Hojabr Yazdani, Reza Qoli’s offspring was one of Bahaism capitalists and plutocrats whose influence in Pahlavi kingdom will be investigated in this article.
Hojabr Yazdani was trying to increase his influence by attracting Pahlavi descendants’ attention. So, he was sending precious gifts for them in various occasions to achieve his goals. He managed a part of Shapour Golam Reza’s (Shah’s brother) [1] wealth to be close to royal family.
Gholam Reza Pahlavi
Shams Pahlavi, Shah’s sister was of those who was taking a bribe during Pahlavi government to share the capitalists in great governmental rents. She was taking huge sums of money to enter gold and gem and smugglers items into the country under the title of kingdom court and without legal formalities and paying tax.[2]
Also, Hojabr was transferring his precious consignments from customs entry and exit points cooperated and supported by Shams Pahlavi and paid a share of his illegal incomes.
Faridah Diba, Farah Pahlavi’s mother says in this regard:
“Hojabr Yazdani was of Shams Pahlavi’s friends. I had continually seen Hojabr having fleshy face, and being fat and short in the parties of Mehr Shahr palace… He was wearing precious rings one of which was a diamond costed 5 million dollars! Hojabr was of the famous Iranian Baha’is. The Baha’is had given their wealth to him to work.
His experience in breaking the law was to such an extent that when he decided to build an animal husbandry complex in Sangsar, he forced all Muslim villagers and land owners to leave the region and confiscated their lands.
In addition to animal husbandry, Hojabr was managing banking, agriculture, industries and smuggling gems and gold in Iran. It was obvious for everybody that Hojabo couldn’t pass his cargos easily from borders without having strong support.
Muhammad Reza didn’t let Hojabr to come to his parties, assemblies and ceremonies in order not to be accused to be the Baha’is supporter.”[۳]
Shams and Golam Reza weren’t the mere people with whom Hojabr became intimate. The following letter sent by Farah’s office to Hojabr is indicating this reality:
“The Excellency Mr. Hojabr Yazdani, the golden cigarette box and emerald diamond crown bestowed to the blessed presence of Her Holiness lady of Iran by your Excellency. According to the order, the pleasure of imparted.”[۴]
He also tried to aid Farah’s charity foundations financially to make himself closer to kingdom dynasty. The foundations which were being established for pretenses money laundry. So, Hojabr was exploiting the governmental rents better in this way. For example, Hojabr helped
۱۳ million rials with the national population of campaigning against cancer headed by Farah Pahlavi and was acknowledged.[5]
To achieve his aims, Hojabr was helping foundations even with institutions whose heads were related to Farah. Donating 300 pairs of shoes to the center for intellectual development of children and adolescents managed by Leyla Amir Arjmand dated 1353/12/28 and donated 50 pairs of shoes to the cultural foundation of Muhammad Reza Pahlavi.[6]
“Abrahamiyan believes that late 1340s people such as Hojabr Yazdani established great commercial emperors due to having relationships with old capitalists and multi-national companies and kingdom descendants.[7]
So; during the years1350-1354 S.H., people related to the court such as Ali Rezaee, Mansour Yasini and Hojabr Yazdani accompanied by SAVAK heads and the Shah’s disciples such as Alam and Ayadi, Ardeshir Zahedi arranged unique corrupt system called by some as usurp system.[8]
During the years 1350-1354 S.H. years people like Dr. Nahavandi, Dr. Abdul Majid Majidi, Jamshid Amoulegar and his brothers, Manouchehr Pirouz, Shahbazi, Houshang Ansari, Hojabr Yazdani, Rezaee, Mahmoud Ja’fariyan, Ehsan Naragi and the like who were lawyer, minister, economist, theorist and factory owner of those days.”
Source: Reza Qaribi, the Baha’i plutocrats and Pahlavi regime, pp. 244-251-
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[۱] The Islamic Revolution narrated by SAVAK documents, vol. 10, Tehran: The center for investigating the historical documents, p.54.
[۲] Hoveyda, Fereydoun, the Shah’s fall, translated by H.A. Mehran, Ettela’t publishing house, 3rd edition, 1356. p. 261.
[۳] My daughter Farah; the memoirs of Farideh Diba, Farah Pahlavi’s daughter, pp. 257-258.
[۴] Mostafa Almoti, Iran in Pahlavi era, vol. 10, London, Bina, 1370 S.H., pp. 107-108.
[۵] The contemporary history research institute, document number 117-1-11
[۶] The contemporary history research institute, document number 117-18-21
[۷] Ervand Abrahamian, Iran between two revolutions, translated by Ahmad Gol Muhammadi and Ebrahim Fattahi, p. 531.
[۸] Ahmad Samiee, 37 years, Tehran: Shabaviz, 1366, p.213.
