Mohammad Reza Pahlavi

Mohammad Reza Pahlavi was Iran’s last shah, ruling from 1941 until the 1979 Iranian Revolution overthrew his monarchy. His reign combined rapid modernization and close ties with the United States with authoritarian rule and mounting opposition.

Iranian Revolution: The 1979 mass uprising that overthrew Iran’s monarchy and established an Islamic republic. The revolution ended Pahlavi’s rule and transformed Iran’s political system.
White Revolution: A state-led reform program launched by Pahlavi in 1963, including land redistribution, literacy campaigns, and expanded suffrage for women. It was the central reform program through which the shah sought rapid social and economic change.
Reza Shah: The founder of Iran’s Pahlavi dynasty, who ruled as shah from 1925 until his forced abdication in 1941. His abdication transferred the throne to his son Mohammad Reza.
Mohammad Mosaddegh: Iranian prime minister from 1951 to 1953, known for nationalizing the country’s oil industry. His elected government challenged royal power before the 1953 coup restored the shah’s position.
Persian Empire: A succession of Iranian empires that ruled large parts of western and central Asia from antiquity onward. Pahlavi invoked Iran’s imperial past to frame his monarchy’s national identity.
Islamic Republic of Iran: The political system established in Iran after the 1979 revolution, combining republican institutions with clerical authority. It replaced the monarchy Pahlavi had ruled.
SAVAK: Iran’s intelligence and security agency under the Pahlavi monarchy, established in 1957. It monitored and repressed opposition to the shah’s government.
Pahlavi dynasty: Iran’s ruling dynasty from 1925 until the monarchy’s overthrow in 1979. Mohammad Reza was the dynasty’s second and last monarch.
Ruhollah Khomeini: Iranian cleric and revolutionary leader who became the Islamic Republic’s first supreme leader in 1979. He led the opposition movement that ended Pahlavi’s monarchy and became its foremost political rival.
2,500-year celebration of the Persian Empire: A 1971 state celebration in Iran marking the monarchy’s claimed 2,500-year history. The lavish celebration became a conspicuous expression of the shah’s imperial ambitions.

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