The Tumultuous Life of Ali Patrick Pahlavi
Ali Patrick’s life in Iran was influenced by political tensions and family pressures. His youth was marked by the strict expectations of royal life, where he had to balance the role of a prince with personal ambitions and desires. However, his life took a dramatic turn after the Islamic Revolution in 1979. The Pahlavi family’s position and status dissolved with the end of the monarchy, and Ali Patrick, like many members of the royal family, faced exile and uncertainty.
In a significant turn of events, Ali Patrick’s close friends Bahman Hojjat Kashani and Catherine Adl (daughter of renowned Iranian physician Yahi Adl) lost their lives in an alleged altercation with SAVAK, the Shah’s notorious intelligence agency. This incident placed Ali Patrick in a precarious situation, leading to his temporary imprisonment. Eventually, he was released with the help of his grandmother, Taj ol-Molouk Ayramlu, the widow of Reza Shah and a prominent figure in the Pahlavi family. Ali Patrick’s brief imprisonment highlighted the instability and challenges faced by the Pahlavi family as the revolutionary government tightened its control over the country.
After his release, Ali Patrick left Iran, first returning to France, where he reportedly lived in poverty and struggled to adapt to his new life. The loss of his royal privileges and assets left him in a precarious financial situation, moving from place to place and adapting to a lifestyle far removed from the opulence of his youth. Later, he relocated to Switzerland, where he pursued a degree in psychology. Today, he lives there with his son, having found a measure of stability despite the turbulence of his early years.