was very close with. He is survived by his mother, Farah Pahlavi, his older brother Reza, his sister Farahnaz, half-sister Shahnaz. and daughter Iryana Leila Pahlavi.
At a press conference in Boston his brother Reza said that Alireza Pahlavi had left his final wishes including his wish to be cremated and for his ashes to be scattered in the Caspian Sea
Caspian Sea
The Caspian Sea is the largest enclosed body of water on Earth by area, variously classed as the world's largest lake or a full-fledged sea. The sea has a surface area of and a volume of...
.
Aftermath
The sudden and unexpected death of Prince Alireza Pahlavi shocked and saddened Iranians around the world, mostly Iranians in exile. The news of his death spread quickly on social-networking sites and sparked different reactions. The president of the National Iranian American Council, Trita Parsi said in a statement that "the Iranian-American community was deeply saddened" by Pahlavi's death. The Washington PostThe Washington Post
The Washington Post is Washington, D.C.'s largest newspaper and its oldest still-existing paper, founded in 1877. Located in the capital of the United States, The Post has a particular emphasis on national politics. D.C., Maryland, and Virginia editions are printed for daily circulation...
reported that there has been an outpouring of public mourning by Iranian emigres following Pahlavi's death.
Memorials
On January 23, 2011 an official memorial was held in The Music Center at Strathmore in Bethesda, Maryland. The memorial was attended by the Iranian Royal family as well as thousands of Iranians including Iranian celebrities and well known political and cultural figures.Raha Didevar and daughter
After Prince Alireza's suicide there were numerous reports and rumors that at the time of his death Alireza and his companion Raha Didevar were expecting a child, although this was not confirmed by the royal family. On August 5, 2011 a statement from the official website of Alireza's brother, Prince Reza Pahlavi, read:Iryana Leila has the surname Pahlavi and the title "princess".