“With power, with money, with the crown,
The fate of people tosses like kittens.
Well, how did we miss the place of the Shah?! -
Our descendants will not forgive us for this.

The Shah signed in complete incompetence.
Take it here and replace it!
Where to get? We have any second in Turkmenistan -
Ayatollah, and even Khomeini!”

(V.S. Vysotsky)

So what place of the Shah did Vladimir Semenovich sing about and who is this Ayatollah Khomeini?

Aircraft of the Voronezh Aviation Plant in 1972 lured the last Shah of Iran to our city, Voronezh was visited by Mohammed Reza Pahlavi. Of course, he did not arrive alone, but accompanied by his wife, Shahin Farah, and a delegation of about 60 people. In those years, there was no newspaper that would not write about one of the most beautiful couples in the East ...
They wrote about his unthinkable state, about his dress uniform (which had more than two hundred and forty diamonds), about his love for aviation, and, of course, about his personal life and much more.

But first things first.

FROM BATTLE TO GENERAL. Reza Shah the Great

During the Russo-Persian War of 1828, an escort soldier and a Georgian woman fled to Persia, and half a century later, on March 16, 1878, a boy was born in Alashta, a small village in northern Iran, who was destined to turn the course of Persian history.
Nasser ed Din Shah visited St. Petersburg and was delighted with the sight of the Russian Cossacks. At his request, Alexander II formed a Cossack Persian brigade. Nasser-ed Din-Shah, who belonged to the Turkic Qajar dynasty, did not know then that the brigade would bring up the one who would overthrow this very dynasty.
Reza Pahlavi grew up with his mother, his father died when the boy was not even a year old. In 1893, he entered the service as a batman to a Russian officer. In 1916, Reza himself became the commander of the Cossack brigade. He walked for the rest of his life in a Russian uniform, and the Cossacks-Old Believers (who served with him) called him "Tsar-Father".
On October 27, 1919, his son is born - Mohammed Reza Pahlavi, the hero of our story.
February 1921. Reza Khan, leading a campaign of 2 thousand Cossacks against Tehran, organizes a military coup, removes the Qajar dynasty from power, eliminates Iran's political dependence on England and forces it to remove troops from Iranian territory.

Reza fought illiteracy, built highways, schools, railways, airports, built a university.
Prince Mohammed received an excellent education, studied in Switzerland. Meanwhile, his father Reza Khan, meanwhile, was carried away by the Aryan theory of Hitler, who came to power in 1933, and even ordered to call his country not Persia, but Iran, that is, the “country of the Aryans”.

Photo of the 1930s, women of Iran - without the veil:

The prince returned to Tehran in 1937, remarkably versed in economics, finance, history, having studied several European languages. He did not get into state affairs, and, in fact, his imperious father did not allow anyone into this sphere of activity, even the heir to the throne. I will not describe in detail the various subsequent political events, but as a result, in 1941, British and Russian forces invaded and occupied Iran, and Reza Pahlavi abdicated in favor of his son. Reza himself, under the escort of the British, was taken first to Mauritius, and then to Johannesburg (South Africa), where he died on July 26, 1944.

LAWS OF EASTERN HOSPITALITY. Tehran-43

Mohammed Reza Pahlavi was proclaimed Shahinshah at the age of 21.

In 1942, he signed an alliance treaty with Great Britain and the USSR, and in September 1943 he declared war on Germany.

I’ll add on my own, I was always amazed by this declaration of war against the Nazis precisely in 1943, when there was already a clear advantage in the direction of the Soviet Union. Before that, everyone, like hares, hid in the corners and waited, whose side to take. Okay, digressing from the topic.

During a meeting in Tehran of the Big Three, the young Shah met with F.-D. Roosevelt, W. Churchill and I. V. Stalin. Iosif Vissarionovich showed a high-class knowledge of diplomacy, although he should not understand the laws of oriental hospitality.

Marshal of Long-Range Aviation A.E. Golovanov recalled: “Upon the arrival of the heads of the three powers in Tehran, the Shah of Iran asked for an audience with Churchill and Roosevelt to greet the guests. Arriving at the British embassy, ​​he waited quite a long time until Churchill came out to him. Roosevelt's wait was less long, and finally the phone rang to our embassy asking when His Excellency Stalin could receive the Shah of Iran. The embassy asked to wait to agree on the time of the visit. Quite quickly, an answer was received that read: “The head of the Soviet delegation asks when the Shah of Iran will find time and be able to receive him?” The caller to the embassy said in a somewhat bewildered voice that he was misunderstood that the Shah of Iran was asking when he could come to Stalin. However, the answer was that he was understood correctly, and Stalin was asking exactly when the Shah of Iran could receive him. The caller said that he had to report to the Shah. After some time, a call followed and the embassy was informed that if they understood correctly and I.V. Stalin really wants to visit the Shah of Iran, then the Shah will be waiting for him at such and such a time.

At the precisely appointed hour, Comrade Stalin visited the Shah of Iran, greeted him and had a long conversation with him, stressing that every guest should pay tribute to the host, visit him and thank him for his hospitality.
Questions of attention in general, and in the East in particular, have a certain meaning and significance. The Shah was then very young, he was fond of aviation and received a light aircraft as a gift from us. Stalin's personal visit to him further strengthened the friendly relations that subsequently existed for many years between our states. Indeed, it would seem an insignificant case, but in fact it is politics, and no small ...

The young monarch highly appreciated Soviet military equipment, especially combat aircraft, on which he himself flew no worse than first-class pilots, and declared "his sympathy for the Soviet Union and the Red Army." He, like Peter I, "cut a window to Europe", tried to make Iran one of the largest industrial powers in the world.

