Farah Pahlavi

Born into a prosperous Iranian family on 14 October 1938, Farah Diba's fortunes dimmed after her father's early death. While studying architecture in Paris, she met Mohammad Reza Pahlavi at the Iranian embassy; they married in December 1959. The Shah's first two marriages had produced no male heir, so the birth of Crown Prince Reza in October 1960 set off celebrations. As empress, she founded charities, established Shiraz University - Iran's first American-style institution - and pushed to bring Iranian antiquities home from foreign museums. By 1978, widening inequality ignited unrest that tipped toward revolution. In January 1979, she and the Shah fled under threat of execution; most nations refused them, though Anwar Sadat's Egypt opened its doors. Mohammad Reza died in exile in July 1980. Farah led the dynasty as regent until October, when her son declared himself Shah and her regency ended. She has lived in exile ever since, and in recent years became a vocal critic of the Islamic regime - speaking out after the 2022 killing of Mahsa Amini in hijab-police custody, the execution of protester Mohsen Shekari, and the 2025-2026 demonstrations.