v King Muhammad Reza Pahlavi and the Baha’is

     The king considered them to be safe and supported them. Even, several important Baha’i elements were active in the governmental, administrative and economic sectors. The religious centers of Baha’is had been built and improved rapidly.

     Depending on Baha’is, the king stood against the people’s dominant culture and clergymen’s authority.

     During this period of time, the Baha’is established an extensive organization in order to strengthen their positions. The Pahlavi regime considered clergymen and Shiism religion as barriers; so it must exploit all suitable political and cultural means to weaken them. One of these means was amplifying deviant groups and tendencies which assumed their existence in destroying clergymen and Shiism. Baha’ism was one of the deviant groups.

     The king needed foreign aids, too. The foreign powers were supporting Baha’ism, too. These groups needed to be supported by the foreign aids; particularly, the Baha’is had suitable backgrounds for the universal authoritarians such as Britain and Russia to achieve their aims.

     The Iranian Baha’is gloried in spying for Israel like other Baha’is in the world. They were collecting a huge amount of money to aid the usurp army of Israel. It was about 120 million Tumans. A amount of the money was paid by Sabet Pasal.[1]

     The king assigned the high ranking responsibilities of the country to the Baha’is. The Baha’is tried to weaken the economy and the Islamic culture, too. For instance, they were importing the items which were cheaply produced in Iran. The king believed that the Iranian Baha’is wouldn’t plan against him.

     Consequently, he considered them as suitable. This position made Baha’is be rich and dominate on the Iranian economy. As a matter of fact, Baha’is believed that Iran is the very promised  land which belongs to Baha’is. They were spies in essence.[2]

     The king loved the Baha’is so much that he didn’t liked their holy places to be hurt.

     In one of Muhammad Reza’s trips to Shiraz city, Ayatollah Seyyed Noruddin Husseini Hashemi ordered, in the king’s presence, for Seyyed Ali Muhammad Bab’s house to be destroyed. It was located 200 meter away from Shah Cheraq. This order cause the king to be angry and to come back to Tehran.[3]

     The king supported the Baha’is by this action. The Baha’is could increase their numbers and wealth supported by the king. Fardoust says:

     One of the other cults followed by the third general office of SAVAK was Baha’ism. The mentioned branch prepared 3-month reports to inform Muhammad Reza by me. This collection of reports was more complete than Freemasonry one. However, Muhammad Reza was quite aware of Baha’i people’s sensitive governmental jobs and was kind with them.[4]

     Parvin Ghaffari confirms that the king didn’t possess religious spirit and most governmental officials and capitalists who were in touch with his palace were Baha’is and the king helped them, too.[5] King’s brother has said in a way private gathering that the king is an incapable person and he is ruling supported by England, America, Baha’is and Freemasonries.[6]

     The economic and anti-religious programs of Baha’is in Pahlavi era:

     In order to gain economic strength, the Baha’is were trying hard and people such as Hajab Yazdani had gained privileges, too. The Baha’is were using the economic power even women to proselytize and attract people. They were prescribing Baha’i and Muslim marriages in increase the number of Baha’is. For this reason, the number of Baha’is in Iran was more than that of America.

     In power occasions and in their official forms, they introduced themselves as Baha’is[7]. Weakening the government authority or the country economy in the direction of alien’s benefits ended in an explosion called the Islamic Revolution.[8]

     Baha’is of Shiraz are much more than other cities. According to SAVAK reports, a meeting was held in one of the Baha’is houses. It was said: “Baha’is are successful in Islamic countries. All the capitals are in the hands of Baha’is in Iran. All skyscrapers of Tehran, Shiraz and Isfahan belong to Baha’is. Hoveyda is Baha’i. he is one of the servants of God’s faith. This year, 1350 S.H. he has helped 15000 Tumans to the assembly. Dear Baha’is, don’t let Muslims stand firmly.[9]”

     The Baha’is had programed long term plan, 10-year one, and announced it to the king:

     …As mentioned above, the finial aim is to increase the dependents of the Baha’i cult penetrating in all parts of the country particularly among villagers and tribes…[10] As ordered by the Baha’i assembly, the strategies for achieving organization’s goals have been running assemblies in the regions which are in lack of assemblies and holding educational classes.

     The most effective Baha’i people in Pahlavi regime:

1)   General Dr. Abdul Karim Ayadi: The offspring of Taqi, born 1286 S.H. in Tehran city. His father was one of the prominent Baha’i leaders and one of Abbas Effendi’s relatives. He was the king’s special physician for about 25 years. Additionally, he possessed several private companies. He was famous for having 80 jobs.

     Ayadi was the main element of spying for the British government and was the most aware source of intelligent service of America and England in the Iranian court. He played an important role in strengthening the Iranian Baha’is. He caused hundreds of Baha’i officers to enter into army.[11]

     In 1344 S.H. when Mr. Falsafi attacked Baha’is, the king made Ayadi leave the country to pacify the conditions. He went to Italy for 9 months and then the king took him to Mecca. Then, he went to Switzerland to cure his cancer. Then, he went to Geneva[12] and died there[13].

