Iran Persian Pahlavi Imperial Family Order of the Pleiades Medal. About History: The Order of the Pleiades (Persian: Neshan-e-Haftpaykar or Order of Haft Paykar), was an all-female order of the former Imperial State of Iran. The Order was instituted not later than 1955 by the last Shah of Iran, Mohammad Reza Pahlavi. In 1959-67 it consisted of two, and since 1967 - 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. Soraya is a female Persian name with a reference to the Pleiades.