Memoirs of Mahmoud Foroughi [Persian Language]

DESCRIPTION

Mahmoud Foroughi (1915-1992) was a prominent Iranian diplomat who served as deputy minister of foreign affairs, ambassador to the United States, Brazil, Switzerland, and Afghanistan, and president of the Foreign Relations Institute curing critical periods in Mohammad Reza Shah's rule (1941-1979). 1
To better understand Mahmoud Foroughi as a person, it is helpful to take note of his family background and traditions. His genealogy has been traced back through seven generations, and a number of his ancestors were successful men of commerce, while his grandfather was a scholar and dean of the School of Political Science in Tehran.
His father followed his grandfather's footsteps becoming one of Iran's most respected scholars, translating and authoring major works of literature, philosophy, and economics. He also spent much of his life as a public servant - teacher, dean of the School of Political Science, judge, ambassador, member and president of the parliament, chief of Iran's highest court, cabinet minister, and three-time prime minister. As Reza Shah's prime minister, he played a major role in modernizing the structure of the government and the country's laws. He also played a leading role in preserving the Pahlavi dynasty when in 1941 the invading British and Soviet armies forced the abdication of Reza Shah. Foroughi was instrumental in paving the way for the Crown Prince Mohammad-Reza Pahlavi to take the throne.

CONTENTS

• Preface
• Life of Mohammad-Ali Foroughi
• The Coup d'Etat of February 22, 1921
• Iran's Delegation to the Paris Peace Conference
• Mohammad-Ali Foroughi's First Cabinet
• The Goharshad Mosque Incident and Its Aftermath
• Mohammad-Ali Foroughi's Years out of Office
• The Transfer of the Monarchy to the Pahlavi Dynasty
• The Invasion of Iran by Soviet and British Forces
• BBC Radio and the Abdication of Reza Shah
• Mohammad-Reza Shah's Swearing-in Ceremony
• Reza Shah's Visit to Foroughi's Bedside
• Tripartite Agreement between the USSR, Britain, and Iran
• The Proposal to Elect Foroughi President of the Republic
• Iran after the Invasion
• Personal Traits of Reza Shah
• The Private Life of Mohammad-Ali Foroughi
• Mahmoud Foroughi's First Assignment Abroad
• Consul-General in New York and Mossadegh's Visit
• Ambassador to Brazil and Policy on the Creation of Embassies
• Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs
• Relations between the Embassies and the Foreign Ministry
• Improvement of Relations with the USSR 106 Ambassador to the United States
• U.S. Interference in Iranian Affairs
• The U.S. Role in the Appointment of Prime Minister Amini
• Anti-Shah Activities of Iranian Students in the United States
• The Imperial Court's Lawsuit against Khabir Goodarzian
• Ambassador to Afghanistan
• The Hirmand River Dispute
• Attempts at Improving Relations with Afghanistan
• The Democratic Spirit of Afghans
• An Audience with the Shah before Retirement
• The Continued Attempt to Resolve the Hirmand Dispute
• The Shah's Personal Traits and Management Style
• The Ministry of Court's Role in Foreign Affairs
• Candidate for the Ministry of Court
• Roots of the Revolution of 1979
• Comparing the Governments of Iran and Afghanistan
• Possibilities for a Democratic Government in Iran
• Political Education in Iran
• Mossadegh at the Security Council
• The Cabinet of General Fazlollah Zahedi
• Personal Traits of Mohammad Mossadegh
• Au Shayegan
• Hossein Fatemi
• Seyyed Hassan Taghizadeh
• Comparing Iran's Ministers of Foreign Affairs
• The Role of Parliament in Training Political Figures
• Asadollah Alam
• Dr. Manouchehr Eghbal
• Amir-Abbas Hoveida
• Freemasonry in Iran
• The Foreign Relations Institute

EDITOR

Habib Ladjevardi has been the director of the Iranian Oral History Project at Harvard University since 1981. Born in Tehran, he grew up in Scarsdale, N.Y., and was educated at the Yale Engineering School and the Harvard Business School. Dr. Ladjevardi returned to Iran in 1963 and began work as personnel manager in his family's business. Subsequently he was responsible for founding the Iran Center for Management Studies in Tehran, where he taught until 1976. He also served on a number of boards and councils in the private and public sectors. Dr. Ladjevardi received his Ph.D. from the University of Oxford in 1981.