>>>”The father, he and his son were both Rezas, was pro Nazi.”<<<
Not exactly. The father’s name is Reza Pahlavi. His son’s name is Mohammad reza Pahlavi (died 1980). The son of the latter, who is alive is also called Reza Pahlavi II.
>>>”He changed Persia’s name to Iran, to honor their position as the homeland of Aryans.”<<<
Nazi Germany had good diplomatic relations with Iran at that time. German engineers were also in Iran helping with infrastructure developments, which was part of Reza Shah’s efforts to modernize Iran. According to the British Embassy back then, there were no more than a 1000 Germans in Iran at that time, not in a military capacity.
The diplomatic relations with Nazi Germany may have been a catalyst in officially changing the name Persia to Iran. Though Iran, to Iranians, has always been Iran (not Persia), and Reza Shah was more a moderate nationalist, at most (not a Nazi and his son was certainly not a Nazi, nor had pro-Nazi sympathies.
Moreover, the British were not the only ones occupying Iran. The Soviets too were occupying Northern provinces, British the South. More for strategic reasons, not pro-Nazi sympathies of Reza Shah.
A problem with Iran of those days was the power struggle between the Brits and the Soviets. Each wanted a piece of Iran, and Iran a pawn caught between the two. The U.S. wasn’t a real player at the time, only became so AFTER WW2. Partly a reason for Reza Shah to look to the Germans for assistance with Iran’s modernization efforts. It’s a long, continuous history.
The help to the Iranian-Jews (not all Jews) by Iranian govt began BEFORE Brits & Soviets occupied Iran. But continued with the settlement of many Polish Jews and nationals in Iran thereafter.
I’ve seen links online in Persian language regarding the issuing of Iranian passports to Iranian-Jews in Europe. I’ll look for it shortly.
Links related to my post #29, in English.
You said: >>>”As I mentioned, there were Iranian diplomats who saved Jews, some honored at Yad Vashem, but I believe we’re talking post British occupation.”<<<
http://www.bbc.com/news/magazine-16190541
“But Sardari [an Iranian diplomat] used his influence and German contacts to gain exemptions from Nazi race laws for more than 2,000 Iranian Jews, and possibly others, arguing that they did not have blood ties to European Jewry.”
“He was also able to help many Iranians, including members of Jewish community, return to Tehran by issuing them with the new-style Iranian passports they needed to travel across Europe.”
Salient point in response to yours: “after British Occupation of Iran” — seems the treaty Iran signed with the Allies actually hindered Sardari’s efforts to help Iranian-Jews in Europe, and his efforts were BEFORE “British occupation” of Iran:
“When Britain and Russia invaded Iran in September 1941, Sardari’s humanitarian task become more perilous.”
“Iran signed a treaty with the Allies and Sardari was ordered by Tehran to return home as soon as possible.”
The BBC link/account is apparently an excerpt from a more recent book.
The following link is about Polish nationals (incl. Polish Jews) who managed to cross the border into Iran from Russia (USSR) - this was AFTER USSR & British occupation of Iran during WW2.
It does not specifically mention Jews there, but we know many Polish Jews were among prisoners Stalin too kept in the USSR back then.
http://www.cais-soas.com/CAIS/Personal_Names/polish_name_dariusz.htm