The changes in the country were grandiose: metallurgical and machine-building plants, petrochemical complexes, automobile enterprises. The foundations of shipbuilding and aircraft building were laid, and even steps were taken towards the creation of nuclear energy.

EGYPTIAN PRINCESS

The first wife of the Shah - Fawzia Fouad - was an Egyptian princess, the eldest daughter of the daughter of the Sultan of Egypt and Sudan Fuad I and his wife Nazi Sabri. Fabzia was born in Alexandria on 11/05/21. A representative of the Muhammad Ali dynasty. She became the first wife of the Iranian Shah. The wedding took place in Cairo, and after the honeymoon was re-held in Tehran. The marriage was unstable and not happy, it lasted from 1941 to 1945. After the birth of her daughter Shahnaz, Fawzia filed for divorce, after which she moved to Cairo.

However, the Iranian authorities legalized divorce only three years later, in 1948.
She remarried in 1949 to a distant relative - Colonel Ismail Hussein Shirin Bey - and became known as Fawziya Shirin. After the Egyptian Revolution of 1952, she was stripped of her royal privileges and titles and is still treated respectfully using her title. I understand that Fawzia is still alive.
Photo taken from here.(external reference)

SORAYA

Soraya Asfandiyari Bakhtiari (Soraya Esfandiary), the second wife of the Iranian Shah Reza Pahlavi, Soraya, the daughter of the leader of the Persian diaspora in Europe and his German wife Eva Karl, was born on June 22, 1932 in Isfahan. The eldest daughter of a representative of an old noble family has been accustomed to politics since childhood. My father was the ambassador to West Germany for a long time, my uncle is the leader of the constitutional movement in Iran.

Unfortunately, she could not have children, and the Iranian Majlis (parliament) demanded an heir. Mohammed thought about taking a second wife who would bear him a son, and also proposed changing the Iranian constitution so that after his death the throne would be inherited by his brother. Soraya was against the first option, and the Majlis was against the second. In March 1958, Mohammed was forced to divorce. However, several times a year he flew from Iran to Switzerland (where his second wife lived) on a plane that he himself flew.

The second wife became, as they say, the love of a lifetime. I completely agree with this. As you know, if a person does not get along with his personal life, he goes headlong into work. Shah, after the divorce, actively engaged in the transformation of the country. By the way, Soraya also enjoyed popular recognition and respect.

Soraya was nicknamed "the sad-eyed princess". After her divorce from the Shah, the princess tried herself in the cinema. As an actress, she took part in the Dino Di Laurentiis project. It was supposed that she would embody the image of the great Russian Empress Catherine on the screen, but the project failed.

Soraya Asfandiyari died in 2001 at the age of sixty-nine in her apartment in Paris under unclear circumstances.

Empress FARAH

The legend of the choice of the third wife is as follows: twice a special physical education parade was organized in Tehran, in which several hundred young girls took part. During the first parade, Mohammed failed to make his choice. I had to repeat the parade. The Shah pointed to Farah, who became the new queen. The wedding of 24 year old student Farah and 40th Mohammed Reza Pahlavi took place on December 21, 1959.

Farah Diba (born 1938), came from an old rich Azerbaijani family. Her great-grandfather was ambassador to Russia before the revolution. Farah was educated in Tehran and Paris. In her school years, she was fond of sports and even was the captain of the basketball team. Fluent in English, French, Farsi and some Azeri.

Iran finally got an heir to the throne. In total, Farah gave birth to four children: Reza Kir Pahlavi (1960), Farangiz Pahlavi (1963), Ali Reza Pahlavi (1966), Leila Pahlavi (1970).

The first and only of the three wives of Shah Farah received the title of Empress (Shahban). It was a sensation, at that time women in the East were not given such rights.

In the 1970s, the empress developed a stormy activity. While her husband revived the power of the country, using its huge oil reserves (and, by the way, achieved a lot in this direction), she managed the cultural part. With her participation, all historical values ​​​​and Shah relics were returned to Iran, she founded the largest museum in Asia, fought for women's rights, and became a trendsetter. Wealthy Iranians sent their children to study in the West, ballet schools were popular.

At one time, Muslim Magomayev was fascinated by her: “Shahinya Farrakh was dazzling: chiseled features, Persian velvet eyes, a pearly smile... A real movie star. Her Majesty's visit to Baku was official, and she behaved within the strict protocol... There, in the palace, an incident happened to me, which, however, was forgiven. After the cavatina of Figaro, at the request of the Shah, I was taken to His Majesty. He flattered about the performance of Neapolitan songs. Having finished the conversation, I turned to move away from the Shah, and heard a restrained hum in the hall. According to etiquette, they do not leave the shah, but move away from him backing away. But no one warned me about this. Nevertheless, in the history of the Shah's palace, I, apparently, was the first to violate strict etiquette - I showed my back to the ruler of Iran.

VISIT TO VORONEZH

During the reign of Nikita Sergeevich, relations with Iran were difficult and wary.

In July 1972, with a huge delegation of 58 people, the Shah of Iran, Mohammed Reza Pahlavi, arrived in Voronezh with his wife, Shahin Farrah. Mohammed wanted to purchase a Tu-144 aircraft from an aviation plant. An advantageous agreement was then concluded between the USSR and Iran on the supply of Tu aircraft to Iran.

A brilliant married couple was provided with a hotel, which is located at the intersection of streets and is popularly called "Steamboat" and "Ship". This hotel has always received only high-ranking guests of the city.

