After World War II, Ardeshir came to New York to study at Columbia University. But he found the classes too large and his English too weak, and in 1946 he enrolled in Utah State University’s College of Agriculture. He received his bachelor’s degree in agricultural engineering in 1950. When the shah visited Utah in 1949, the two met and began their enduring relationship. After graduation, Mr. Zahedi returned and worked for an American aid program that helped the country develop its infrastructure. A 1953 coup backed by the C.I.A. and Britain and led by General Zahedi’s army strengthened the shah’s power as a monarch and elevated the general to prime minister. Ardeshir Zahedi acted as a special courier between them.
