Ali Shayegan
Encyclopedia
Dr. Ali Shayegan was an opponent of Shah
Mohammad Reza Pahlavi
and lived in political exile in New York
and New Jersey
from 1958. Dr. Shayegan, one of the leaders of the National Front of Iran, was also a Member of Parliament
, the Minister of Education and a close aide to Prime Minister
Mohammed Mossadegh, whose government was overthrown by army officers loyal to the Shah
in 1953 in a coup d'état orchestrated by the CIA. Following the coup, Dr. Hossein Fatemi, also a leader in the National Front and close associate of Shayegan was executed. Shayegan was initially sentenced to life imprisonment and then to ten years. After three years he was exiled to Europe and later came to America. He organized the Iranian National Front in Exile in New York in the late 1950s and helped in the formation of the Confederation of Iranian Students.
While in exile, he taught at the New School of Social Research in New York City
and at Fairleigh Dickenson University in Teaneck, New Jersey. After the fall of the Shah in 1979, Dr. Shayegan returned to Iran and was mentioned as a possible candidate for the Presidency. He declined any nominations and took a stand against the Islamic Republic. In 1981, he returned to the United States, where he died shortly thereafter. He died at the Pascack Valley Hospital
in Westwood, New Jersey, after suffering a stroke.
His son, Ahmad Shayegan, a physicist
, is now a prominent Iran
ian dissident
. His daughter, Maryam Shayegan Hastings is a professor of mathematics in New York. His son Hamid lives in New Jersey and his daughter, Leyli Shayegan, is an opponent of the proposed American intervention in Iran
and is assistant director of Teachers College Press in New York
.
Shah
Shāh is the title of the ruler of certain Southwest Asian and Central Asian countries, especially Persia , and derives from the Persian word shah, meaning "king".-History:...
Mohammad Reza Pahlavi
Mohammad Reza Pahlavi
Mohammad Rezā Shāh Pahlavi, Shah of Iran, Shah of Persia , ruled Iran from 16 September 1941 until his overthrow by the Iranian Revolution on 11 February 1979...
and lived in political exile in New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
and New Jersey
New Jersey
New Jersey is a state in the Northeastern and Middle Atlantic regions of the United States. , its population was 8,791,894. It is bordered on the north and east by the state of New York, on the southeast and south by the Atlantic Ocean, on the west by Pennsylvania and on the southwest by Delaware...
from 1958. Dr. Shayegan, one of the leaders of the National Front of Iran, was also a Member of Parliament
Member of Parliament
A Member of Parliament is a representative of the voters to a :parliament. In many countries with bicameral parliaments, the term applies specifically to members of the lower house, as upper houses often have a different title, such as senate, and thus also have different titles for its members,...
, the Minister of Education and a close aide to Prime Minister
Prime minister
A prime minister is the most senior minister of cabinet in the executive branch of government in a parliamentary system. In many systems, the prime minister selects and may dismiss other members of the cabinet, and allocates posts to members within the government. In most systems, the prime...
Mohammed Mossadegh, whose government was overthrown by army officers loyal to the Shah
Shah
Shāh is the title of the ruler of certain Southwest Asian and Central Asian countries, especially Persia , and derives from the Persian word shah, meaning "king".-History:...
in 1953 in a coup d'état orchestrated by the CIA. Following the coup, Dr. Hossein Fatemi, also a leader in the National Front and close associate of Shayegan was executed. Shayegan was initially sentenced to life imprisonment and then to ten years. After three years he was exiled to Europe and later came to America. He organized the Iranian National Front in Exile in New York in the late 1950s and helped in the formation of the Confederation of Iranian Students.
While in exile, he taught at the New School of Social Research in New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
and at Fairleigh Dickenson University in Teaneck, New Jersey. After the fall of the Shah in 1979, Dr. Shayegan returned to Iran and was mentioned as a possible candidate for the Presidency. He declined any nominations and took a stand against the Islamic Republic. In 1981, he returned to the United States, where he died shortly thereafter. He died at the Pascack Valley Hospital
Pascack Valley Hospital
Pascack Valley Hospital is a former 291 bed hospital, located at 250 Old Hook Road, Westwood, New Jersey.-History:Pascack Valley Hospital opened on June 1, 1959, as an 86-bed community hospital. It has undergone several expansions and grew to 291 beds.In 2005, the PVH completed construction on a...
in Westwood, New Jersey, after suffering a stroke.
His son, Ahmad Shayegan, a physicist
Physicist
A physicist is a scientist who studies or practices physics. Physicists study a wide range of physical phenomena in many branches of physics spanning all length scales: from sub-atomic particles of which all ordinary matter is made to the behavior of the material Universe as a whole...
, is now a prominent Iran
Iran
Iran , officially the Islamic Republic of Iran , is a country in Southern and Western Asia. The name "Iran" has been in use natively since the Sassanian era and came into use internationally in 1935, before which the country was known to the Western world as Persia...
ian dissident
Dissident
A dissident, broadly defined, is a person who actively challenges an established doctrine, policy, or institution. When dissidents unite for a common cause they often effect a dissident movement....
. His daughter, Maryam Shayegan Hastings is a professor of mathematics in New York. His son Hamid lives in New Jersey and his daughter, Leyli Shayegan, is an opponent of the proposed American intervention in Iran
Opposition to military action against Iran
Organised opposition to a possible future military attack against Iran by the United States and/or Israel is known to have started during 2005-2006. Beginning in early 2005, journalists, activists and academics such as Seymour Hersh, Scott Ritter, Joseph Cirincione and Jorge E...
and is assistant director of Teachers College Press in New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
.