Ashraf Pahlavi, Twin Sister of Iran’s Toppled Shah, Dies at 96
TEHRAN (Tasnim) - Ashraf Pahlavi, the notorious twin sister of Iran’s late shah who vigorously defended the toppled, American-backed monarchy and whose life was fraught with intrigue and controversy, died on January 7.
The immediate cause of her death was not disclosed.
The Washington Post reported that she died in New York, but some other sources said she was in Monte Carlo, Monaco.
Robert F. Armao, an adviser, said the cause was “old age”. Armao said Ashraf died in her sleep at home in Europe but declined to name the country, citing concern for the safety of her family.
Ashraf was one of the last surviving siblings of the shah, whose family reigned from 1925 until the Islamic Revolution in 1979.
She was born in Tehran on October 26, 1919, five hours after her twin brother - children of a military commander, Reza Pahlavi, and the second of his four wives.
Using her position as a palace adviser, Ashraf played a key role in opening doors for an American-engineered coup in 1953 against the government of Mohammad Mosaddeq to protect the monarchy.
From exile after the Revolution, she lived in regal splendor in New York and Paris.
During the height of her brother’s rule, flush with oil revenue, Ashraf adopted a jetset life with homes in New York, Paris and the French Riviera, where she was a high roller in its casinos, The Washington Post reported.
Some sources mention a connection between her and narcotics trafficking, promiscuous behavior, espionage and Mafia association.
