That same year marked a significant personal event in Abdolreza’s life. Through the mediation of his sister, Princess Shams Pahlavi, Abdolreza met a woman who would come to define much of his personal trajectory—Parisima Zand. The two were introduced at a party hosted by Shams, and their union seemed, on the surface, to be a harmonious match between powerful families.
Parisima Zand was born on 17th of Tīr 1306 (July 8, 1927), in Tehran, into a family of considerable political pedigree. Her father, Ebrahim Zand, had served as Iran’s Minister of War in the early 1320s (1940s), while her mother, Fatemeh Bahrami (known as A’lam al-Muluk), was a granddaughter of Mozaffar al-Din Shah Qajar. Her education at Firouz Bahram High School reflected the modernizing vision of elite Iranian families, particularly those supportive of the Pahlavi regime.
Prior to marrying Abdolreza, Parisima had been married to a man named Afshar, with whom she had several children. That marriage eventually ended in divorce, and her second union—this time to a royal prince—marked both a social ascent and an introduction to the court’s turbulent intrigues.
Abdolreza and Parisima married on 1st of Mordad 1329 (July 23, 1950). According to contemporaries, Abdolreza found happiness in this marriage and remained loyal throughout. They had two children together: a son named Kamyar and a daughter named Seronaz. Unlike many other royal marriages arranged for political convenience, theirs was reportedly one of genuine affection.
