In the U.S., Too

Rage against Iran's royals

"Death to the Shah!" shouted 500 protesters, punctuating that now familiar chant with sticks and rocks hurled toward the elegant hillside mansion. Then out came the torches. Two cars were burned, and at least a dozen other fires ignited. When a police car arrived on the scene, it tore into the crowd at an estimated 35 m.p.h., knocking one woman onto the car's hood and carrying her for more than 20 ft. Eventually, police armed with tear gas, billy clubs and fire hoses broke up the mob.

Another day in Tehran? No. This ugly, hourlong outburst took place in Beverly Hills, Calif. There a crowd of largely Iranian protesters vented their rage against Shams Pahlavi, one of the Shah's three sisters, who owns the $600,000 home at 1163 Calle Vista. Both Princess Shams and the ailing matriarch of the house of Pahlavi, nonagenerian Queen Mother Tajomolouk, were within the 1.4-acre estate during the outburst. Said Beverly Hills Police Captain Lee Tracy: "It was like a combat zone." The cops arrested seven demonstrators, all Iranians, and the Immigration and Naturalization Service began investigating whether deportation proceedings could be started against them.

Like the 60 or so other relatives of the Shah who have left Iran since troubles began last fall, Princess Shams has kept a very low profile. Married to a former Iranian Minister of Culture, Mehrdad Pahlbod, she is constantly on the move, normally staying at her Beverly Hills mansion for only about seven or eight weeks a year. The princess entertains discreetly (dinner parties of 20 to 40) and favors such chic restaurants as the Bistro and Ma Maison, but apparently does her serious shopping in Paris.

Anti-Shah Iranians learned that the princess was back in town when the Queen Mother arrived clandestinely aboard an Iran air force 747. After the rioting, Queen Tajomolouk appeared at the Marriott Inn near Los Angeles International Airport. Then she and her daughter retreated to the estate of Publishing Tycoon (TV Guide) Walter Annenberg in Palm Springs, Calif. Said Annenberg about the possibility of further demonstrations against his royal guests: "If they come, so be it."

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