The beginning of Reza Shah’s government coincided with Shoqi Effendi’s leadership.
It seemed Shah had a favorable idea concerning Baha’ism; because he had elected one of Baha’i officer bas the prince’s special adjutant.[2]
During Pahlavi period of time, the Baha’ism movement changed into one of the most influential branches in the political organizations and also in the economic and cultural structures of the country.[3] Reza Shah used this movement in his anti-religion and anti-clericality to such an extent that he ordered unveiling.[4] Consequently, the enmity between Baha’is and the central government changed into cooperation between them against Islam.
The influence of the Baha’i elements in the second Pahlavi era was increased. Muhammad Reza trusted Baha’is too much. He assigned most sensitive and important posts to Baha’is.
Anyway, Iranian people still loved Islam. When Shah and his English and American lords thought that religion and Islam and clericality has fainted, the Excellency Imam Khomeyni (P.H.) created Khordad 15, 1342 epic in order to destroy all of their plans and hideous thoughts.
After Khordad 15 movement, several Baha’is became active and present in various political, artistic and economic parts of the country including Hojabr Yazdani a capitalist, Sabet Pasal the chairman of Radio and Television of Iran, Farrokhrou Parsa the minister of Education, Dr. Shahqoli the minister of public health, General Ayadi the special Shah’s physician and Parviz Sabeti SAVAK assistant.
Nevertheless, the most outstanding Baha’i who was the prime minister was Amir Abbas Hoveyda.[5] During Hoveyda’s prime ministership this cult fans became the English government’s spies. Many documents confirm this issue.[6] They weakened the economy of the country, too; that is, they important those goods produced cheaply in Iran.[7] Baha’is used Muhammad Reza’s trust to increase their wealth. The Baha’is center was located at Israel. They were in touch with this center extensively.[8]
[1] Pahlavi, related to part a branch of Aryan tribe living in the Northeast of Iran. They established Ashkanid Empror in 250 A.D.
[2] The major Saniee was one of high-ranking Baha’is. He became the major general, later on. He was the special adjutant for the prince.
[3] Zahedani. Page 238.
[4] One of the fans of Bab was Qorratul Ein. She was one of pioneers of unveiling in Iran.
[5] There are two documents concerning this issue that Hoveyda was a Baha’i. one is a letter written by one of Baha’ism heads called Qasem Ashrafi to Hoveyda and the other is the SAVAK report about the Baha’is meeting in the second district of Shiraz city dated 1350/5/19 (Fardoust memoirs, Vol 2, P.P.: 275-277)
[6] Abdullah Shahbazi, the Iranian contemporary history, political studies and researches institute, 1385, P. 455.
[7] Fardoust memoirs, Vol 1, P.P. 374-375
[8] Zahedani, P. 249.