Mohammad Reza Shah Pahlavi

• The second and last

monarch of the
Pahlavi dynasty
• Arya Mehr (Light of
the Aryans)
• Shahanshah (King of
Kings)

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 Background
• 1919-1980
• King of Iran from Sept 16th ,1941- Feb 11th 1979
• Born in Tehran on October 26,1919; the eldest son of Reza Shah (from his second wife:
Tadj ol-Molouk)

• Completed primary school

at Institute Le Rosey, in Switzerland
then returned to Iran in 1935
• Enrolled in Tehran Military School
• Graduated in 1938

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 Start of Reign
• September 16, 1941 ,after Reza Shah was
forced to abdicate, Mohammad Reza
Shah Pahlavi, his “Vali Ahd” came to
power
• This was shortly before his 22nd birthday
(October 26th)

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• Shah signed an agreement to cooperate
with U.K. and U.S.S.R.
• In return, he asked that Iran’s
independence be fully recognized
• September of 1943- Shah signed the U.N.
(originally “League of Nations”)
declaration; this got Iran a seat in the U.N.

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 TEHRAN CONFERENCE

• WWII (1939-1945)
• Shah hosted this conference
• Codename = EUREKA
• November 28- December 1st, 1943
• “Big Three” Allies - Joseph Stalin
(USSR), Franklin D. Roosevelt (USA),
and Winston Churchill (England)

Joseph Stalin, Franklin D. Roosevelt,

Winston Churchill

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 Tehran Conference
"The Three Governments realize that the war has caused special economic difficulties
for Iran, and they are agreed that they will continue to make available to the
Government of Iran such economic assistance as may be possible, having regard
to the heavy demands made upon them by their world-wide military operations,
and to the world-wide shortage of transport, raw materials, and supplies for
civilian consumption." (Declaration of the Three Powers Regarding Iran—
December 1, 1943)

• Main concern: to plan the final strategy for the war against “Axis of Power”
• Iran had “Rah Ahan e Sarasari”- from Khalije Fars to USSR border
• This route was named : “Persian Corridor”

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 EY IRAN

• Composed Hossein Gol-e-Golab

• Inspired in 1944, after witnessing an ugly incident where an American soldier serving on the
Persian Corridor beat up a native Iranian greengrocer, or “Baghal”

• "In 1944, the footsteps of the invading armies in the streets were enough to rattle any patriot
and inspired me to write this anthem. Professor Ruhollah Khaleghi wrote the music and despite
all the political opposition, it found its way into the heart and soul of the people."

• Music composed by Rouhollah Khaleghi

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ey_Iran
http://www.iranian.com/Music/Patriotic/Audio/EyIran.mp3

Iranian Imperial National Anthem

http://www.farsitube.com/videos/Political/Imperial_Iranian_National_Anthem

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‫اي ايران اي مرز پرگهر ‪ ،‬اي خاكت سرچشمه هنر‬
‫دور از تو انديشه بدان ‪ ،‬پاينده ماني و جاودان‬
‫اي دشمن ار تو سنگ خاره اي من آهنم‪ ،‬جان من فداي خاك پاك‬
‫ميهنم‬
‫مهر تو چون شد پيشه ام‪ ،‬دور از تو نيست انديشه ام‬
‫در راه تو كي ارزشي دارد اين جان ما‪ ،‬پاينده باد خاك ايران ما‬
‫سنگ كوهت در و گوهر است‪ ،‬خاك دشتت بهتر از زر است‬
‫‪،‬مهرت از دل كي برون كنم‪ ،‬برگو بي مهر تو چون كنم‬
‫تا گردش جهان دور آسمان به پاست‪ ،‬نور ايزدي هميشه رهنماي‬
‫ماست‬
‫مهر تو چون شد پيشه ام‪ ،‬دور از تو نيست انديشه ام‬
‫در راه تو كي ارزشي دارد اين جان ما‪ ،‬پاينده باد خاك ايران ما‬
‫ايران اي خرم بهشت من‪ ،‬روشن از تو سرنوشت من‬
‫گر آتش بارد به پيكرم‪ ،‬جز مهرت در دل نپرورم‬
‫از آب و خاك و مهر تو سرشته شد گلم‪ ،‬مهر اگر برون رود‬
‫تهی شود دلم‬
‫مهر تو چون شد پيشه ام‪ ،‬دور از تو نيست انديشه ام‬
‫در راه تو كي ارزشي دارد اين جان ما‪ ،‬پاينده باد خاك ايران ما‬