2)  Amir Abbas Hoveyda: His father was an employee in the ministry of foreign affairs and he himself was one of the official staffs of the ministry of foreign affairs in intelligent service office sector. Then he became in charge of Iranian embassy in France, Germany and Turkey. In 1330, he was commissioned to work in the united nations. Late 1336, he entered into the oil company. Then, he became the minister of tax in Hassan Ali Mansour government. In 1338/6/6,  he officially became a member of SAVAK. At that year, he published Kavosh magazine. Then, he became the prime minister with the help of Ayadi from Bahman, 1343 S.H., to Mordad 1356.[14]

     Appointing Hoveyda as the prime minister was opposed by the public even some people from upper classes. It is reported by SAVAK: Senator JahanShah Samsam declared at the end of a session of senate parliament to senator Masoudi: “What a pity, a person like Baha’i Hoveyda wants to rule on these people.[15]

     Earlier 1345 when Amir Abbas Hoveyda started, Iran was divided into 24 parts and each part possessed a center whose assembly was called the spiritual assembly of the center of the faith part. These parts are as follows: 1) Abadeh 2) Eastern Azirbiyjan (Tabriz) 3) Western Azirbayjan (Razaeeyeh) 4) Isfahan (Isfahan) 5) Babol 6) Gorgan 7) the Persian Golf ports (Abbas post) 8) Khorasan (Mashhad) 9) Khouzestan (Ahwaz) 10) Zahedan 11) Sari 12) Sangsar 13) Tehran (Teharn) 14) Iraq (Arak) 15) Fars (Shiraz) 16) Ghaenat (BIrjand) 17) Qazvin 18) Kashan 19) Kerman 20) Kermanshah 21) Gilan (Rasht) 22) Neyriz 23) Hamadan (Hamadan) 24) Yazd (Yazd) in which Fars and Mazandaran are the most important regions.

     In 1349, the number of Iranian centers were 67 and it should become 1100 assemblies in 5-years plan of Iran.

3)  Lieutenant General Asadullah Saniee: He was one of the first level characters of Baha’ism. During Reza Khan’s period of time, he was the adjutant of the then prince Muhammad Reza.

     He was very influential in the political scene of the country. During the time when Asadullah Alam, Hassan Ali Mansour and Hoveyda were the prime ministers, he was a members of cabinet and was the minister of war and foodstuff one[16]. The role of Saniee was one of the first level character of Baha’ism in strengthening the cult positions in the military structures of Pahlavi regime was really important. After the victory of Islamic Revolution, the lieutenant Saniee hadn’t been able to flee the country was captured and imprisoned in 1358/1/22.

4)  Houshang Nahavandi:

     He was one of the influential people in political, cultural and scientific posts of the country. At the end of Pahlavi regime, he became the den of Shiraz and Tehran universities.

According to Fardoust: “He had turned to the intelligent service of the west when he was a student in Paris and; according to SAVAK documents, he was a Baha’i.[17]

5)  Hojabr Yazdani

     He was one of the great Iranian capitalists. According to Fardoust Hojabr usurped the national wealth; but it belonged to Baha’ism. In fact, the name of Hojabr was a cover for the cult to gain economic power.[18]

     Hojabr was even controlling a part of Shapour Gholam  Reza’s wealth

     He bought all great buildings of Tehran city such as Plasco building, Aluminium building, Sepehr tower (now it is the central branch of the Saderat Bank). He owned thusands of sheep to such an extent he imported 400 sheep dogs to Iran. He established leather companies, the Iranian shoe companies and chain stores.

     In 1350s S.H., Hojabr Yazdani was introduced as the wealthiest man of Iran. He was the owner of companies such as: Shahin key, Qnzvin cube sugar, planting and industry of Iran, Etminan shoes, Iranian shoes, and etc.

     At dusk, Bahman, 12, 1357 he escaped from the prison along with Mehvari, the then chairman of prison organization and went to Latin America.[19]

6)  Habib Sabet Pasal:

     He was one of the Jewish people of Hamadan city who had become Baha’i. He had the Volkswagon automobile  agency in Iran. He was the first capitalist who established Cocacola company in Iran accompanied by Bahram Farmanfarmaeeyan. After opposing the clergymen concerning this issue that this soda belongs to Baha’is, he changed the name of it into Eso. He established the first assembly company of television in Iran called RTE.

     Apart from the commercial affairs, Sabet was trying for proselytizing affairs for Baha’is. He was translating the Baha’i texts paying huge amount of money along with the Baha’i proselytizers to Islamic countries of Africa and Asia. Supporting Sabet Pasal and Baha’is caused some Baha’is to rumor that the king was a Baha’i.[20]

7)  General Shafaghat:

     The chairman of the army staff was a Baha’i. It is reported dated 1342/6/6 that: it has been totally confirmed that Ja’afr Shafaqat is a Baha’i. The Iranian Baha’is pride themselves on his influence and power.[21]

8) Naser Yaganeh:

     His posts are as follows: The assistant to the public prosecutor of Tehran public prosecutor’s office, the advisor of the country court, the general director of judicial affairs in 1342, the representative of Parliament of Qazvin city, the chairman of budget commission, the parliament assistant of Hassan Ali Mansour the then prime minister.