Says the former commandant of the hotel:

“During the visit of the Shah, I was appointed commandant of the mansion on Karl Marx Street. The operational staff of our department and representatives of the Moscow 9th department of the KGB of the USSR carried out the necessary preparatory measures. All security measures have been taken. However, this time, we ran into additional problems. The fact is that Mohammed's wife, Shahin Farrah, was almost all the time in the mansion. She was unwell, and she left the residence only four times: she was at an aircraft factory, at a concert at the Opera and Ballet Theatre, at the Yu.E. Shtukman and at a banquet in the Slavyansky restaurant (for some reason, the Shah was absent at the last event). The rest of the time, the shahinya was in the apartments of the residence. She hardly went outside, spending time surrounded by servants. We were given the command not to let any of the Soviet citizens near her. An exception was made only for the deputy chairman of the regional executive committee I.I. Razdymalin (responsible for receiving the delegation) and the chief sanitary doctor of the region V.A. Kamensky (who personally checked all the products brought to the residence these days). In addition to them, at the request of the shahini, a doctor was once delivered to the mansion, to whom, after examination and consultation, Farrakh presented a gold watch ... "

They had less than six years to rule...

Crash of a 2500 year old monarchy

The monarch-reformer was a serious competition to the country that "defeated" the Indians. Fortunately for them, the very rapid economic growth of the country (and the people, for the most part backward, do not have time to get used to and accept a new way of life) and the introduction of Western technologies and culture, naturally caused panic among ordinary Eastern citizens. Religion is all that remains of a familiar and familiar life for Muslim residents who do not want to accept modernization. And this was to America's advantage, Washington began to actively support the opposition, headed by Ayatollah Ruhollah Musavi Khomeini, who propagated that the Shah "sold his soul to the Western devil" and opposes the model of a pure pious people's Islamic state to the "depraved" and pro-Western Shah's regime.

Ayatollah Khomeini... A very interesting figure. A tough revolutionary who promotes religion (a paradox in fact). However, that's another story...

Mohammed was inspired by success and transformation and for a long time did not notice the clouds hanging over him. January 1978 arrived. In the holy Muslim city of Qom, the Shah's troops shot down a demonstration, the participants of which demanded the restriction of the Shah's power and a return to the laws of Islam, killing more than 70 people. For the opposition, this was a chance. The clergy organize mass demonstrations. True, they say that the army command offered Mohammed to deal with popular uprisings. To which Pahlavi replied: “I cannot reign on the blood of my subjects. Which country will I give to my son?” Mohammed Reza was no longer in control of the situation and was forced to leave the country on January 16, 1979 with his family. In February 1979, power in Iran passed into the hands of the clergy, headed by Ayatollah Khomeini (a religious leader who was then in exile in Paris), who proclaimed the creation of an "Islamic Republic". Everything that was done by the Shah was destroyed, and the development of the country was thrown back centuries ago.
Mohammed lived in Egypt, Morocco, the Bahamas and Mexico. The Islamic authorities of Iran demanded his extradition, and former friends shied away like a leper, fearing Khomeini's revenge.

The health of the former monarch deteriorated, he was diagnosed with lymphoma. The arrival of Mohammed Reza for treatment in the United States caused in November 1979 the seizure of the American embassy in Iran by Muslim extremists and an acute international crisis. The overthrown Shah left the United States and moved to Panama, and then back to Egypt, where he died and was buried in the al-Rifai mosque in Cairo.

DESCENDANTS

The eldest of the three sons of the monarch, Reza, went to America in 1978, even before the revolution. After graduating from the US Air Force Academy, he entered the political science department at Williams College. Then he graduated from the University of California. Now Reza Pahlavi lives in Maryland with his wife and three daughters. The Iranians call him "the Shahinshah in exile", or - the crown prince, that is, after 30 years, they do not believe the current government, or what?

"House with lions", or Shvanvich's hotel
...
Part 6 -
Part 7 -
Part 8 - The Last Shah of Iran (Ship Hotel)
Part 9 -
Part 10 -
Part 11 -
Part 12 -

Uhammad Reza Shah was born in October 1919 in Tehran into the family of a not very wealthy Cossack officer, which he was then. He was in his seventh year when Muhammad suddenly became crown prince and his life changed completely. If before that the boy lived with his mother, brothers and sisters, then after the coronation he was separated from them. The father decided to give his son what he called a "basic education" and sent him to an elementary military school specially created for this purpose. In addition to what was taught at this school, where all students without exception lived separately from their families, the crown prince, at the behest of his father, intensively studied foreign languages. He later recalled: "There were 21 people in my class. Were they selected with the necessary care and caution from among the sons of statesmen and army officers? The students of this school wore military uniforms. The curriculum was very difficult. My childhood years naturally passed in a military environment. Studying During this period, my father hired a French governess to supervise my development and teach me French. clear pronunciation?

After graduating from elementary military school, Reza Shah sent his son to Switzerland and placed him in one of the private schools in Lausanne. Here he spent four years, and his life was in everything similar to that of other students. The only exception was that, in addition to the general program for all, a specially appointed Persian teacher gave the prince lessons in Persian literature. In 1936, having received a diploma, Muhammad Reza returned to his homeland and, at the request of the Shah, entered the officer's school, which he graduated in 1938 with the rank of lieutenant. After that, his service in the Shahinshah army began as an inspector. Twice a day he visited military units and got acquainted with the organization of military service. Then he got married.

