Pahlavi

The lawsuit in the present action, filed June 30, 1981, apparently came in the wake of a great social upheaval in the country of Iran during which the Shah of Iran fled around January 16, 1979. The complaint filed on behalf of the present government of Iran, alleges a series of rather conclusionary malefactions and conspiracies, and modestly asks for damages in the amount of $3 billion together with exemplary damages in the amount of $10 million. Interestingly enough, one of the codefendants, Ierspex Finance N.V., admitting the complaint allegation that it is a Netherlands Antilles Corporation but denying that it does business in Los Angeles County, California, filed an answer to the complaint on August 27, 1982. Apparently, no further proceedings have taken place with respect to the parties plaintiff and defendant Ierspex Finance N.V., and its status is not part of the present appeal.

After unsuccessfully attempting personal service of summons and complaint upon the defendant Shams Pahlavi, aka H.I.H. Princess Shams Pahlavi, as designated in the complaint (and hereinafter referred to as Pahlavi), the plaintiff obtained an ex parte order in the superior court for…