9)  Gholam Reza Azhari

     The general Gholam Reza Azhari was one of the influential Baha’is of Iran. He was born in 1288. He spent his staff period in America and he became lieutenant general in 1342. In 1357, when Sharif Imami resigned, he was appointed as the prime minister by the king. He appointed a Baha’i person called lieutenant general Abul Hassan Sa’adatmand as the minister of intelligent service. Azhari played an important role in killing the defenseless people of Iran when the Pahlavi regime announced martial law in the country.

     After escaping; along with Ashraf Pahlavi, general Oveysi, general Bahram Aryana and some of SAVAK head he established the liberal army of Iran.[22]

10)                     Major general Zarqam:

     He was one of the generals of the Iranian army who possessed Baha’i bigotry. During the time when Dr. Manouchehr Eqbal was the prime minister, he was the minister of customs. He was the chairman of the country tea and grain office.

He was the chairman of trade bank for a while. For several years, he was the head of juvenile bank [Nonahalan Bank][23] which was totally belonged to Baha’is.

11)                       General Fereydoun Jam:

He was the offspring of Mahmoud Jam, the first Ashraf Pahlavi’s husband and the chairman of the army staff and the Iranian ambassador in Spain. The American ministry of defense introduces him as the ex-teacher of the king’s offspring and a bigoted Baha’i who was colonel Ayadi’s intimate friend in its report. It has written in the report that: “the king has personally confirmed Baha’ism and preaching it.[24]”

12)                     Parviz Sabeti: He was born in Semnan city in 1315. He has declared clearly that he was a Baha’i. He was formally employed in the intelligent service organization on Bahman, 1337 when employing Baha’is was forbidden at that time.[25]

     Now, Sabeti is helping the American troops in Iraq and trying to destroy the Islamic movements secretly.[26]

13) Ali Muhammad Waraqi: He was the offspring of Waliyullah and was born in 1290. He was B.S. in economics graduated from Tehran university and Ph.D. in human sciences from the university of Sorbonne, Paris. He participated at the southern America conference on behalf of the Baha’i leader, Abdul Baha, in 1958 and travelled to Baqdad and Beirut and spent most summers in Israel.[27]

14) Maliheh Naeemi: She was lieutenant general Kosrawani’s wife. Khosrawani was of the agents of Mordad, 28, 1332 coup and Maliheh Naeemi was Abdul Hussein Naeemi’s daughter who was of the correspondants of Baha’is, in Iran. It is reported by SAVAK dated 1345/7/10: Mrs. Naeemi is one of bigoted Baha’is in Iran. She could prepossess her husband towards Baha’ism secretly.

15) Abdul Hussein Naeemi: He was he offspring of Mirza Muhammad Naeem who was a famous poet. He was the employee of the British embassy. It is reported by SAVAK: During the years 1320-1324 he has been the chairman of secret committee of the British embassy in Tehran city and Mrs. Lambton has been one of Naeemi’s intimate friends and colleagues. In 1325, he left the British embassy and continued his political cooperation with the intelligent service of the British embassy in Tehran.[28]

16) Parviz Khosrawani:

The commander of gendarmeri of the center district in 15^th of Khordad massacre event, 1342. He was also the assistant of prime minister, the chairman of physical education and was the manager of Taj club[29].

     Several other Baha’is who were in charge in Pahlavi era as follows:

     17) Leili Amir Arjomand: the special counsellor of Farah and the manager of educational programs of the king.

     18) Dr. Abbas Shahqoli: Colonel Shahqoli’s son and the minister of public health and the minister of sciences.

     19) Farrokhrou Parsa:

She was Farrokhdin Parsa’s daughter. She was one of the influential activities and preaching obscenity in king Reza’s period of time till Muhammad Reza’s kingdom.

     20) Mansour Rowhani:

The minister of water and electricity and agriculture. During his period of time, the Iranian agriculture was destroyed.

     21) Abbas Aram: The minister of foreign affairs.

He was the offspring of Ali Reza, the tea seller who was one of the Baha’i proselytizers.

     22) Gholam Reza Kiyanpour: The minister of justice

     23) Manouchehr Taslimi: The minister of commerce and intelligent service

     24) Lieutenant general Ali Muhammad Khademi:

He was general director of the Iranian National Aviation (Homa) and was a member of Farah office and was a member of the founder of Zionistic club of Rotary.

     Conclusion

     Pahlavi period of time had been a suitable opportunity for Baha’is growth and influence. Iran was a safe and source place for the Baha’is because of the king’s supports and the supports from the Colonialists such as America and England and the usurp Zionistic regime.

     After the victory of Islamic Revolution in Iran led by late Imam Khomeini (P.H.) in 1357 S.H., all of their programs were destroyed and the holy name of Islam became permanent.