December 21, 2018
Yasmine Pahlavi, the 50-year-old wife of Reza Pahlavi, has been diagnosed with breast cancer.
In a posting on her Facebook page November 27, she revealed the diagnosis and said she would make public the details in an effort to make the community more aware of the need for early diagnosis.
She had her surgery the next day. Her husband issued a statement saying the operation was “successful” and Yasmine would communicate later with her followers on Instagram.
In a video she posted before the operation, she said, “Dear friends, I want to take this opportunity to let you know that I have been diagnosed with breast cancer. This is a difficult time, but I am inspired by the strength and courage of the women of Iran.”
She said, “I hope to use this opportunity to share more about the importance of cancer awareness and women’s health more generally. The operation is tomorrow morning. I’ll keep you updated on my progress!”
Yasmine Etemad-Amini was born in Tehran July 26, 1968, and fled to the United States with her family after the revolution.
In Tehran, she attended the private Tehran Community School until the family settled in the San Francisco Bay area. She graduated with a B.A. in Political Science and a Doctorate in Jurisprudence from George Washington University in Washington, DC, and worked as a staff attorney for the Children’s Law Center in Washington, DC, for 10 years.
On June 12, 1986, Yasmine married Reza Pahlavi. They have three daughters together—Noor, born in 1992; Iman, born in 1993; and Farah, born in 2004.
The two older girls are attending universities in the United States. The youngest is currently in secondary school.
The family lives in Maryland, just outside Washington, DC.
