The Queen Who Never Was?
Despite her status as a royal consort, Parisima Zand never acted as a silent figure at court. On the contrary, she was outspoken, intelligent, and unapologetically political. Her strong-willed personality quickly made her a divisive figure within the Pahlavi inner circle.
What truly set her apart—and caused lasting tension—was her open belief that Abdolreza, not Mohammad Reza, was more worthy of the Iranian throne. In gatherings and conversations, Parisima made no attempt to conceal her views. She referred to Abdolreza as the “rightful and popular” figure among politicians and youth, citing his education, military service, and noble conduct.
Her political commentary extended beyond internal family matters. She made it known that Dr. Mohammad Mossadegh, the nationalist prime minister who was at odds with the Shah in the early 1950s, was not inherently opposed to the monarchy—but only to the monarch, Mohammad Reza. She implied that had Abdolreza been king, the monarchy might have remained stable under a constitutional model.
Abdolreza himself never publicly contradicted his wife. His silence was interpreted in various ways: by some as passive support, by others as cautious restraint. Either way, the damage to family relations had begun. As historian Manouchehr Riahi notes, “Her words were often delivered without tact, but rarely without effect. And they eventually reached the ears of the Shah himself.”
