His Imperial Majesty Mohammad Reza Shah Pahlavi (Persian: محمدرضا شاه پهلوی) (October 26, 1919 – July 27, 1980) holder of the deferential title Aryamehr ("Light of the Aryans"), was the last Shah of Iran, ruling from 1941 until 1979. The last Shah of Iran File history Legend: (cur) = this is the current file, (del) = delete this old version, (rev) = revert to this old version. ... October 26 is the 299th day of the year (300th in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar, with 66 days remaining. ... 1919 was a common year starting on Wednesday (see link for calendar). ... July 27 is the 208th day (209th in leap years) of the year in the Gregorian Calendar, with 157 days remaining. ... 1980 is a leap year starting on Tuesday. ... This article is about the term Aryan. For Arian, a follower of the ancient Christian sect, See Arianism. ... One of the worlds longest-lasting monarchies, the Iranian monarchy went through many transformations over the centuries, from the days of Persia to the creation of what is now modern day Iran. ... 1941 was a common year starting on Wednesday (link will take you to calendar). ... 1979 is a common year starting on Monday. ...

Youth, Education, and Family Background

Mohammad Reza was born in Tehran, Iran to Reza Pahlavi the reigning shah, and his second wife Tadj ol-Molouk (1896 – 1982). Young Mohammed attended Institute Le Rosey, a Swiss boarding school and the Military College in Tehran. Tehran (also spelled Teheran, which more correctly reflects the Persian pronunciation) (تهران in Persian), population 9,000,000 (metropolitan: 14,000,000), and a land area of 254 square miles, is the capital of Iran and one of the major world cities. ... Shah Reza Pahlavi His Imperial Majesty Reza Pahlavi (Persian: رضا پهلوی), (March 16, 1877–July 26, 1944), called Reza Shah the Great after his death, was Shah of Persia from 1925 until 1935 and Shah of Iran (as the country was renamed to Iran, the name which had always been... Tadj ol-Molouk (1896-1982) was the wife of Reza Pahlavi of Iran who was Shah of Iran between 1925 and 1941. ... 1896 was a leap year starting on Wednesday (see link for calendar). ... 1982 is a number and represents a common year starting on Friday of the Gregorian calendar Events January-February January 6 - William Bonin is convicted of being the freeway killer. January 8 - AT&T agrees to divest itself of twenty-two subdivisions January 11 - Mark Thatcher, son of the British... Institut Le Rosey, established in 1880, is the oldest private boarding school in Switzerland and one of the most exclusive private education institutions in the world. ... A boarding school is a self-contained educational total institution where students not only study but where some or all students may live. ...

His father, Reza Pahlavi, (1877–1944), had risen from the post of Minister of War to that of Prime Minister, before he was elected by the National Assembly (parliament), also known as the Majlis of Iran, as Shah of Iran in 1925, starting the Pahlavi dynasty. Shah Reza Pahlavi Reza Pahlavi (Persian: رضا پهلوی), (March 16, 1877–July 26, 1944), called Reza Shah the Great after his death, was Shah of Persia (later Iran) from December 15, 1925 to September 16, 1941. ... 1877 was a common year starting on Monday (see link for calendar). ... 1944 was a leap year starting on Saturday (link will take you to calendar). ... مجلس شورای اسلامی - The Majles; Irans Parliament. ... Shah (in Persian: شاه), from the Old Persian word khshathra king, is the Persian term for a monarch and used by the former rulers of Persia (present-day Iran) as well as the rulers of the Persian Empire. ... 1925 was a common year starting on Thursday (link will take you to calendar). ... The Pahlavi dynasty was the ruling dynasty of Iran from 1925 to 1979, from which two Shahs were drawn. ...

