119. The Last Shah

This episode of the Empire podcast interviews Ali Ansari, Professor of Iranian Studies, about the reign of Reza Shah Pahlavi and the subsequent rise of his son, Mohammad Reza Shah Pahlavi. The discussion traces Iran's modernization under Reza Shah, including social reforms like the removal of the veil for women and the standardization of the Persian language, alongside his authoritarian rule. The interview further details the Allied invasion of Iran in 1941, the nationalization of the Anglo-Iranian Oil Company under Mossadegh, and the 1953 coup that reinstated the Shah with the help of the CIA and MI6. A key takeaway is the complex interplay of internal Iranian politics and external Cold War power dynamics in shaping Iran's 20th-century history. The episode concludes by setting up the next episode, which will delve into the reign of Mohammad Reza Shah and the events leading up to the Iranian Revolution.