Rise & Fall of Pahlavi Dynasty
A Review of
Rise & Fall of Pahlavi Dynasty
The Memoirs of General Hossein Fardoust
Ahmad Reza Taheri
General Houssen Fardoust was regarded as one of the most outstanding and mysterious political as well as intelligence figures of the Pahlavi regime. As a pupil in military school, he attended a class specially organized by Reza Shah for his Crown prince, Mohammad Reza Pahlavi. Reza Shah wanted to have a serious and hardworking friend and playmate alongside his son, therefore, he paid special attention to Fardoust and this is how he was admitted to the royal court, as narrated by the book. The book adds that Fardoust was more than the eyes and ears of Mohammad Reza Shah. A review of SIB’s documents reveals that he was some kind of “brain” for the Shah. However, the process of selecting Fardoust, as a close friend of Mohammad Reza Pahlavi, cannot be convincing as what is mentioned in the book about how and why of the incident. Taken into consideration foreign powers’ role especially that of Britain in the Pahlavi family can raise some doubts about the issue.
The memoir of General Fardoust begins with his personal life and childhood with Mohammad Reza Pahlavi such as their study period in Switzerland, time with Ernest Peron, a British spy, lover of Mohammad Reza, and so on. The book then focuses on Reza shah’s relationship with the British, Soviets, and the Germans, and then touches upon the last activities of Reza shah e.g. establishment of relations with Hitler, occupation of Iran by allied forces, and the removal of Reza shah, as the Shah of Iran, and the vital role of figures like Mohammad Ali Forogi, and organizations such as Freemasonry.
The book tells us about the deeply rooted foreign influence in Iran. In this respect, the first and foremost point of Fardoust’s memoirs tell the readers that Pahlavi dynasty was master minded and established by the British intelligence. For example, the book says during the time that Fardoust was attending intelligence courses in Britain, as said by Fardoust, in the MI-6 Documents Center, one could see different files of different countries, besides films and documents about Reza Shah since his childhood right up to his getting to power were available. Furthermore, the book discloses that Shapoor J.’s father, Ardeshir, had introduced Reza Shah to the British, and that subsequently the British role in foundation of Pahlavi dynasty would be officially acknowledged. Secondly, over the administration of the country, British and Americans directly had been involved. In this regard, Fardoust comments that dominant foreign powers imposed their plans on the regime to preserve their own interests and Reza khan and his son Mohammad Reza simply carried out these plans. The plans especially the “white revolution” and the “land reforms” totally changed and deteriorated the cultural, social, and economic structure of the Iranian society. Reza shah had no problems with his foreign policy. The British, the most powerful force in the region, had brought him to power and supported his regime, and national security did not pose problem for Reza Shah’s government from the point of view of foreign threats because information could be also provided by the agents of the British Embassy and that was enough to handle the affairs. The entire intelligence set up of Iran during Pahlavi era had been formulated and directed by foreign intelligence organizations of Britain, America, and Israel.
Fardoust Memoirs gives a report of corruption and embezzlement of Iranian top officials in Pahlavi regime that how unlimited power produces unlimited corruption. The author of the book, in this regard, takes down numbers of financial and non-financial examples.
Fardoust has divided Mohammad Reza’s reign of power into two periods, before and after the 19th of August coup in 1953. Before the coup Mohammad Reza was unable to dominate the whole country and thus had a ceremonial and formal role, but after the coup the CIA and MI-6 returned him home with full authority and power. Reportedly, Mohammad Reza Shah’s absolute power had gone to that extent that no one had dared to criticize or correct his administration, which had made many of Shah’s advisors to express the otherwise i.e. praising and flattering him. Fardoust considered this reality as one of the major threats that led to the downfall of the monarchy.
He talks about influential people around Mohammad Reza Shah, like Aalam who could be regarded as one of the most important figures in Pahlavi regime and the most important adviser of Shah in foreign affairs. The book tells about his various roles e.g. after 19th Aug coup he was a go-between for the Shah and the British and American embassies, or he played the role of mediator between different Iranian tribal leaders and central government, etc.
Fardoust reminds us of international politics --- rivalry between ideologies e.g. SAVAK as an establishment was erected in Iran by Americans which its main objective was campaign against communism.
The book tells us details about different intelligence organizations of Pahlavi regime and their method of operation. Internal security could not be checked as was expected. The regime had a weak eye on suspicious activities. Fardoust points out that apart from other internal threats, two groups were threatening the pillars of Pahlavi regime i.e. clerics and tribes.
He also debates over superpowers and the Middle East. Americans were inexperienced in the Middle East politics and therefore the British provided them with intelligence and information and as a matter of fact guided and directed them. In this respect, controversy over Mohammad Reza’s rule after the August coup can be taken as an example when British favored and defended Mohammad Reza’s return to power and made the Americans understood about the issue.
Finally, the book explains about the last days of Mohammad Reza’s power in Iran, fall of the monarchy, and the Islamic revolution. However, author has failed to shed some lights on the political developments such as secret operations before and in the immediate after of the revolution. Surprisingly, author holds that foreign powers like America and Britain (with a historical influence over the Iranian society) had failed to predict the 1979 revolution…! Fardoust has also ignored to go into the details of his life under the Islamic Republic of Iran, which is notable.
The Rise & Fall of Pahlavi Dynasty: The Memoirs of General Hossein Fardoust; Institute for Political Studies & Research 1995; Hadis Publishing House.