Prior to Reza Pahlavi's ascension, the kingdom of Iran had been feeling the gradual encroachment of two expanding empires: Russia and Britain. In the nineteenth century, Russia had annexed the northern part of Iran, which came to be known as Tajikistan. Britain, meanwhile, began to exercise increasing influence over the south of the country through its control of India, a traditional trading partner; and domination of the Iranian oil industry. British foreign policy emphasized adroit diplomacy backed by military might to ensure the privileged treatment of British interests in the country, and Britain imposed humiliating restrictions on Iranian sovereignity. Reza Pahlavi sought to decrease this influence by reaching out to other European powers such as Italy and Germany. Ironically, instead of decreasing British and Russian influence, this policy only provided new impetus for continued interference in Iranian affairs and proved Reza's undoing: in 1939, Germany invaded Poland and World War II began. By B.A The best shah In the World 1939 was a common year starting on Sunday (link will take you to calendar). ... Mushroom cloud from the nuclear explosion over Nagasaki rising 18 km into the air. ...

Reign of Mohammad Reza

Deposition of his Father

In 1941, Germany invaded its former ally, the Soviet Union, which quickly re-allied with Britain. Concerned that Reza Shah was about to align his petroleum-rich country with Germany, the British and the Soviets occupied Iran and forced Reza to resign in favor of his son. Iran became a major conduit for British and later American aid to the USSR. This massive supply effort became known as the "Persian Corridor", and marked the first large-scale US involvement in Iran. 1941 was a common year starting on Wednesday (link will take you to calendar). ... Nodding donkey pumping an oil well near Sarnia, Ontario, 2001 Petroleum (from Greek petra – rock and oleum – oil), crude oil, sometimes colloquially called black gold, is a thick, dark brown or greenish flammable liquid, which exists in the upper strata of some areas of the Earths crust. ... The Persian Corridor is the name for the supply route through Iran into Soviet Azerbaijan by which British aid and American Lend-Lease supplies were transferred to the Soviet Union during World War II. Map of Iran & Borders with former Soviet Republics of Armenia, Turkmenistan and Azerbaijan Background Note: The...

Counting Coup

At the end of World War II, political unrest dogged Iran and in 1953 the nation's nationalist prime minister, Mohammed Mossadegh, forced the Shah to flee the country. He was quickly escorted back to power and fired Mossadegh through a counter coup, led by General Fazlollah Zahedi, which was supported by the American CIA and Britain's SIS (MI6). 1953 is a common year starting on Thursday. ... Nationalism is an ideology that creates and sustains a nation as a concept of a common identity for groups of humans. ... A prime minister is the leading member of the cabinet of the top level government in a parliamentary system of government of a country, alternatively A prime minister is an official in a presidential system or semi-presidential system whose duty is to execute the directives of the President and... Mohammed Mossadegh (Persian: محمد مصدق‎) (May 19, 1882 - March 4, 1967) was prime minister of Iran from 1951 to 1953. ... A coup détat, or simply a coup, is the sudden overthrow of a government, usually done by a small group that just replaces the top power figures. ... Muhammad Fazlollah Zahedi (1897-1963) was an Iranian general and politician. ... CIA, see CIA (disambiguation). ... The Secret Intelligence Service (SIS), more commonly known as MI6 (originally Military Intelligence [section] 6), or Her Majestys Secret Service or just the Secret Service, is the British external security agency. ...

With Iran's great oil wealth, Mohammad Reza Shah became the pre-eminent leader of the Middle East, and Guardian of the Persian Gulf. He abolished the multi-party system of government so that he could rule through a one-party regime in autocratic fashion, as a response to the Soviet Union's support of Communist uprisings, through the local Tudeh Party. The Shah authorized the creation of the secret police force, SAVAK, infamous for its ruthless persecution of dissidents. He made major changes to curb the power of certain ancient elite factions by expropriating large and middle-sized estates for the benefit of more than four million small farmers. In what was called 'the White Revolution', he took a number of modernization measures, viewed as populist by some commentatators, including extending suffrage to women, to favour the people. He instituted exams for Islamic theologians to become established priests ("mullahs"), which were widely unpopular and broke centuries-old religious traditions. A map showing countries commonly considered to be part of the Middle East The Middle East is a region comprising the lands around the southern and eastern parts of the Mediterranean Sea, a territory that extends from the eastern Mediterranean Sea to the Persian Gulf. ... SAVAK (Persian: ساواک, short for سازمان اطلاعات و امنیت کشور, National Organization for Intelligence and Security) was the domestic security and intelligence service of Iran from 1957–1979. ...

