Life in Costa Rica
In Costa Rica, Yazdani reinvented himself once more. He cultivated friendships with influential political figures and entered the banking sector there. However, his ventures were not as successful as in Iran.
One of his banks collapsed after heavy investments in coffee, just as global coffee prices plummeted. The failure wiped out the savings of many middle-class Costa Ricans, damaging Yazdani’s reputation.
He also faced personal crises: one of his children was kidnapped and held for eleven months before being released. Despite these setbacks, Yazdani maintained a luxurious lifestyle, with a private farm that became his main residence.
Links to Iranian Figures in Exile
Even in exile, Yazdani’s home remained a meeting place for notable Iranians. Abbas Milani recounts visiting Yazdani’s private estate and learning that Ahmad Rezaei, the son of former IRGC commander Mohsen Rezaei, had stayed there temporarily after fleeing Iran. When Milani asked why, Yazdani replied simply: “He must have had nowhere else to go.”
Death and Burial Dispute
Hejbar Yazdani died on April 19, 2010 at his farm in Costa Rica. His eldest son, Nader, stated that Yazdani had wished to be buried in his hometown of Sangsar. However, Iranian authorities did not permit the transfer of his body, likely due to his pre-revolution notoriety and Bahá’í identity.
He was buried in Costa Rica, far from the land where he had once wielded immense economic influence.
