In 2026 the United States went to war with Iran, a country whose government fundamentally changed with the Islamic Revolution of 1979. That revolution overthrew the royal government of Mohammad Reza Pazlavi, who had ruled as a monarch from 1941 to ’79. Pazlavi now stands as the last shah of Iran.
How different was the Shah’s relations with the West as compared to the leadership of modern Iran? In brief, it was very different. The countries were allies back then. One small but telling signpost is a story in a 1955 issue of LIFE headlined “Shah by the Seashore ” It was a light, photo-driven look at Pazlavi and his 22-year-old bride coming to Miami Beach for a few days of fun in the sun. The coverage resembles that which any visiting royal from a friendly country might receive.
And the Shah behaved as any visitor to Miami Beach might. The photos, by Robert W. Kelley, show the Shah waterskiing, playing shuffleboard and tennis, and relaxing on a boat with his shirt off. In LIFE’s brief story the Shah even acknowledged appreciating the beautiful women he saw hanging out by his hotel pool. As LIFE wrote, “After seeing the resort’s celebrated bathing beauties lolling in the sun, the Shah, who is 35, gave his impression of the appearance of American women: “Very nice.”
The Shah and his wife stayed at the Sans Souci hotel, now operating as the Hotel Riu. The hotel, as LIFE’s story details, welcomed the Shah and his wife by rolling out a 40-foot red carpet. The hotel didn’t have a presidential suite but did its best to recreate one by painting four adjoining rooms in robin’s-egg blue, which was the color of the Shah’s Rolls Royce.
Yes, it was a different time.
The Shah of Iran, Mohammad Reza Pahlavi, and his wife, Soraya Esfandiary-Bakhtiary went sightseeing during their vacation in Miami Beach, Florida, 1955.
Robert W. Kelley/Life Picture Collection/Shutterstock
The Shah of Iran, Mohammad Reza Pahlavi, rode a boat during his vacation in Miami Beach, Florida, 1955.
Robert W. Kelley/Life Picture Collection/Shutterstock
The Shah of Iran, Mohammad Reza Pahlavi, rode a boat during his vacation in Miami Beach, Florida, 1955.
Robert W. Kelley/Life Picture Collection/Shutterstock
The Shah Of Iran, Mohammad Reza Pahlavi, played tennis during his vacation in Miami Beach, Florida, 1955.
Robert W. Kelley/Life Picture Collection/Shutterstock
The Shah of Iran, Mohamed Reza played shuffleboard during a Miami vacation, 1955.
Robert W. Kelley/Life Picture Collection/Shutterstock
The Shah of Iran, Mohammad Reza Pahlavi, waterskied during his vacation in Miami Beach, Florida, 1955.
Robert W. Kelley/Life Picture Collection/Shutterstock
The Shah of Iran, Mohammad Reza Pahlavi, enjoyed the water during his vacation in Miami Beach, Florida, 1955.
Robert W. Kelley/Life Picture Collection/Shutterstock
The Shah of Iran, Mohammad Reza Pahlavi, on vacation in Miami Beach, Florida, 1955.
Robert W. Kelley/Life Picture Collection/Shutterstock
The Shah of Iran, Mohammad Reza Pahlavi, and his wife, Soraya Esfandiary-Bakhtiary, at the Sans Souci hotel in Miami Beach, Florida, 1955.
Robert W. Kelley/Life Picture Collection/Shutterstock
The Shah of Iran, Mohammad Reza Pahlavi, and his wife, Soraya Esfandiary-Bakhtiary during their vacation in Miami Beach, Florida, 1955.
Robert W. Kelley/Life Picture Collection/Shutterstock
The Shah of Iran, Mohammad Reza Pahlavi, and his wife, Soraya Esfandiary-Bakhtiary went sightseeing during their vacation in Miami Beach, Florida, 1955.
Robert W. Kelley/Life Picture Collection/Shutterstock
