Famous Iranians > Politicians > A QUEEN'S LOYALTY BY DARIUS KADIVAR
Cairo Reunion for Iran’s Former Empress, Fans and Loyals at Late Shah’s Mausoleum
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It’s a ritual that the Former Empress of Iran, Shahbanou Farah Pahlavi has been honoring for the past 28 years that of paying tribute to her Husband the late Shah of Iran Mohamed Reza Pahlavi (26 October 1919 - 27 July 1980). Beyond her pledge of loyalty to her late husband and message of continued solidarity with her countrymen and women in her homeland but also those who have been driven to exile, the annual trip is also an occasion for the former Empress to express her deep gratitude to the People of Egypt and one of its Great Leaders and Nobel Peace Laureate Muhammad Anwar El Sadat who was assassinated by Islamic Fundamentalists to his during the annual 6th October victory parade in Cairo. Relations between Imperial Iran and Egypt throughout the 20th Century were characterized by very close ties such as the short-lived marriage of the Shah with his first wife Princess Fawzia of the Farouk Royal Family. A daughter Princess Shahnaz Pahlavi was to ensure if not a male heir to Persia’s Peacock Throne, it nevertheless did guarantee a life long friendship and gratitude between the Iranian and Egyptian people that was enforced when Iran continued to supply Oil to Egypt during the 6 Day-War with Israel despite European and American governments Protests. This mutual Trust between the two countries also was to turn the Shah of Iran into the unsung architect of the Israelo-Egyptian Peace Talks that concluded to the recognition of Israel by an Arab Muslim State during the Camp David Accords of 1977 under the supervision of President Jimmy Carter. Watch French Documentary (move to approx: 28 min): Sadat Visits Iran before Historic Trip to Israel .
A Short Ceremony in presence of Loyals, Family, Friends and Fans draws the International, Egyptian and Iranian Diaspora TV medias each year despite the incredible heat so common at this time of the year in the Ancient Land of the Pharaoh’s. A visit at Anwar El Sadat’s Mausoleum erected in his memory at the very site of his assassination is an occasion for the Empress to depose a Wreath in Honor of the Martyred President in presence of her wife and former First Lady Mrs. Jihan Sadat.
This ceremony is followed by one at the Al Rafaee Mosque in Cairo where the Shah rests under a pale green marble stone encrusted with the Pahlavi Royal Emblem and the Imperial Sun and Lion Flag of Iran where the former Shahbanou Farah and former First Lady Jihan Sadat pay their respects to the former monarch in presence of the attendees. A sit in is followed where Iranians and Egyptians guests gather to pay their respects to the Shahbanou and Mrs. Sadat and set flowers and prayers on the former Monarch’s tomb. Here are Photos of this Ceremony.
Authors Notes:
Official Website of Shahbanou Farah Pahlavi
(*) An Enduring Love: My Life with the Shah A Memoir By Shahbanou Farah Pahlavi
Recommended Viewing:
Egyptian President Sadat talking to US TV about Islam & Khomeini of Iran (Youtube)
Photo 1: farahpahlavi.org & KA & photocomposition DK
Photo 2&3: Sadat's Mausoleum© photos KA & FarahPahlavi.org
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/SPAN>Photo 4: As a Muslim but Non Arab Leader, the Shah of Iran, greatly contributed, to the Israeli-Egyptian reconciliation which led to the 1977 Historical Peace Accords at Camp David and the Nobel Peace Prize attribution to Sadat, Begin and Carter. photocomposition ©DK
Photo 5&6: © photos KA & FarahPahlavi.org
Photo6: ©FarahPahlavi.org
Photo7: In Solitude with Husband ©FarahPahlavi.org photos KA
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