The Tumult of War and Exile
The outbreak of World War II dramatically altered the fate of the Pahlavi family. Iran, though officially neutral, was of immense strategic importance due to its oil reserves and location between the Soviet Union and the British Empire. In August 1941, British and Soviet forces invaded Iran in a joint operation to secure supply lines for the Allies, citing the presence of German advisors in Iran as a pretext.
Reza Shah, already suspected of harboring sympathies toward Germany, found himself cornered. Facing mounting pressure from Allied forces and internal unrest, he agreed to abdicate the throne in favor of his son, Mohammad Reza, on September 16, 1941. However, Reza Shah’s removal from power did not mark the end of his story—it was the beginning of a long exile.
Before Reza Shah’s exile was finalized, he moved most of his family, including Abdolreza, to Isfahan on September 7, 1941. They were accompanied by Mahmoud Jam (Minister of the Court) and Sarpas Rokn al-Din Mokhtari (head of police). They first stayed with Brigadier General Sheri and later in the house of a local merchant named Kazerouni. The mood was somber, marked by uncertainty and anxiety. Abdolreza, just 17 at the time, was beginning to witness the unraveling of his father’s empire firsthand.
