Order of the Pleiades (Iran)

Order of the Pleiades
Sash and Star of the Order
Awarded by Head of the Iranian Imperial Family Spouse of the Head of the Iranian Imperial Family
Type	Dynastic Order
Royal house	House of Pahlavi
Sovereign	Crown Prince Reza of Iran
Grand Mistress	Empress Farah, Dowager Empress
Grades	Dame Grand Cordon 1st Class, Dame Grand Cordon 2nd Class, Dame
Statistics
Established	1957 - 1979 (National Order) 1979 - present (House Order)
Precedence
Next (higher)	Order of the Lion and the Sun
Next (lower)	Order of the Red Lion and the Sun
Same	Order of the Crown
Ribbon of the Order

The Order of the Pleiades (Persian: نشان هفتپیکر‎‎ Nishân-i-Haftpaykar), also named Order of Haft Paykar, was an all-female order of the former Imperial State of Iran.

The Order was instituted in 1957 by the last Shah of Iran, Mohammad Reza Pahlavi. It consisted of three classes (1st class, 2nd class, and 3rd class), and was awarded to female persons of high status, for deserving special recognition or conspicuous appreciation by the Shah.

It is believed that the Order honours Soraya Esfandiary-Bakhtiari, the second wife of the former Shah Mohammad Reza Pahlavi. The name of the order refers to the Pleiades, a star cluster located in the constellation Taurus in the northern hemisphere. is a female Persian name with a reference to the Pleiades.

The order was abolished by the Islamic Republic of Iran after the fall of the last Shah. Since then, the order merely continues as a Royal Family Order, and Empress Farah Pahlavi, the third wife and widow of Shah Mohammad Reza Pahlavi, is still the grandmaster of this order.

Attached to the order are three medals: first class in gold, second class in gold and silver, and third class in silver. They were usually awarded to female members of the Imperial Household for long or faithful service. The medals are worn suspended from a bow.

The sash badge of the first class is a round medallion made of gold gilt surrounded by six open ornaments, shaped as large double loops in gold; with between the ornaments partly white enameled, small shell-shaped designs. The central disc is made of blue enamel, with placed on it seven golden stars, topped with brilliants, and depicting the star cluster Pleiades. Furthermore, the disc itself is surrounded by a white enamel and gold edged ring with twenty-four stars thereon, made of gold and brilliants. The disc is topped by a stylized imperial Pahlavi Crown, enameled in different colors and enriched with carbuncles and brilliants.