Norooz Conversation with Shahbanu: Iran Will Rise from Its Ashes

Shahbanu Farah Pahlavi, the former queen of Iran, shared her memories of Norooz during a phone interview with Radio Farda. She reminisced about the best Norooz of her life, which was when she gave birth to her first child, Reza. She recalled Norooz celebrations from 80 years ago when young Farah received gifts from her family in Tehran. The gifts were often new banknotes featuring the image of a young man: Mohammad Reza Shah, who would become her husband 15 years later. In a light-hearted tone, she mentioned that during those times, they were less environmentally conscious and would throw the Sabzeh from the Haft-Seen into a stream near their home. This tradition later evolved into her life in Paris, Niyavaran in Tehran, the Nile in Egypt, and finally to a stream beside her home in America. Shahbanu's first Norooz memories date back to when she was six years old, helping to set up the Haft-Seen table and receiving gifts from her parents. She shared that during her teenage years, she never imagined that the young man whose picture was on the gift banknotes would become her husband. She recounted how her classmates in Paris joked about her potential marriage to the Shah after his separation from Soraya. Eventually, she invited some of those classmates to her wedding in Tehran in 1959. Shahbanu played a significant role in the Iranian court and became a symbol of a modernizing cultural movement aiming to elevate Iran to the level of modern countries. She remembered that Norooz was always part of her spring celebrations, with official visits and family dinners. After the 1979 revolution, the royal family was forced into exile, facing threats and difficulties far from home. Shahbanu described the first Norooz after leaving Iran as challenging due to the circumstances surrounding the late Shah's health and the political upheaval. However, she emphasized the importance of celebrating Norooz as a representation of Iranian culture and maintaining a positive spirit despite hardships. She has continued to celebrate Norooz in the U.S., where her children and grandchildren visit her. In Norooz 1404, she expressed her congratulations to her compatriots for maintaining their spirits amidst challenges, affirming that light will triumph over darkness and Iran will rise from its ashes.