His policies led to strong economic growth during the 1960s and 1970s but at the same time, opposition to his autocratic rule increased. On January 16, 1979 he and his family were forced to flee Iran a second time following a year of extreme turmoil and public protests leading up to the Iranian revolution. Following the Shah's departure, conservative Muslims — led by the Ayatollah Khomeini who had returned from exile from France — staged a revolution, abolished the monarchy, and established an Islamic Republic. Events and trends The 1960s was a turbulent decade of change around the world. ... Events and trends Although in the United States and in many other Western societies the 1970s are often seen as a period of transition between the turbulent 1960s and the more conservative 1980s and 1990s, many of the trends that are associated widely with the Sixties, from the Sexual Revolution... January 16 is the 16th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar. ... 1979 is a common year starting on Monday. ... Protestors take to the street in support of Ayatollah Khomeini. ... Islam (Arabic al-islām الإسلام,  listen) the submission to God is a monotheistic faith and the worlds second-largest religion. ... Ayatollah Khomeini founded the first modern Islamic republic Ayatollah Seyyed Ruhollah Khomeini (آیت‌الله روح‌الله خمینی in Persian) (May 17, 1900 – June 3, 1989) was an Iranian Shia cleric and the political and spiritual leader of the 1979 revolution that overthrew Mohammad Reza Pahlavi, the then Shah of Iran. ... An Islamic republic is a state under a particular theocratic form of government advocated by some Muslim religious leaders in the Middle East and Africa. ...

Exile and Death

The exiled monarch, suffering from unfavorable propaganda spread by a network of the Ayatollahs and the KGB, had become unpopular in much of the world and travelled from country to country in his second exile seeking what he hoped would be a temporary residence. First he went to Egypt, and got an invitation and warm welcoming from president Anwar el-Sadat. He later lived in Morocco, the Bahamas, and Mexico. But his non-Hodgkins lymphoma began to grow worse, and required immediate and sophisticated treatment. Reluctantly, President Jimmy Carter allowed the Shah to make a brief stopover in the United States to undergo medical treatment. The compromise was extremely unpopular in Iran, where the new regime vilified the Shah and demanded his return to Iran to face trial and execution. This resulted in the Iran hostage crisis. Once the Shah's course of treatment had finished, the American government, eager to avoid further controversy, pressed the former monarch to leave the country. He left the United States and lived shortly in Panama. Finally he went back to Egypt where he died in Cairo on July 27, 1980. Mohammad Reza Pahlavi is buried in the Mosque of ar-Rifai in Cairo, a mosque of great symbolic value. The last royal rulers of two great ancient empires are burried here, Mohammad Reza Shah Pahlavi of Iran and King Farouk of Egypt. Baksheesh is required to view the tombs of the royals, which lie off to the left of the entrance. Anwar Sadat Mohamed Anwar el-Sadat ( Arabic : محمد انور السادات ) (December 25, 1918 - October 6, 1981) was an Egyptian politician and President from 1970 to 1981. ... Non-Hodgkins lymphoma is a type of cancer. ... Order: 39th President Vice President: Walter Mondale Term of office: January 20, 1977 – January 20, 1981 Preceded by: Gerald Ford Succeeded by: Ronald Reagan Date of birth: October 1, 1924 Place of birth: Plains, Georgia First Lady: Rosalynn Carter Political party: Democratic James Earl Jimmy Carter, Jr. ... The Iran hostage crisis was a 444-day period during which the new government of Iran after the Iranian Revolution held hostage 66 diplomats and citizens of the United States. ... View of the modern citys skyline. ... July 27 is the 208th day (209th in leap years) of the year in the Gregorian Calendar, with 157 days remaining. ... 1980 is a leap year starting on Tuesday. ... Baksheesh is a term used to describe both charitable giving and certain forms of political corruption and bribery in the Middle East and Southwest Asia. ...

