A New Generation
Iryana is a granddaughter of Empress Farah Pahlavi and a member of the younger generation of the Pahlavi family, whose history is closely connected with modern. Her father, Prince Alireza Pahlavi, was the younger son of Mohammad Reza Shah Pahlavi and Empress Farah. He studied ancient culture and languages at Columbia University and was pursuing doctoral studies at Harvard University at the time of his death in January 2011.
Because Iryana was born after her father’s death, her birth held particular emotional significance for the Pahlavi family. Empress Farah later spoke publicly about meeting her granddaughter and described the occasion as an especially emotional moment. The family has also noted the resemblance between Iryana and her late father. Iryana grew up largely away from the intense public political life associated with the Pahlavi name.
