Persian Realm

Ardeshir Zahedi (bornOctober 16, 1928) was an important Iranian diplomat during the 1960s and 1970s, serving as the country's foreign minister and its ambassador to the United Kingdom.And later to the United States.

NBC Profile of Ardeshir Zahedi in December 1st, 1974 :

Description of Footage :

Zahedi arrives at actress Zsa Zsa Gabor's Party greeted by her and friends John Gavin  ( future Ambassador to Mexico Under Ronald Reagan’s Presidency), TV host Johnny Carson. Zahedi inspects Military aircraftsabout to be purchased by Iran’s goverment from Graumann’s Aircraft Industry. Similar visit in California military base. B1 Bomber, and Satellite Systems at Los Angeles, California. Interview at Iranian American Friendship Reunion in Los Angeles. Zahedi greets diplomats and celebrities at Imperial Iran’s Embassy in Washington.

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CAVIAR DIPLOMACY 

The Life and Career of Ardeshir Zahedi
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Early Life :

Born in Tehran, he is the son ofGeneral Fazlollah Zahedi,who toppled the government of Mohamad Mossadegh and served as Prime Ministersubsequently. The younger Zahedi received a degree in Agriculture from Utah State University in 1950,

[ where he was a member of Kappa Sigma.Seven years later, he married the daughter of the Shah of Iran,Princess Shahnaz Pahlavi; the marriage ended in divorce in 1964.

Diplomatic Career :

Zahedi served as ambassador to the United States from 1962 to 1966 and to the United Kingdomfrom 1962 to 1966. Under Prime Minister Amir Abbas Hoveida, he served as Minister of Foreign Affairs from 1966 to 1973.

Zahedi then becameambassador to the United States from 1973 until the Iranian Revolution climaxed in January 1979. During his second stint in Washington, he won a reputation for extravagance. In the mid-1970s, Zahedi became known as a companion of the American movie star Elizabeth Taylor, with the two being dubbed "the hottest couple" in Washington D.C., accordingto the writer Barbara Howar.During the 1977 Hanafi Muslim Siege of a federal building in Washington, Zahedi and two other ambassadors from Muslim nations were able to talk the hostage takers into surrendering and releasing 149 hostages.

After the Shah’s departure to exile from Iran in 1979, Zahedi was still serving as Ambassador to Washington, but resigned as soon as Khomeini came to power. He started fervent attempts at securing asylum for the ailing Shah and the Imperial family in Panama, Mexico, Marrocco and finally Egypt. He was present at the Shah's deathbed and funeral, in Cairoin 1980.

Zahedi is now retired andliving in Montreux, Switzerland. He hasreceived honorary Doctoral Degrees of Law and Humanities from Utah State University, East Texas State University, Kent State University, St. Louis University, University of Texas,Montana State University, Washington College, Westminster College, Harvard University, Chungang Universityof Seoul, and the College of Political and Social Science of Lima in Peru. In December 1976, in a ceremony heldin Washington D.C., Mr. Zahedi was awarded the KAPPA Sigma Fraternity ‘Man ofthe Year’ Award. In 2002, he was inducted into to Alumni Hall of Honor of the Utah State University College of Agriculture. He has received many awards and honors from nations around the globe for his humanitarian service and record ininternational affairs.

In an interview in May 2006, Ardeshir Zahedi voiced his support for Iran's Nuclear Program stating it as an "inalienable right of Iran",under the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT). Ambassador Zahedi told Voice of America that the U.S. approved the start of Iran's $50 billion nuclear program in the 1970s. Two documents in particular, dated April 22, 1975 and April 20, 1976, show that the United States and Iran held negotiations on a nuclear program and the U.S. was willing to helpIran by setting up uranium enrichment and fuel reprocessing facilities.

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DIPLOMACY ON SCREEN
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The Ambassador (1984)

Directed by

J. Lee Thompson, StarringRobert Mitchum, Rock Hudson, Donald Pleasance and Ellen Burstyn

Official Trailer :

(NOTE TO WATCH DOUBLE CLICK HERE )

Plot:

An American ambassador to Israel tries to bring peace to the Middle East, but his efforts are hampered when his wife has an affair with a PLO leader.

WashingtonBehind Closed Doors tv series (1977) :

Directed by

David W. Rintels Starring Cliff Robertson,Jason Robards, Stefanie Powers, Robert Vaughn

Official Trailer :

Miscellaneous Scenes:

Part of the First Episode of the Series:

Plot :

The story of a power-hungry U.S. President, and the men he surrounds himself with in order to keep his hold on power. Based on John Ehrlichman's book about the Nixon administration.

No Way Out (1987)

Directed by

Roger Donaldson Starring Kevin Costner, Gene Hackman and Sean Young

 

Original Trailer:

 

No Way Out  - Digital Trailer 2011:

Plot:

A coverup and witch hunt occur after a politician accidentally kills his mistress.

 

Torn Curtain (1966)

Directed by Alfred Hitchcock and starring P

aul Newman, Julie Andrews & Mort Mills

Original Trailer :

Plot:

An American scientist publicly defects to East Germany as part of a cloak and dagger mission to find the solution for aformula resin and then figuring out a plan to escape back to the West.

Topaz (1969)

Directed by Alfred Hitchcock and Starring

Frederick Stafford,Dany Robin, John Forsythe and John Vernon

 

Original Trailer :

Plot:

A French intelligence agent becomes embroiled in the Cold War politics first with uncovering the events leading up to the 1962 Cuban Missle Crisis, and then back to France to break up aninternational Russian spy ring.

The Good Sheperd (2006)

Directed by Robert De Niro Starring Matt Damon, Angelina Jolie and Robert De Niro

(NOTE TO WATCH DOUBLE CLICK HERE

Plot:

The tumultuous early history of the Central Intelligence Agency is viewed through the prism of one man's life.

The Interpreter (2005)

Directed by 

Sydney Pollack starring Nicole Kidman,Sean Penn, Catherine Keener and Maz Jobrani

NOTE TO WATCH DOUBLE CLICK HERE

Plot:

Political intrigue and deception unfold inside the United Nations, where a US Secret Service agent is assigned to investigate an interpreter who over hears an assassination plot.

Related pictory:

pictory:Hollywood Star Gregory Peck Greeted by Iran's Ambassador Ardeshir Zahedi

pictory: Hollywood Star Kirk Douglas Chuckles with Iran's Ambassador Zahedi (1975)

EGYPTIAN SHAHBANOU: Princess Fawzia and Son-in-Law Ardeshir Zahedi (2004)

LACMA remembers Elizabeth Taylor's trip to Iran with photographer Firooz Zahedi in exhibit

CLEOPATRA VISITS PERSIA: Elizabeth Taylor Visits Isfahan's Chehel Setoon (1974)

pictory: Elizabeth Taylor Inaugurates Iran Air Flight: Tehran-L.A. (1975)

pictory: Elizabeth Taylor Greeted by Iranian Film Stars in Tehran (1975)

 

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