‫‪8‬‬
 1-Fadayan-e Islam
-Founded in 1946
-Founder: Navab Safavi
-Goal: transform Iran into an Islamic state
-1946- Ahmad Kasravi (an intellectual
who had criticized the mullahs)
- 1948- ex-Prime Minister Hazir
- 1965- Prime Minister Hassan Ali Mansour
-1951- Prime Minister Ali Razmara

-1955- Navab Safavi was executed by the

Shah's government
-However, the group survived
-Members were to later serve the Islamic
Republic Regime after the 1979 revolution.
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 2-The Communists
• “Hezbeh Toodeh”
• Were influenced by
communistic ideas
• Mostly composed of
“Roshan Fekrha”
• Challenged the
monarchy

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 3-The Nationalists
• Another opposition party was the “Melli Gara” party, or the Nationalists
• They challenged and criticized the monarchy
• Dr.Mohammed Mossadegh ( May 19th, 1882- March 5th , 1967) : back in the Parliament with
Reza Shah now gone
• Fought:
– Against Western influence (USA and England) on Iran
– For nationalism
– For the benefit of Iran
– For complete INDEPENDENCE of IRAN
– Nationalization of Oil

• He formed “JEBHEYE MELLI” : National Front of Iran

• Goals:
– Establish democracy
– End foreing presence in Iranian politics
– Nationalize oil resources (against AIOC)

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 Mossadegh
• However, attempts to nationalize oild failed
• Prime Minister General Haj-Ali Razmara (elected in June of 1950), opposed the nationalization bill
• March 7th , 1951- assasinated by Khalil Tahmasebi
• Tahmasebi was a member of “Fadayan-e Islam”

• March 15th , 1951- the parliament voted on

nationlizationof Iran’s oil industry

• April 28th , 1951- “Majlis” elected Mossadegh as

the new prime minester
• Vote of 79-12
• Shah had no choice but to give assent
• Therefore now, Mossadegh enforced the Oil Nationalization Act
• AIOC’s control was demolished

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 Consequences
• England = not impressed
 Banned export of any oil produced in formely British-controlled refineries
 Blockade in the Persian gulf of any attmept to ship oil out of the county
 AIOC withdrew its British-trained technicians
• Results:
 Went from over a 100 million dollars a year in exports to Britain, to
increasing Iran's debt by nearly 10 million dollars a month.

• For 2 years, Mossadegh managed to run the country without its main source of income
• But when times got too difficult, he asked the Shah for emergency power: he wanted to
name a Minister of War and the Chief of Staff
• The shah refused
• Mossadegh, as a result, resigned

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 Return of Mossadegh
• New prime minister: Ahmad Qavam
(aka Ghavam os-Saltahneh)
• He announced his intention to
re-establish negotiations with the
British and end the oil dispute

• This resulted in a massive outbreak of public protest: Toudehs, radical

Muslims, as well as nationlists
• Shah quickly removed Qavam and re-appointed Mossadegh
• Mossadegh returned under the condition that the Shah accept his
request

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The Scandal
• Muslims, as well as the
“Toodeh” party, proved to be
two of Mossadegh's key
political allies

• Reason: they all wanted to

reduce Shah’s authority

• The Shah became more and

more worried, and decided to
remove Mossadegh from
power: wrote his “farman” and
made Timsar Zahedi deliever it
• Failed in his attempt

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 The Scandal- continued
• Shah fled, with
Soraya, to Baghdad
• Faisal II welcomed
him
• Then fled to Rome,
Italy

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 End of Mossadegh Era
• The British government was still bitter over the loss
of control on the Iranian oil industry

• Truned to USA for help

• Led USA to believe that Mossadegh was
increasingly turning towards Communism and was
moving Iran towards the Soviet sphere at a time of
high Cold War fears
• USA and Britain publicly denounced his policies for
iran as “harmful” to the country

