Haji Washington

Hajji Hossein-Gholi Khan Noori (1849–1937),^[1] also known as Hajji Washington (Persian: حاجی واشنگتن), was an Iranian politician, cabinet minister, and diplomat and belonged to one of the oldest aristocratic families in Iran - the Khajeh Nouris, tracing their history back to over one thousand years.

Portrait of Haji Washington

Early life and education

Hajji Hossain-Gholi Khan was the second son of the Iranian grand vizier, Mirza Aqa Khan Nuri. He was educated by his father. He then entered the service of the Ministry of finance, and later the ministry of foreign affairs.^[2]

Political career

He was appointed the first ambassador to the United States in 1889, where he kept a scrapbook of newspaper cuttings from the American press about the reigning monarch Naser al-Din Shah Qajar. He objected to how the Shah’s official visit to England in 1889 was covered by the press and he resigned from his post in protest. After his return from the United States, he served as the minister of public works ("favaayed-e aamme") and married Naser al-Din Shah’s daughter.

Diplomatic career

Haji Hossain-Gholi Khan was the Iranian Consul General to India. In 1885, when the Democratic Party took over the administration, Benjamin, the first US ambassador in Iran, resigned his post conforming with diplomatic practice. On 20 November 1885, President Cleveland appointed Fredrick H. Winston as Benjamin's successor. On 3 August 1886, Spencer Pratt was appointed as the third US Consul General in Tehran. At this time, Naser al-Din Shah decided to open a permanent Iranian embassy in Washington. Haji Hossain-Gholi Khan was appointed as Minister Plenipotentiary and Envoy Extraordinary to Washington ^[3]

He selected his staff of ten of the English-speaking members of the Iranian Foreign Ministry. It took him and his staff 2 months and a very difficult journey to arrive in Washington. He had a friendly attitude and a sociable nature. His reports were positive and illuminating. He managed to spark interest in Iran among American orientalogists.^[4][5]

Later years

He returned to live in Tehran after his mission to the US.

• Haji Washington had one son named Nasrullah and two daughters named Mehr Mah and Taj al Molook who married Hossein Ghods-Nakhai, the Iranian minister of foreign affairs and ambassador to Washington in the Pahlavi era.^[2]

See also

• Hajji Washington, a fictitious film based on the story of the same politician.