Muhammad Reza's personal life was complex and dramatic. The first time he married in 1939 and did it at the behest of his father, who decided to establish a marriage alliance between the dynasties of Iran and Egypt and chose the Egyptian princess Fouzi, the daughter of King Faud and the elder sister of the heir to the throne Farouk, as his wife. Muhammad Reza himself did not feel affection for his wife, although she had a very interesting appearance. After becoming shah, he gave her a divorce in June 1945. After that, the Shah led a bachelor life for several years. However, the divorce of the ruler worried the widowed Shahin and close relatives of Muhammad Reza, who tried to find him a suitable match. In 1950, his sister Shams met Sorea Esfidiari in Paris, whose mother was German, and whose father came from a noble Bakhtiar family. Since Sorey liked the shah himself, in February 1951 a marriage alliance was concluded between them. In the future, Muhammad Reza experienced the most tender feelings for his wife, but since she could not bear him an heir, he had to give her a divorce at the request of the state council. On December 21, 1959, the Shah entered into a third marriage, marrying Farah Diba (a friend of his daughter Shahnaz), who came from a wealthy and respectable Tabriz family. The new queen soon gave birth to two sons: princes Reza and Ali-Reza.

On September 16, 1941, after abdication, Muhammad Reza ascended the throne. This happened at a difficult time for Iran, when the country actually lost its sovereignty and was occupied by the countries of the anti-Hitler coalition. "During the entire period of the occupation of Iran, - later recalled Muhammad Reza Shah, - sadness and sorrow did not leave me for a minute, my nights passed in anxiety and insomnia. Under the conditions of foreign occupation, the young shah was unable to continue his father's tough policy. The Mejlis won the right to nominate the prime minister and form a government convenient for him. After that, the shah ceased to play any serious role in determining the most important directions of government policy. The activity of political parties revived in Tehran. Real power was concentrated in the hands of the prime ministers, but as a rule it did not extend beyond the capital. In the national provinces - in Azerbaijan and Kurdistan - a joyful atmosphere of cultural and political freedom reigned. Books and newspapers began to appear in Azerbaijani and Kurdish languages, teaching in native languages ​​was introduced in schools and educational institutions. Strengthened local nationalist parties. At the end of 1945, Azerbaijan and Kurdistan declared autonomy.

However, the weakening of the monarchical power had not only foreign policy reasons. By his nature, Muhammad was far from being such a strong and firm person as his father. His wife Sofei Esfandiyari wrote later: "He was noble and even shy. For example, he could hardly refuse a request. Many of his entourage took advantage of this weakness and wanted to benefit from this property of his." Often, succumbing to persuasion, Muhammad Reza Shah turned a blind eye to how certain persons violated the law, and forgave them. Sometimes he promoted not the most worthy people, fulfilling the requests of his entourage. This weakness of character caused great damage to his authority as a monarch, since cases of various abuses were frequent and information about them became public knowledge. Under his father, this state of affairs was completely unacceptable. The difference between father and son can be seen, among other things, in their hobbies. As you know, he devoted all his time to work without a trace. Muhammad Reza, on the contrary, knew how and loved to relax. In his memoirs, he writes about this: "My passion for sports is well known. I love swimming, tennis, horse riding, hunting, skiing, water skiing, golf, flying and driving racing cars. But sports are not my only hobby. So, I enjoy easy conversations, from playing chess; do I enjoy reading fiction, especially French novels? I am not a musician, but I am passionate about music; listening to it, I feel great pleasure. "

It took Shah more than ten years to fully restore the powers of his power. Already in December 1946, shortly after the withdrawal of Soviet troops, the revolutionary regimes of Azerbaijan and Kurdistan capitulated to the central government. Martial law was introduced here, and arrests began. The repressions in Azerbaijan were especially severe. Thousands of people died, thousands were deported, the ban on the publication of books and newspapers in the Azerbaijani language came into force again.

In the future, the value of the shah gradually increased, although until the mid-1950s. The leading role in political life belonged to the Majlis and the Cabinet of Ministers. Particularly sharp contradictions between the shah and the government arose in 1951-1953, when the well-known politician Muhammad Mossadegh, who achieved popularity thanks to the nationalization of the oil industry, was prime minister. At that time, it seemed to many that the monarchy in Iran was living its last days. In the confrontation with Mossadegh, Muhammad Reza behaved very indecisively. He was noticeably shy in front of the prime minister and agreed, at his request, to expel his beloved sister Ashraf and the widowed queen from the country. In the end, entrusting the fight against Mossadegh to General Zahedi, the Shah also left the country.

In August 1953, General Zahedi staged a coup d'état. The civil government was overthrown, Mossadegh and some of his ministers were arrested. Zahedi himself became prime minister. To the credit of Muhammad Reza Shah, it should be noted that he dealt with the defeated enemy quite gently: he commuted his death sentence to three years in prison, after which he allowed Mossadegh to live his life in peace on his estate. The Shah fully appreciated his services to the country and once said to his wife: "I am not an opponent of Mossadegh. If it were not for him, then maybe we still would not be the owners of our oil. There is no need to make a martyr out of him." In October 1955, Muhammad Reza dismissed Zahedi and from that time concentrated all power in his hands. Legislation limiting the Shah's prerogatives was annulled; freedom of speech, assembly - significantly curtailed. In 1957, the security and information organization SAVAK was created - the secret police, which established control over the press and political moods in society. After a short time, SAVAK turned into a formidable body for the fight against all kinds of dissent.

The following years became a period of large-scale changes in all spheres of Iranian society, the main initiator and conductor of which was the Shah himself. By the time of his accession, the village continued to be the most explosive element of Iranian society, primarily because of the dominance of semi-feudal relations in it (most of the land belonged to the landlords, who leased it to the peasants). The reforms of Reza Shah practically did not affect the land issue, so its resolution fell entirely on the shoulders of Muhammad Reza. In May 1961, the shah declared the agrarian reform to be the main task of domestic policy. However, before embarking on it, Muhammad Reza decided to set an example for the landlords by announcing the sale of the shah's and state lands to the peasants. The sale was carried out on favorable terms with a 20% discount and with installment payments for 20-25 years. By 1962, 200 thousand hectares of crown land had been sold in this way.

