Mohammad Reza Pahlavi came to power on 16 September 1941, when he was chosen by a council of ministers and approved by the Iranian parliament to succeed his father, Reza Shah, who had been forced to abdicate by the Anglo-Soviet forces that had invaded Iran during World War II.
What was his role in becoming shah?
Mohammad Reza Pahlavi's role in becoming shah was largely due to his father's influence and support. Reza Shah was a powerful ruler who had modernized Iran and increased its military strength. He also cultivated close ties with the British and American governments, who saw Iran as a strategic ally in the region. When Reza Shah was forced to abdicate, he chose his eldest son, Mohammad Reza, to succeed him.
Mohammad Reza Pahlavi was a weak and inexperienced ruler compared to his father, and he was heavily influenced by his father's advisors and the British and American governments. However, he managed to maintain power for over three decades, thanks in part to the support of the military and the secret police, as well as the country's oil wealth.
The shah's role in Iran's modernization and economic development
Mohammad Reza Pahlavi played a significant role in Iran's modernization and economic development. He continued his father's policies of industrialization and infrastructure development, and he also introduced a number of social and economic reforms. These reforms included the expansion of education and healthcare, the emancipation of women, and the redistribution of land. As a result of these reforms, Iran experienced a period of rapid economic growth and social progress during the 1960s and 1970s.
The shah's fall from power
Mohammad Reza Pahlavi's regime was overthrown by the Iranian Revolution in 1979. The revolution was sparked by a number of factors, including economic inequality, political repression, and the shah's close ties with the United States. The shah fled Iran in January 1979, and the country was declared an Islamic republic. Mohammad Reza Pahlavi died in exile in Egypt in 1980.