Soraya Esfandiary: Shams, ،he Older Sister Of Mohammad Reza Pahlavi, Adored Furry Dogs—Perhaps Even More Than...

According to Faradeed... My photographs had been sent to Tehran; a few days later, Shams, the elder sister of Mohammad Reza, and her husband arrived in London... They invited us for dinner. Shams was a delicate young woman, 33 years old; she appeared beautiful and pleasant; we got along well from the start.

During dinner, she said to me, "Miss Esfandiary, I heard that you will soon be coming to Tehran with your father. Would you like to spend a few days in Paris before you go? Later, we could fly to Tehran together." Before she could explain further, I accepted the invitation. What else could a sixteen-year-old girl in my position do?

In Paris, we stayed at the Crillon Hotel. Our conversations often revolved around clothing and dogs. Shams had a deep love for dogs. Many people pointed out that she loved her long-haired dogs more than her own children.

... One morning, she began to talk about her brother and explained why he was alone, and then continued, "Of course, it would have been better if a young woman like you was interested and willing to live with Mohammad Reza." My heart was pounding in those moments, but no official proposal had been made, and the suggestion was subtle...

Instead of responding, I smiled. I thought that was the best reaction, as I didn’t want to do or say anything that might create any complications for me... So, in such circumstances, I couldn’t make promises to anyone, even if it were the Shah of Iran. Shams also laughed with me. She must have thought to herself that she had already made her first move toward her goal.