After that, on January 15, 1962, the Shah approved an agrarian law, according to which the bulk of arable land was to pass into the hands of small owners. However, the reforms that began were not limited to the sphere of land relations. In January 1963, Muhammad Reza published the "Six Points of the White Revolution", which was a detailed plan for large-scale reforms. It included: the destruction of the feudal system, land reform, the nationalization of forests and pastures, the privatization of state enterprises with the simultaneous redemption of shares by workers, the introduction of universal suffrage (including for women), the fight against illiteracy. The Shah's program and especially the agrarian reform project caused great excitement in Iranian society. In January 1963 they were approved by a popular referendum.

The essence of the agrarian reform was as follows: the landowners were obliged to sell to the state all possessions exceeding one village (you could keep no more than 500 hectares, but only on condition that the landowner uses equipment and hired labor to process them). In turn, the state sold the land to the peasants who had rented it before (with installment payments of 15 years). In February, in one of his speeches, Muhammad Reza Shah announced that the feudal system would be abolished in Iran within 30 years. And in fact, the agrarian reform significantly changed the Iranian countryside: the large semi-feudal landlord economy was liquidated, the stratum of the middle peasantry grew and strengthened significantly. However, the reform did not lead to an increase in labor productivity and productivity. Even the opposite happened - with the liquidation of landowners' farms, the country began to feel a shortage of grain and meat, and Iran turned from an exporter of agricultural products into its importer. In 1973-1974, that is, ten years after the start of the reform, agricultural productivity remained extremely low and there were no prospects for raising it, in connection with which many economists consider the agrarian policy of Muhammad Reza to be erroneous. Its social consequences also turned out to be negative: as a result of the reform, the traditional mechanisms that allowed the existence of a significant number of the rural poor - landless and landless peasants - were destroyed. In search of work, these people rushed to the cities, formed here a layer of declassed lumpens always ready for anti-government protests, and brought a lot of trouble to the ruling regime. In Tehran alone, tens of thousands of people lived in tin-covered shacks.

The clergy also perceived the "white revolution" negatively, as they saw in it a number of provisions that undermined the positions of Islam. It was especially intolerant of the agrarian reform and of granting women equal rights with men. On March 21, 1963, the leader of the Shiite clergy, Ayatollah Khomeini, delivered a speech in Qom, which contained sharp criticism of the "white revolution". At his call, mass demonstrations of students began in Qom, who gathered for a mourning ceremony to commemorate the victims of the Shah's regime. They had to use force against them - troops were moved into the city, riots broke out, suppressed with great difficulty. In April 1963, Khomeini published his famous statement entitled: "Love for the Shah is indulgence in the robbery of the people." In this statement addressed to Reza Shah, Khomeini wrote: "I am ready for my heart to be pierced by the bayonets of your agents, but I will never bow to your unjust demands or bow before your cruelty."

The peak of this year's anti-Shah speeches fell on June, when (10 Muharram according to the Iranian calendar) Ashura is celebrated - the day of memory of the greatest Shiite martyr, the third sinless Imam Husayn, who fell in battle with the Sunnis near the town of Karbala. Religious demonstrations began in Tehran and soon turned into anti-government demonstrations. Khomeini, who by this time had become the recognized leader of the opposition, addressed the faithful with several sharp anti-Shah speeches. Muhammad Reza gave the order to arrest him, which was done. The news of this led to a real uprising. The people from the surrounding cities and villages moved to Tehran, but were stopped by troops who opened fire to kill. Several thousand people died in the clashes. Khomeini was sent abroad.

Against the backdrop of these events, preparations were underway for parliamentary elections. In September 1963, a new Majlis was elected, the majority of which were supporters of the reforms. Having got rid of the most irreconcilable opponents and having an obedient parliament at his disposal, the shah continued the transformation. Simultaneously with the agrarian reform, he began to intensify the industrialization of the country, the funds for which gave huge revenues from the sale of oil. From 1960 to 1972 these incomes increased 8.5 times. In 1973, when the price of "black gold" went up steeply, they increased even more. If in 1970 Iran gained about 1.2 billion dollars from oil trade, then in 1973 - already 4.6 billion dollars, in 1975 - 18.5 billion dollars, and in 1977 - 22.2 billion dollars. From 1974 to 1978 alone, Iran received $108 billion from the sale of oil (during these years, the country had the seventh largest budget in the world).

In the next ten years, many metallurgical, machine-building, petrochemical and other industrial enterprises were built. The industrial potential of the country grew literally before our eyes - the annual rate of economic growth reached 17%. (In terms of economic growth, Iran ranked second in Asia after Japan.) In just ten years, Iran turned from an agrarian state into an industrial one. Private capital has grown significantly, wages of workers and employees have increased. The average standard of living of the population has risen. But this did not mean at all that Iranian society developed harmoniously. As always happens with large-scale transformations, part of the population was disorganized by the breaking of old relationships. It has already been said above that a dangerous consequence of the Shah's reforms was the appearance of a large number of lumpens who flocked to large cities in the hope of earning money. The dissatisfied also included traditional bazaar traders and small artisans who were unable to compete with the big shops and the products of growing enterprises, as well as with the import of cheap goods. Their dissatisfaction with the existing state of affairs naturally turned against the Shah first of all, but it went further and resulted in a sharp hostility towards the entire Western civilization, elements of which were forcibly introduced into the traditional structure of Iranian society, destroying and changing it. The clergy supported these sentiments, constantly pointing out that the flow of Western technologies, goods and mores was replacing the original values ​​and traditions of Islam.