Wives and children

Mohammad Reza Pahlavi was married three times. His first wife was Princess Fawzia of Egypt (born November 5, 1921), a celebrated beauty of her day, daughter of King Fuad I of Egypt and his second spouse, Nazli Sabri, and a sister of King Farouk I of Egypt. They married in 1939 and divorced in 1948 after her failure to produce an heir to the throne (although later she did in fact have a son with her second husband). Fawzia was extremely unhappy at the Iranian court and longed to return to Egypt, which she did shortly before the forced abdication of her brother and the abolition of the Egyptian monarchy. They had one daughter, Princess Shahnaz Pahlavi (born October 27, 1940). Princess Fawzia bint Fuad of Egypt (b. ... November 5 is the 309th day of the year (310th in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar, with 56 days remaining. ... 1921 was a common year starting on Saturday (see link for calendar). ... Categories: People stubs | 1868 births | 1936 deaths | Egyptian heads of state ... King Farouk of Egypt (February 11, 1920 - March 18, 1965) was the penultimate King of Egypt, succeeding his father Fuad I in 1936. ... 1939 was a common year starting on Sunday (link will take you to calendar). ... 1948 is a leap year starting on Thursday (link will take you to calendar). ... October 27 is the 300th day of the year (301st in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar, with 65 days remaining. ... 1940 was a leap year starting on Monday (link will take you to calendar). ...

His second wife was Soraya Esfandiary Bakhtiari (June 22, 1932-October 26, 2001), daughter of Khalil Esfandiary Bakhtiari, Ambassador of Iran to the Federal Republic of Germany, and his German wife, Eva Karl. They married in 1951 and divorced in 1958 when it became apparent that she could not bear children. Given the title Princess Soraya of Iran after the divorce, she briefly debuted as a film actress, appearing in the 1965 movie "Three Faces of a Woman," and became mistress of its Italian director Franco Indovina, 1932-1972. Soraya Esfandiary Bakhtiari (Isfahan, Iran, June 22, 1932 - Paris, France, October 25, 2001) was the second wife of Mohammad Reza Pahlavi, the last Shah of Iran. ... June 22 is the 173rd day of the year (174th in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar, with 192 days remaining. ... 1932 is a leap year starting on a Friday. ... October 26 is the 299th day of the year (300th in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar, with 66 days remaining. ... 2001 is a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar. ... 1951 was a common year starting on Monday; see its calendar. ... 1958 was a common year starting on Wednesday (link will take you to calendar). ... 1965 was a common year starting on Friday (the link is to a full 1965 calendar). ... 1932 is a leap year starting on a Friday. ... 1972 was a leap year that started on a Saturday. ...

The Shah's third wife was Farah Diba (born October 14, 1938), daughter of Sohrab Diba, Captain in the Imperial Iranian Army, and his wife, Faredeh Ghotbi. They were married in 1959, and Farah was created Shahbanu, or Empress, a title created especially for her. Previous royal consorts had been known as "Malekeh" (Arabic: Malika), or Queen. Farah Diba bore him four children: Farah Diba Farah Diba (born October 14, 1938 in Tehran, Iran) (also known as Farah Pahlavi) was the third wife of Mohammad Reza Pahlavi of Iran and the Shahbanu (Empress) of Iran. ... October 14 is the 287th day of the year (288th in Leap years). ... 1938 was a common year starting on Saturday (link will take you to calendar). ... 1959 was a common year starting on Thursday (link will take you to calendar). ... Shahbanu (in Persian: شهبانو) means Empress in Persian. ... Malika is the female version of the word Malik that means King in Arabic. ... Farah Diba Farah Diba (born October 14, 1938 in Tehran, Iran) (also known as Farah Pahlavi) was the third wife of Mohammad Reza Pahlavi of Iran and the Shahbanu (Empress) of Iran. ...

1. Reza Pahlavi II, the Crown Prince (born October 31, 1960)
2. Farahnaz Pahlavi (born March 12, 1963)
3. Ali Reza Pahlavi (born April 28, 1966)
4. Leila Pahlavi (March 27, 1970 – June 10, 2001)