The Golden Keys of Tehran and Isfahan—Mohammad Reza Shah’s Gift to the Queen of England / If he had stayed only two more days, he would have gifted her the entire country + Photo.”

According to the political section of Saed News, quoting Hamshahri Online, both those who believe that the Cossack Brigade was directly designated by Ardeshir Ji, Edmund Ironside, and Ayeen al-Molk Hoveyda, and those who consider the assistance and facilitation by the British Foreign Office and Embassy in equipping Reza Khan to be crucial and decisive, are in agreement on this matter. On the other hand, the monarchy as an institution in England, even with its most minimal functions, could not have remained indifferent to the rise and support of the Pahlavis.

At the very least, the Queen of England, from the beginning of her accession to power, played a role—at the level of approval and endorsement—in shaping her country’s policies toward Iran. This statement is further confirmed when Queen Elizabeth II’s support for Mohammad Reza Pahlavi is more closely reviewed and analyzed. The continuation of this article addresses precisely this subject.

On the website of the Institute for Political Studies and Research, regarding Queen Elizabeth II’s trip to Iran and the accompanying formalities, the following is stated:

“Queen Elizabeth’s trip to Iran in Esfand 1339 (March 1961) was, in fact, a response to Mohammad Reza Shah’s trip to England in Ordibehesht of the previous year. During his visit to England, the Shah was without a queen, because the month before (Farvardin), he had divorced his second wife, Soraya. In Esfand 1339, when Queen Elizabeth traveled to Iran with her husband Philip, the Shah and Farah—who had been married for about a year—hosted them. The trip began on Thursday, 11 Esfand, and ended on Monday, 15 Esfand. Seven years had passed since the 19 August 1953 coup, and the Shah owed the restoration of his throne to Britain and the United States. Perhaps for this reason, the Shah went to great lengths in the reception ceremonies for the Queen of England.

The Golden Key of Tehran was presented to her upon arrival, and they proceeded to Golestan Palace in royal carriages. In the first carriage sat Mohammad Reza Shah and Queen Elizabeth, and in the second sat their spouses, Farah and Philip. The first night’s dinner banquet was hosted by the Shah and Farah at Golestan Palace. On the second day of the trip, the Queen visited Reza Shah’s mausoleum in Rey and paid her respects by laying a wreath. After that, the Queen visited workers’ housing in Rey and a nursing school, while her husband visited the Tehran University Atomic Center and the British Council. In the evening, they were guests at a sports event in Amjadieh Stadium. The Queen also visited the Royal Jewelry Museum, where she was struck by the similarity between Iran’s ‘Darya-ye Noor’ diamond and the ‘Koh-i-Noor’ diamond in the British Museum.

A photograph of this scene later made headlines. The Koh-i-Noor is a unique diamond whose name, along with its pair the Darya-ye Noor, is recorded in history as war booty taken by Nader Shah after the conquest of India. Through its many transfers, it ended up in the British Royal Collection and came to symbolize British colonial presence in India. The second night’s dinner banquet was hosted by the Queen at the British Embassy in Tehran, with the Shah and Farah in attendance. On Saturday and Sunday, the Queen and her husband visited Isfahan and Shiraz. In addition to famous historical sites such as Naqsh-e Jahan Square and Persepolis, they visited the Christian Hospital, the School for the Blind in Isfahan, the Shah Cheragh Shrine, and Shiraz University. The Golden Key of Isfahan was also presented to the Queen. On Monday, in the final hours of Queen Elizabeth’s presence, it was announced that in honor of her visit, the newly constructed boulevard in the capital would henceforth be named ‘Elizabeth Boulevard.’ Eighteen years after this visit, when the Islamic Revolution succeeded, the name ‘Elizabeth Boulevard’ was changed to ‘Keshavarz Boulevard’ due to the presence of the tall Ministry of Agriculture building on it. Ultimately, the Queen of Britain’s four-day trip to Tehran ended on 15 Esfand…”