Shapour Bakhtiar

Shapour Bakhtiar, born in 1914, was a prominent Iranian politician who held the distinguished position of the last Prime Minister of Iran under the reign of Mohammad Reza Pahlavi. His tenure was marked by a fervent commitment to democracy and a staunch opposition to the encroaching influence of clerical power in Iranian politics.

Bakhtiar was known for his eloquent warnings about the perils of clerical despotism. Historian Abbas Milani noted that he often spoke in a tone reminiscent of a jeremiad, cautioning the nation about the potential for a darker regime under the mullahs, which he believed could surpass the oppression of any military junta.

Tragically, Bakhtiar's life was cut short in 1991 when he and his secretary were murdered in his home in Suresnes, France, by agents of the Islamic Republic of Iran. His legacy, however, endures as a symbol of resistance against tyranny and a champion of democratic ideals.