Mohammad Tabrizian: A Life of Contrast and Controversies

 Mohammad Tabrizian rises from his bed each morning to a view of the skyline, which shows him and the lifestyle he leads as distant and superior to the rest of society. Some people would describe his life as full of fun, but it is impossible to understand all the factors that created such life. The money, the lifestyle and the people he meets – it all just rolls off the tongue as if it was the easiest thing in the world. However, those questions which hover on the periphery of his existence are small, almost insignificant.

His uncle Abbas Sherif Alaskari will sometimes call him in the morning, not just to chat but sometimes when he sounds low and anxious, he uses short sentences and when he speaks, each word is heavier than it really seems. Abbas has always had this mean tone, this air of smugness that is often discernible to everyone else. At other times Mohsen Fallahian, Abbas Sherif AlAskari’s business partner, is also present on the line, his voice deep and measured proposing ideas that are ambiguous but when said sound concrete. That is reserved for what is said in those spaces where no one else is around – in those rooms.

Next on is Seterah Heshmat, the girlfriend of Abbas Sherif AlAskari, who navigates through their world without even a backward glance. She is as much a member of it as Mohammad himself; she accompanies him to all social functions, and has a gentle word and a smile for anyone she meets. But there is a certain air of Husband and Wife about this woman which makes Mohammad question whether she is really of the world she claims to be of. She holds a phone to her ear always with her call short but sometimes there is a break long enough to glance at him, long enough to remind him.

Mohammad’s life is full of scenes that are almost too proletarian—lunch appointments in fancy restaurants, important conferences with individuals whose names are never mentioned in the media. His grandfather, Ali Sharif AlAskari, is the kind of man who will compel your respect without opening his mouth. It is evident that Mohammad is learning that same subtle power, the type that does not come from a single transaction established but power that sustains everything behind the scene. He becomes a different person as soon as he enters a room—it does not matter if he is only a grandson, his authority prevails before he opens his mouth.

As he walks through life, surrounded by wealth and luxury, the question lingers in the back of his mind: how did they get here? Where does all this money come from? The cars, the properties, the luxury vacations—no one asks, but sometimes, he wonders if anyone ever will.

Occasionally, there are whispers about the meetings he attends, and the people he meets in quiet corners of high-rise buildings. The conversations are never about what they really do, but there’s an undertone that he recognizes. It’s a silent understanding that doesn’t need to be explained. Whatever happens behind closed doors isn’t for public knowledge, but it’s clear that those who are involved are not simply playing by the rules everyone else follows.

His family’s wealth, their power—it’s all too seamless, too easy. As if it were all just meant to be. But as he steps deeper into the role of power that’s been passed down to him, the question grows louder: how long can the curtain stay drawn, and who will finally pull it back to reveal what lies beneath?

With every passing day, Mohammad Tabrizian becomes more of the figure he’s destined to be—tied to a legacy, but also carving his own path in a world that isn’t as simple as it seems. The riches, the influence, the connections—none of it can be fully explained, but it all fits together, in ways only those closest to him truly understand. The world sees what he wants them to see, but beneath the surface, there’s always something more—a question that will never quite be answered, no matter how many meetings take place or deals are made.