The performances of these heterogeneous forces during the period of economic recovery were not of a large-scale nature. The huge and well-organized repressive apparatus of the monarchy coped well with them. Therefore, it seemed that the implementation of the "white revolution" program was not far off. But suddenly, when this was least expected, a severe economic crisis erupted. Moreover, Reza Shah could not blame anyone but himself for him. Having received huge funds in his hands and planning to receive even more in the future, he decided to significantly accelerate the already impressive pace of the country's industrial development - in a short time to put into operation several dozen large enterprises, nuclear power plants and modern highways. Developing the provisions of the "white revolution", he in the mid-1970s. came up with new ideas. He wrote that Iranian society must make a “jump through the centuries” in the lifetime of one generation, “transition from the Middle Ages to the nuclear age”, turn the country into the “fifth industrial power of the world”, and make a march towards a “great civilization”. At the same time, several large-scale ambitious construction projects were launched. Enormous funds were spent on the purchase of industrial equipment and the largest technical reorganization of the army in the history of the country. From 1972 to 1976, inclusive, Iran bought $10 billion worth of American weapons, including 28 hovercraft, more than 1,500 tanks, and 200 Phantom fighter jets. The reconstruction of the naval base of Chahbahar was started, which was to become the largest in the Indian Ocean.

The consequences of these ill-conceived actions proved fatal for the regime. The cash forces of the Iranian economy were unable to digest these colossal infusions. First of all, the flow of goods paralyzed transport. Equipment imported from abroad accumulated in ports and border stations. In mid-1975, some ships waited six months for unloading, and when the goods were on shore, there was nowhere to store them. The energy industry could not meet the greatly increased needs of industry, as a result, many enterprises worked at only half their capacity. Enormous funds were scattered and frozen. The pace of economic development slowed down sharply. The state faced the problem of a shortage of foreign exchange. Purchases of foodstuffs from abroad have decreased. Food prices quickly crept up (they doubled in three years). The financial situation of the people began to deteriorate before our eyes, and as a result of this, the opposition movement sharply intensified. The rigid totalitarian regime established by that time in the country by Muhammad Reza did not allow him to express his dissatisfaction in any legal way. The Shah was completely intolerant of dissent and practically deprived the Iranian society of any freedoms. Therefore, as soon as discontent began to rise in society, it immediately took on the character of a tough confrontation with the authorities.

The spark for the beginning of the revolution was a dirty slanderous article, full of false passages against Khomeini, published on January 7, 1978 in the official newspaper Ettelaat. Outraged supporters of the exiled ayatollah took to the streets. The protests escalated into riots on January 9, during which several seminary students were killed. This was the first explosion followed by a collapse. On the third, seventh and fortieth days of mourning, when the death of recent martyrs was celebrated, unrest broke out in Tabriz, Isfahan, Tehran and other large cities. They were accompanied by fierce clashes with the army and police, during which people died again and again. At the mourning ceremonies dedicated to their memory, more and more thousands of dissatisfied people gathered, gradually drawn into the revolutionary process. Despite the massacres, the punitive authorities were unable to extinguish the blazing flames. Khomeini's impassioned appeals, calling for an end to the "satanic" Shah's regime, supported the general enthusiasm.

It eventually became clear to the ruling Iranian elite that Reza Shah would not be able to retain the throne. The struggle against it united the most diverse political forces, which under other circumstances would never have come forward as a united front. Heeding the persuasion of his supporters, on January 16, 1979, the Shah sat at the helm of his personal plane "Shahin" ("Falcon") and left Iran with his family. These days, Muhammad was already mortally ill with cancer and hardly expected to return. But he hoped to keep the throne at least for his heirs.

However, the monarchy was already doomed. On February 1, 1979, Ayatollah Khomeini returned to Tehran from exile. A few days later, a powerful popular uprising broke out in the capital. After several days of bloody fighting, the army capitulated and retreated to the barracks. On February 12, a government appointed by Khomeini came to power. At the end of March, after a national referendum, Iran was proclaimed an Islamic Republic. Muhammad Reza had to come to terms with the fall of his dynasty. He spent the last months of his life in exile in Egypt and died on June 27, 1980 in Cairo.

Mohammed Reza Pahlavi(Persian محمدرضا پهلوی‎, Mohammadrezā Pahlavī; 1919, Tehran - 1980, Cairo) - the last Shah of Iran (September 16, 1941 - February 11, 1979). Full title - His Imperial Majesty Shahanshah Aryamehr. Shahinshah in Persian means "King of Kings", Aryamehr - "Sun of the Aryans".

Under Mohammed Reza Pahlavi, the westernization of Iran intensified, steps were taken towards the equality of women, which caused opposition from the broad masses of the people and the Muslim Shiite clergy. The Shah himself tried to break with many Islamic traditions, even briefly introduced the chronology not from the Hijra, but from the beginning of the Achaemenid dynasty (1976 from the birth of Christ was announced by him instead of 1355 Hijri as the year 2595 of Shahinshah power); soon, however, he was forced to cancel this unpopular innovation. In 1973, an authoritarian one-party regime was established in Iran, all citizens were ordered to belong to the ruling party, and all other public associations were banned; A secret police was also established.

The Islamic Revolution of 1979 overthrew the Shah, who was forced into exile and died in exile in Cairo the following year. On the wave of reaction against the reforms of the last shahs, Islamic fundamentalists led by Ayatollah Khomeini came to power.

