I was a young press attaché at the Embassy of Iran in Washington D.C. when this photo was snapped. Smiling Ambassador Zahedi (top) will pardon the photographer for slicing part of his head off. The Ambassador's wife was lovely Princess Shahnaz Pahlavi, first daughter daughter of the King of Iran by his marriage to Princess Fawziah of Egypt. She is seen above shaking hands with President Eisenhower at a Washington D.C. dinner, May 2, 1960. Quite a long time ago indeed. A reminder to cynics that our relations were good once upon a time. The Iranian Embassy parties were the best in the capital city and everybody in Washington who was somebody wanted to attend. Seven US Presidents Iran and its socio-economic achievements. The host warm hospitality, glamour, golden Imperial caviar plus a colorful social mix were additional lures and one of the many reasons VIP's rushed to these functions. They were the hottest tickets in town, and for many Americans, more valuable than passes to the Rose or Orange Bowl. Wonder why Ms. Albright the present State Secretary saw it fit to apologize for the excellence of our past ties, demonizing the Shah's regime as brutal and repressive. Maybe she never received an invitation to the Iranian Embassy functions, or did she? Below is a portrait of Ambassador Zahedi, who is a Qajar on his mother side, and also a 1996 photo where he is seen with President Clinton.
Click here and read: Zahedi's Lesson in Hardball Diplomacy
A trip to Japan with Foreign Minister Ardeshir Zahedi
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