Twin sister of Shah overthrown by Iranian Islamic Revolution passes away

97-year-old Ashraf Pahlavi has passed away in New York. She was the twin sister of the last Shah of Iran, Mohammed Reza Pahlavi, who was overthrown during the Iranian Islamic Revolution. 

It was announced by her nephew on her Twitter page, the son of the deposed monarch Reza Pahlavi.

Ashraf Pahlavi was born in 1919. She was known as an active fighter for women's rights, and she was an initiator of reforms aimed at increasing their role in Iranian society. In particular, in 1934, Ashraf Pahlavi, along with her sister Shams were among the first women of the country who refused to wear the yashmak. Her activity in this field was highly appreciated beyond Iran's borders: her sister was elected as a member of the Commission on Human Rights in the UN and the UN Commission on Women's Affairs. After the victory of the Islamic Revolution in 1979, Ashraf Pahlavi and her brother were forced to leave the country and spend the rest of their lives abroad.