Biography

Mohammed Reza was born on October 26, 1919 in Tehran in the family of Colonel Reza Khan, then the commander of the Persian Cossack brigade, and later the commander-in-chief of the Iranian armed forces and the Minister of War. At the end of 1925, Reza Khan deposed Ahmed Shah Qajar and proclaimed himself the Shah of Iran, adopting the surname Pahlavi for his dynasty.

In 1925-1930, Mohammed Reza Pahlavi studied at the Persian Cadet Corps, then at the boarding school Institut Le Rosey in Switzerland, in 1936-1938 - at the officers' school in Tehran.

World War II and beginning of reign

In September 1941, after the occupation of Iran by British and Soviet troops and the abdication and exile of his father Reza Pahlavi, Mohammed Reza Pahlavi was proclaimed Shahinshah of Iran and, together with the government, expressed a desire to cooperate with Great Britain and the USSR, signing an alliance treaty with them in 1942. On September 9, 1943, the Shah declared war on Nazi Germany by decree. In 1946, Soviet troops were withdrawn from northern Iran.

At first, the shah interfered little in governing the country, the government was accountable to the Majlis. The Shah himself was considered an inexperienced and indecisive ruler. The situation began to change after the unsuccessful assassination attempt on the Shah on February 4, 1949. During the Shah's visit to a solemn ceremony at the University of Tehran, Fakhr-Aray shot at him from a distance of three meters, but the Shah was only slightly wounded in the cheek. Fakhr-Aray was shot dead on the spot by the officers. Martial law was introduced in Iran. The Iranian People's Party, to which the killer belonged, was outlawed, and opposition figures were arrested. In 1949, the Constituent Assembly approved changes to the constitution, giving the Shah greater powers to govern the state, including the power to dissolve the Majlis.

Political crisis of the early 1950s

After the Second World War, a sharp struggle for influence in Iran flared up between Great Britain, which occupied a dominant position there, and the United States, which were striving to oust it. Negotiations began on the division of the profits of the Anglo-Iranian Oil Company between British shareholders and Iran. At the same time, calls began in Iran for the nationalization of the oil industry. In March 1951, Prime Minister Ali Razmara spoke out against nationalization, four days later he was shot dead while leaving the mosque.

In April 1951, the Shah appointed Mohammed Mosaddegh, who advocated nationalization, as prime minister, and on May 1 signed the law on the nationalization of the Anglo-Iranian Oil Company, after it was unanimously passed by the Majlis. After nationalization, oil production practically stopped due to the departure of British specialists and the oil embargo imposed by Britain. On July 16, 1952, after Mossadegh demanded emergency powers for himself and the subordination of the army to him, the Shah dismissed him. This caused a general strike and an uprising in Tehran. On July 22, 1952, the Shah was forced to appoint Mosaddegh as prime minister again.

In October 1952, Mossadegh's government severed relations with Britain. In February 1953, Mossadegh invited the Shah to leave Iran, stating that the monarch should reign, not govern. At the same time, the British succeeded in gaining American support for the overthrow of Mossadegh by agreeing to share the oil profits with them. The planned coup was called Operation Ajax. On August 16 - 18, the shah was in temporary exile in Baghdad (Iraq), on August 18 - 22 - in Rome (Italy). In August 1953, the military associated with the throne, led by General F. Zahedi, with the Anglo-American support, carried out a coup d'état and overthrew the government of Mossadegh's National Front. Since then, the entire power in the country has actually passed into the hands of the Shah.

On September 19, 1954, the Iranian government signed an agreement with the International Petroleum Consortium (approved by the Majlis on October 21). Under this agreement, 95% of the shares of the International Petroleum Consortium (abbreviated IOC) belong to 8 companies: 40% from the former AIOC, renamed British Petroleum; 14% from the Anglo-Dutch Royal Dutch Shell; 35% for the American Big Five (Standard Oil of New Jersey, Sokoni Mobil Oil, Standard Oil of California, Texaco, Gulf Oil Corporation) and 6% for the French Company Francaise depetrol." Iran received 50% of the net profit. The term of the agreement is determined for 25 years - until the end of 1979 with a subsequent extension until 1994. The agreement actually eliminated the 1951 decree on the nationalization of the oil industry.

In 1957, with the assistance of the CIA and Mossad, the secret political police SAVAK was created.

Iranian foreign policy

Mohammed Reza and US President Richard Nixon with Patricia Nixon.

Mohammed Reza Pahlavi at Niavaran Palace.

In 1957, Iran declared Bahrain, a former British colony, its territory. In 1971, after a referendum was held in Bahrain, in which the majority of the population voted for independence from Great Britain, but also against joining Iran, a new state was formed with which Iran established diplomatic relations.

1960s-1970s

In 1960-1970. Significant changes have taken place in Iran's foreign policy and fundamentally new directions have appeared. First, the Shah dramatically expanded the scale of economic cooperation with the socialist countries. This was due to the unwillingness of the West to contribute to the construction of Iran's basic industries; more favorable conditions for foreign economic cooperation with the CMEA; Tehran's desire for a favorable balance between the two opposing systems, allowing for a more independent foreign policy; an attempt to provide Iran with rears on its northern borders in the event of a conflict in the Persian Gulf; hopes to neutralize the influence of Baghdad on the formation of Soviet policy in the Middle East. The main object of Soviet-Iranian cooperation was the Isfahan Metallurgical Plant. Of great importance for both countries was the “deal of the century” on the supply of Iranian gas to the Transcaucasus via the Trans-Iranian gas pipeline and a similar amount of Siberian gas to Western Europe under Iranian-European contracts, which opened a “window to Europe” for Tehran. In parallel with the Soviet-Iranian cooperation, Iran's relations with the countries of Eastern Europe developed, especially with Romania, which had excessive capacities for the production of oil-producing equipment.

