Early Career: From Livestock to the City
After finishing school, Yazdani initially followed in his father’s footsteps, working in animal husbandry. Livestock breeding and meat trading were, at the time, profitable sectors in Iran’s expanding consumer market, especially as urbanization increased the demand for meat products.
However, Yazdani was not content with the limited scope of rural trade. By the late 1950s, he began to expand into larger commercial ventures. His first breakthrough came through meat supply contracts in Tehran, which brought him into contact with both municipal authorities and private businessmen. It was in this period that Yazdani began building a reputation as a shrewd negotiator—one who could secure deals through both market acumen and personal persuasion.
Marriages and Family
In 1952, Yazdani married Bahmaneh Derakhshani, a fellow Bahá’í from his hometown. The ceremony was conducted according to Bahá’í customs. This first marriage produced several children before ending, and in Farvardin 1966, Yazdani remarried, this time to Fatemeh Jalali-Iraqi, a Muslim woman. Despite the religious difference, their marriage certificate was still issued by Bahá’í authorities.
