My Father and Mother

Launch Iran's Gunboat "Niroo" in Italy

A Time to Remember

In 1929, my father suggested to HIM Reza Shah the creation of an Iranian Navy. The visionary King immediatly approved and ordered my father to take immediate steps for the prompt achievement of this plan. Many European powers did not care to see Iran exercize any sort of authority in the Persian Gulf. Italy was an exception and vessels including heavy frigates "Palang" and "Babr" (sunk in world War II) and others were launched at Italian navy yards.
My beloved late mother was the Godmother of the "Niroo," seen above. It was a small ship, slightly armed but nevertheless it made Iranians proud to have the beginning of a dependable navy. Built in Italy, this gunboat escaped the sneak Persian Gulf attack of the British Navy in World War II. Many lives and ships were lost during that dead of the night attack. Iran was neutral but this did not make a difference to the attackers. Indeed it was a Pearl Harbor nobody talked about or cared for.

In the 1935 photo above, my mother is seen standing in the middle and my father, now Ambassador to Italy is at right. On the right is an Iranian Navy commander. My father in his late years used to travel from time to time to the Iranian port city of Khorramshahr to visit the retired ship and lay a wreath in memory of Admiral Bayandor who was a friend and the courageous men who gave their lives in the defense of Iran. You can read all the details and much more in my memoires, soon to be published with extracts on the Net.

Links

memoires
A documentation on present-day Iranian fleet

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