Elizabeth Taylor's 1976 Visit to Iran

In 1976, Elizabeth Taylor made her only trip to Iran. She was accompanied by Firooz Zahedi, a young photographer who had recently finished art school and was still building his craft. Together, they traveled through some of the country’s most storied cities — Persepolis, Isfahan, and Shiraz — capturing a world that would be transformed just three years later by the 1979 revolution.

The actress beams upward at the sunlight in the city of Shiraz at the tomb of Hafez, the controversial 14th-century poet

Shiraz was a city steeped in poetry and tradition. It is the birthplace of two of Persia’s most celebrated poets, Hafez and Sa’di, and their tombs remain major cultural landmarks. Taylor visited both sites, posing against intricate tilework and mosaic walls that had stood for centuries.

In profile in front of dazzling mosaic and tile work, Taylor stands by the tomb of the poet Sa’di

Taylor appears covered outside the Shah Chirag Shrine in Shiraz, top left, in this assemblage of four black-and-white photos

A set of four black-and-whites, this time at another mosque in Shiraz

A close-up outside the Shah Chirag Shrine

A close-up of Taylor outside a Shiraz mosque, framed by architectural elements

At Persepolis — the ancient ceremonial capital of the Persian Empire — Taylor stepped among towering stone columns and carved reliefs dating back to 550 BCE. The ruins stand as one of the ancient world’s most impressive monuments, and Zahedi photographed her there as a tourist as much as a star.

Elizabeth Taylor takes a tourist's snapshot in Persepolis — Elizabeth Taylor takes a tourist’s snapshot in Persepolis

In Isfahan, a UNESCO World Heritage city and former Persian capital, Taylor stayed at the Shah Abbas Hotel — a converted royal palace known for its soaring decorative ceilings. Zahedi used the setting to full effect, contrasting the palace’s grandeur with intimate portraits of Taylor in quiet, everyday moments. She wore flowing caftans, colorful scarves, and at times adopted garments typical of Iranian tribal women.

Covered by a scarf, Taylor takes tea in an old teahouse in Isfahan, a designated World Heritage Site and once the capital of Persia

At the teahouse, a close-up of Taylor with downcast eyes

While in Isfahan, Taylor stayed at the Shah Abbas hotel, a converted royal palace. Here, Zahedi contrasts photos of the palace's soaring ceilings with those of Taylor applying makeup — While in Isfahan, Taylor stayed at the Shah Abbas hotel, a converted royal palace. Here, Zahedi contrasts photos of the palace’s soaring ceilings with those of Taylor applying makeup

Taylor donned an ensemble that Zahedi says is typical of those worn by tribal women, adding hot-pink lipstick

The photographs Zahedi produced blend Hollywood glamour with the textures of Persian history. They document a pre-revolutionary Iran — its architecture, sacred spaces, and daily rhythms — through the lens of one of the world’s most recognized faces.

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