• In response, Mossadegh declared Britain as an

“enemy”
• He cut all dimplomatic relations with Britain

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End of Mossadegh Era
April 4th , 1953- CIA director Dulles approved $1 million to be used "in any way that
• would bring about the fall of Mossadegh"
CIA's Tehran station started to launch a propaganda campaign against Mossadegh
• Kermit Roosevelet Jr.,the chief of the CIA's Near East and Africa division
• Operation Ajax
• He was to design a “Koodeta”
•

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 Soldiers surround the
Parliament building in Tehran
on August 19th, 1953
• August 19th, 1953 (28
Mordad 1332)- pro-Shah
regiments bombarded the
prime minister's official
residence

• Mossadegh managed to flee

from the mob

• The next day, he surrendered

to General Zahedi
• placed under arrest in a
comfortable apartment

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 Shah’s Return
• August 22nd , 1953- Shah returned

• Mossadegh was tried for

high treason

• Zahedi was appointed as the

new prime minister officially
• However, Shah was scared of
Zahedi himself
• He appointed him as Iran’s
ambassador to Switzerland
• New prime minister: Ali Amini
• Shah re-gained control:
 announced “Hezbeh Toodeh” illegal and arrested supporters

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 WHITE REVOLUTION
• USA grew in power
• President Kennedy started to pressure Shah into reforming human rights
and reforms in Iran
• 1963- WHITE REVOLUTION = “Enghelab-e Sefid”
 Profit-sharing for industrial workers
 Government-financed heavy industry projects
 Nationalization of forests and pastureland
 “Land Reform” / “Eslahat-e Arzi”
 Women’s rights: right to VOTE
 Education in rural areas
 Literacy Corps
 Health Corps
 Free Food for Needy Mothers and for all
newborn babies up to the age of two

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 Khomeyni’s Appearance
• The Islamic supporters, were opposed to most of these movements
including women’s right to vote AND “Eslahat-e Arzi”
• Ayatollah Khomeyni gained influence in Qom
• Prime Minister: Alam

• 15 Khordad, 1342 (1964) – huge

uprising in Tehran, Qom, and other
major cities
• Khomeyni was arrested
• Exiled to Turkey
• But since major Muslim cities were
located in Iraq, he moved there

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 Late Pahlavi Era
• Amir Abbas Hoveyda became the prime
minister (January 27th , 1965 to August 27th ,
1977)

• Unhappiness skyrocketed throughout the

country:

 Shah became more an more of a

dictator

 1967- he crowned himself as King of

the Kings (Emperor of Iran) and his
wife, Farah Diba, as Shahbanoo
(Empress)
 http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=3017839804571160863

 1350 (1972)- OPEC organization: Iran

& Saudi Arabia were the leaders
 This led to inflation

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KHOMEYNI’S MOVEMENTS

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 KHOMEYNI’S MOVEMENTS-
continued
• Shah asked Sadam to stop
Khomeyni's movements
• Khomeyni was asked to leave
Iraq
• He went to Paris, France
• Big mistake…

• Uprisings got more and more

intense
• 1357 (1979)- Shah left Iran for
“rest”
• Prime Minister: Shapoor Bakhtiar
(Jebhe Melli)
• But the Islamic reformers wanted
power, so they opposed him as
well
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 KHOMEYNI’S RETURN
• February 1, 1979 (1357)
-Khomeyni decided to return to
Iran
• Rented an Air-France
plane
• Greeted by people

• Finally, 21-22 Bahman 1357 – royal

troops were defeated by rebel troops
in armed street fighting

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 Shah’s Faith- continued
• Most countries were scared to accept Shah
• Shah and Farah, first went to Morocco (Sultan
Hassan)
• He later lived in Moroco, the Bahamas, and Mexico
• However, his non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma got very
severe
• October 22nd , 1979- Jimmy Carter, allowed Shah to
get treatment in NYC
• Left on December 15th , 1979
• Lived in Isla Contadora, Panama

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 The last days
• Egypt’s president: Anwar-el Sadat,
invited him to live in Egypt
• Passed away in Egypt on July 27th , 1980
(at the age of 60)
• Sadat gave the Shah a state funeral
• Mohammad Reza Pahlavi is buried in
the Al Rifa’I Mosque in Cairo, Egypt

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