TEHRAN, Iran (AP) — The shah of Iran’s last refuge before fleeing his country in 1979 was a palatial estate nestled against the Alborz Mountains — a place no Iranian ever dreamed of visiting. The Niavaran Palace, a complex of mansions on a 27-acre (11-hectare) plot, now welcomes the public to marvel at the luxuries the shah enjoyed as Iran’s monarch for nearly four decades. As Iran reflects on Shah Mohammad Reza Pahlavi’s departure from the country 40 years ago on Wednesday, the palace has taken on even more meaning for those visiting and working there. We were following an ideology,” said Jamal Shahosseini, who as a young revolutionary raided the palace with other demonstrators. On Jan. 16, 1979, the shah left the palace for the last time by helicopter, looking out over a Tehran he never would see again.

Source: Egypt Independent January 16, 2019 12:22 UTC