After the lavish wedding of Princess Iman Pahlavi and American businessman Bradley Sherman last weekend, the exiled Iranian royal family introduced its first ever Jewish member.
Sherman, born in Chicago to a Jewish family, is the newest addition to the distinguished Pahlavi dynasty, which has been based in the US since the monarchy led by Iran’s last Shah Mohammad Reza Pahlavi was toppled during the Islamic Revolution of 1979. Iman Pahlavi, 31, is the first of the late Shah’s grandchildren to marry, and the first in her lineage to introduce a Jewish family member.
While Princess Pahlavi, who works at American Express in New York City, maintains a low profile on social media, her new Jewish husband is an even more spectral figure. Sherman, a business development professional, currently serves as head of partnerships at the commercial drone delivery company Matternet and is an advisor for tech company Aviato, according to his LinkedIn, but his personal life is largely kept private despite his highly public in-laws.
French news outlet Point de Vue reported that Sherman has a brother named Scott and his parents are Sanford and Maria Sherman, who are based in Illinois. His father, Dr. Sanford S. Sherman, is a neurologist. Sherman earned a degree from the University of Arizona before launching his career in information technology and e-commerce.
The couple reportedly met in 2017 through mutual connections, including a cousin of the princess. They only began dating three years later, according to Point de Vue, when Pahlavi was recovering from a skiing accident. Their closeness was expedited thanks to the restrictions of the pandemic, compelling the pair to move in together near the Pahlavi family home in Maryland. After lockdown, Pahlavi and Sherman reportedly moved to New York, where they currently reside.
The late Shah’s son, Iranian Crown Prince Reza Pahlavi, and his wife Princess Yasmine Eternad-Amini raised their three daughters Noor, 33, Iman, 31, and Farah, 21, in exile in the US, all the while continuing to advocate for a secular and democratic Iran. The Pahlavi family’s stance has included broad support for Israel, contrary to the stance taken by the current regime’s Islamic Republic.
A release from the press office of the Crown Prince and Princess Yasmine announced the marriage of the Princess Iman to Sherman on 9 June, stating: “The first wedding of a grandchild of the late Shah Mohammad Reza Pahlavi of Iran was conducted this weekend with a traditional Iranian ceremony in the presence of Her Imperial Majesty Empress Farah Pahlavi and close family and friends.
“The Crown Prince and his family thank all those who have sent their congratulations and well wishes and the newly married couple also extend their thanks and appreciation, in particular, to Iranians.”
The wedding was attended by the extended Pahlavi family, including Queen Farah, the widow of the last Shah of Iran, Mohammed Reza Pahlavi. While footage emerged of the newlyweds being hoisted into the air on chairs as per the Jewish tradition, it is uncertain whether Sherman’s Jewish background was included as part of the wedding ceremony.
