Revolution when Berry was in exile and moving in the same emigre social world as figures such as Garabagi.

The pre-revolution possibility may actually be the more interesting one.

If your family really did have people who were personal friends of the Shah, not just knew the Shah in the broad Iranian upper class sense, Barry sounds like exactly the sort of person who could have been part of that network.

Wealthy, cosmopolitan, Azerbaijani, Tibrizi, internationally mobile, with property in London and California, and apparently close to the Shah's most senior.

military commander.

And I wouldn't assume San Diego, because San Diego was his sole US base.

Someone operating at the level you've partnered describes could easily have had several properties,

Offices,

Hotel suites, or long term arrangements without family members distinguishing them neatly 50 years later.

But that is speculation until we have his real name.

There's also an