Document Type : .

Authors

• fereshte jahani ¹
• Alireza Mollaei Tavani ²

¹ ph.d Graduate in History of Iran, Payame Noor University of Tehran

² Professor, Department of History, Institute of Humanities and Cultural Studies, Tehran, Iran

Abstract

One of the lesser-known aspects of Shapour Bakhtiar's life is his involvement in the field of economics. After the decline of the National Resistance Movement in 1957 and the resulting despair among political activists, Bakhtiar emerged as an economic actor. The main question of this study is: why and how did Shapour Bakhtiar, a fervent political activist, turn towards economic activities? What roles did he undertake in this field, and what legacy did he leave behind?

The hypothesis of this research is that Bakhtiar, disillusioned by the outcomes of political activism and constrained by social limitations, entered the economic sphere to distance himself from political pressures and address his financial issues.

This article, using a descriptive and analytical method and relying on unpublished documents, explores Bakhtiar’s transformation from a political figure to an economic actor. It demonstrates that after withdrawing from political activities, Bakhtiar managed to become a notable economic figure in Iran. He held managerial roles in companies affiliated with the Pahlavi Foundation as well as other private enterprises, and was active in various industries including dairy, glass, and construction materials.

This career shift allowed him to reduce political pressures and place himself in a position of lower surveillance.

Keywords

• Shapour Bakhtiar
• economy
• Daktiran Company
• Vatan Company
• industrial management

Main Subjects

• Contemporary Economic