When Mohammad Reza appointed Hoveyda as the prime minister of Iran some wrote letter to us concerning this issue that Hoveyda sis a bigoted Baha’i. One of these people was Mr. Shams Qanat Abadi who had course, concerning being Baha’i, Mohammad Reza hadn’t any problem was cordially inclined to Baha’is. Mohammad Reza was saying that Baha’is are open-minded, advanced and fans of kingdom.
One of the reason for Mohammad Reza to be interested in Baha’is was that he was thinking that the bases of Islam become weakened due to the development of the Baha’i faith in the country. And of course, one of the mistakes he made was that Hoveyda had taken over the incumbency of the country to Baha’is whom were hated by the Shiite people of Iran.
Hoveyda appointed a Baha’i as the den of Shiraz university. Unfortunately, Mohammad Reza wasn’t paying enough attention to these issues. When my mother leaders aren’t satisfied with gaining strength by Baha’is in Hoveyda’s government “Muhammad Reza laughed and said: “This is because of Hoveyda’s masterpiece because his ancestor had been a confectioner.”
We were aware of this issue that Hoveyda supported Baha’is very much and they were authorized in the country. However, Muhammad Reza was saying that Baha’is are loyal to us.
My mother was consistently criticizing the presence of Baha’is in the court and Hoveyda. She was assuming Hoveyda as the factor for the expansion of Baha’ism influential. She was asking me to make Muhammad Reza alerted against Baha’ism growth at an appropriate time.
Anyway, one day I decided to speak with Hoveyda:
Hoveyda had a great affection for Baha’ism. He said: “Baha’ism has been originated from Iran. And if we strengthen it in the country, it can create a balance against Arabic Islam. Gradually, Muhammad Reza became interested in Baha’ism due to Hoveyda’s inductions.
I believe that heedlessness to the religious beliefs of people was intensified since Hoveyda started his post as the prime minister.
Some Baha’is people during the Pahlavi period of time were as follows:
Major general Asadullah Saniee, Mansour Rohani, FArrokhrou PArsa, Houshang Nahavandi, Dr. Ayadi