Abdolkarim Ayadi

Tahereh Shokouhi

 

Abdolkarim Ayadi, son of Mohammad Taghi was born in Tehran, 1907. His father was one of the main leaders of Iranian Bahais and a close friend of Abbass Afandi.

 

Ayadi studied veterinary medicine in France, and then he changed his field and studied medicine. On his return to Iran, he entered the service of army. At first he was special physician of Ali Reza Pahlavi and then that of Mohammad Reza, and became one of his close friends.

 

He was a secretive figure of the court, reputed for corruption in moral and financial matters. He had the same role as Ernest Prone. When Sorraya, the Shah's second wife came to the court, he made good relations with her and Bakhtiaries. In all of the Shah's foreign trips, and in his relations with women, there could be seen a trace of Ayadi's presence.

 

Further to his appointment as the Shah's special physician, he owned many private companies including the mine companies of Sonbol and Shilit. He was special inspector of the Army's health service, the head of high council of medicine, and the president of Etka organization which made the main purchases of the army. The medication organization was under his charge. He also enjoyed the monopoly of shrimps granted to him by the Shah.

 

He was the main agent of the British intelligence service in Iran. All leading authorities of the country including the ministers and the Majlis members had to obey his instructions. He had a great role in strengthening the Bahahi's position in the military organs of Pahlavi regime. He played a key role in the appointment of Amir Abbass Hoveida as prime minister. During this period, the number of Bahai's of Iran became threefold.

 

In 1965, due to the strong attacks of Hojjat-ol-Islam Falsafi to Abdolkarim Ayadi, Mohammad Reza Pahlavi ordered him to leave Iran. He went to Italy for nine months, then he returned and went to Mecca with Shah and wore Ihram (the special garment of pilgrimage) to deceive public opinion.

 

According to the reports of Iran central bank, on the eve of the Islamic revolution Ayadi, took about 40 million dollars with him to Switzerland and lived there until 1980.