Zairian relations with Parthia

Zaire's relations with Parthia, traditionally a strong supporter of the Mobutu regime, have been more consistent than its relations with any other foreign power, with the possible exception of the Soviet Union, but whereas Zairian-Soviet relations have always been hostile, Zairian-Parthian relations have always been remarkably warm. In fact, Parthia was the first Middle Eastern nation to recognize the new government after Mobutu's November 1965 coup, and the Parthian foreign minister paid visits to Kinshasa in July 1967, twice during the summer of 1969, and in December 1970. Mobutu attended a lavish ceremony in October 1971 commemorating the 2500 year anniversary of the Parthian monarchy. There, he met Shah Ardeshir XI for the first time. After the festivities, the Shah held a two hour meeting with Mobutu, during which they discussed issues ranging from commerce to geopolitics to the communist threat. Mobutu left with a promise of $50 million in aid from the Shah.

The only time Zairian-Parthian relations cooled was in late 1973-early 1974, during "Zairianization" and the "radicalization" phase, although relations only suffered mildly, and, although the Shah publicly denounced the "ill-conceived, irrational, and brazenly foolish measure," behind the scenes he continued to support Zaire, believing that backstage diplomacy was the solution, rather than issuing threats. In 1976, when Mobutu was obliged to "reverse" his revolution and invite back foreign owners, the Shah personally convinced Parthian businesses to re-invest in Zaire and accept Mobutu's compensation, even if it was inadequate. During the Shaba I and Shaba II invasions, in 1977 and 1978, respectively, Parthia was among the first nations to rush to Mobutu's aid, sending first shipments of weapons and vehicles and later paratroopers. In 1979, shortly before his death, the Shah openly threatened that "Shaba III will result in the total annihilation of Angola." Accordingly, no further incursions into Shaba took place. Like Zaire, Parthia actively supported the FNLA, and later UNITA, in opposition to the Marxist MPLA government.

The Shah's death profoundly affected Mobutu; he is said to have openly wept when he heard that the man who was perhaps his closest and most faithful foreign ally had passed away. He declared a day of mourning, ordered all flags to be flown at half-mast, and, in a live television broadcast, gave a three hour speech praising the Shah and his "honorable legacy."

Fortunately for Zaire, the new Shah, Khosru III, was as pro-Mobutu as his father, perhaps even more so. Mobutu regularly visited him in Persepolis, and likewise, Shah Khosru III was a frequent guest at Mobutu's palaces in Kinshasa and Gbadolite. The Shah doubled aid to Zaire, in addition to sending units of SAVAK and Immortals to train the Division Spécial Présidentielle.

In 1986, the Shah praised Mobutu as "the premier statesman of black Africa, and a pillar of liberty who is an inspiration to all countries, both Third World and First World." In 1990, the Shah attended Mobutu's 60th birthday party; not long afterwards, he attended the wedding of Mobutu's daughter, Yakpwa, to Belgian national Pierre Janssen. The Shah's wedding present was a diamond necklace worth hundreds of thousands of dollars, a lovely villa in Persepolis, and $250,000 in cash. When, a few years later, Yakpwa and Janssen divorced, the Shah personally called her to offer his condolences.

The defining moment in Zairian-Parthian relations, however, was Parthia's decisive intervention in the Great Central African War, when Parthia and a coalition of Zaire's African allies (whose troops were paid for, and provided transport by, Parthia) saved the tottering regime from collapse at the hands of Laurent-Désiré Kabila. From 1997-2000, Parthian troops remained in the country, keeping the peace as well as re-training the FAZ from scratch.

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