Imperial Standard of Shahanshah Aryamehr

Secondly, Tehran took an active part in the creation of OPEC and the struggle of oil-producing countries to establish equal relations with the industrialized countries of the West and, above all, to increase oil prices and increase payments for the right to extract it. In 1973, all the property of the IOC was transferred to the Iranian National Oil Company (INOC) with a guarantee of oil supplies to the IOC for 20 years and deductions by the latter to Tehran of 60% of the amount of profits. As a result of rising oil prices and contributions from MNCs to INOCs, Iran's oil revenues rose from $2.4 billion in 1972 to $20 billion in 1974.

Thirdly, not only pro-imperialist, but also imperialist features appear in the Shah's foreign policy, supported by the rapid growth of Iran's military potential (military spending increased 20 times in the 1970s), plans to establish Iran's control over the "kerosene barrel" of the planet - Persian Gulf, which would put the world capitalist economy in a certain dependence on Tehran. Having created the world's strongest hovercraft fleet, the most advanced air defense missile system in the third world, surpassing all NATO members except the United States in terms of air force and helicopter fleet, Iran achieved overwhelming control over the most important transport oil artery of the world - the Strait of Hormuz. Seeking a presence on the other side of the Strait, the Shah intervened in the internal conflict in Oman and sent his troops against the guerrilla movement in that sultanate. Tehran has developed tense relations with the rest of the Arab states. The Shah made great efforts to maintain friendly relations with Pakistan and Afghanistan, as he was afraid of Baloch separatism.

The Shah crowning Empress Farah in a coronation ceremony in 1967

December 1, 1971, after the withdrawal of British troops from the Persian Gulf and the formation of the United Arab Emirates, Iranian troops occupied three islands in the Strait of Hormuz: Abu Musa, Tombe Bozorg and Tombe Kuchek under the pretext that these islands were Iranian territory before the arrival of the British (Anglo-Iranian negotiations and protests by some Arab countries on this issue continued until October 1972).

The Shah supported the monarchies of the Persian Gulf. During the civil war in Yemen (1962-1970), Iran supported the monarchists. A similar policy was pursued in Oman, where an expeditionary force was sent in 1973, which played an important role in suppressing the anti-monarchist guerrilla movement there in the province of Dhofar.

The shah maintained friendly relations with the USSR. Mohammed Reza visited the USSR three times in 1956, 1965 and 1972.

In 1963, 1966 and 1972, agreements were concluded between the USSR and Iran on cooperation in the economic and technical spheres, the construction of various industrial facilities, etc.

Mohammed Reza was the first Muslim leader to establish diplomatic relations with Israel, which used the radical Muslim clergy to criticize the Shah as "an accomplice of Zionist politics."

Quite tense relations were maintained with Iraq. In 1975, the Algiers Agreement was signed with Saddam Hussein. The conflict, however, turned into open war only after the overthrow of the Shah, when the revolution and repression weakened the Iranian army so much that Saddam Hussein decided to attack Iran (see Iran-Iraq War (1980-1988)).

The internal policy of the Shah and a series of radical reforms

Shah distributes land

In 1963, the Shah launched a major program of radical economic and social reforms, known as the "White Revolution". Initially, the program included 6 points, later 13 more were added to them. The program included a land reform, during which the government, using income from oil exports, bought land plots from landowners and sold them to peasants who worked them at a price 30% below the market in installments. By 1970, 1.2 million peasant families (about half of all Iranian peasants) had received land. Forests and pastures were nationalized. Industrialization unfolded, with the assistance of the state, modern metallurgical, machine-building, petrochemical, automotive, shipbuilding and aircraft manufacturing enterprises were built. At the same time, part of the state-owned enterprises was nationalized with the spread of worker participation programs in profits.

The radical reforms aroused the opposition of the broad masses of the people and the Muslim Shiite clergy. The shah himself tried to break with many Islamic traditions, even briefly introduced the reckoning not from the Hijra, but from the beginning of the Achaemenid dynasty (1976 AD was announced by him instead of 1355 Hijri as the year 2535 of Shahinshah power); he was soon forced to cancel this unpopular innovation. In 1973, an authoritarian one-party regime was established in Iran, all citizens were ordered to belong to the ruling party, and all other public associations were prohibited.

Exile and death of the Shah (1979-1980)

The 1979 Islamic Revolution in Iran overthrew the Shah and he left the country. On the wave of reaction against the reforms of the last shahs, Islamic fundamentalists led by Ayatollah Khomeini came to power.

Initially, Mohammed Reza went to Egypt, then lived in exile in Morocco, the Bahamas and Mexico. The Islamic authorities of Iran demanded his extradition, meanwhile, the former monarch's health deteriorated. He was diagnosed with non-Hodgkin's lymphoma. The arrival of Mohammed Reza for treatment in the United States caused in November 1979 the seizure of the American embassy in Iran by Muslim extremists and an acute international crisis. The deposed Shah left the US and fled to Panama and then back to Egypt, where he received urgent medical attention, including a splenectomy performed by Dr. Michael DeBakey, but still died from complications of Waldenström's macroglobulinemia (a type of non-Hodgkin's lymphoma) on July 27, 1980 , at the age of 60 years. Egyptian President Anwar Sadat declared national mourning and ordered a state funeral. Anwar Sadat, Richard Nixon and Constantine II, King of Greece, took part in the funeral procession through Cairo next to the Pahlavi family. The last Shahinshah of Iran was buried in the Cairo al-Rifai mosque next to his brother-in-law, the penultimate king of Egypt and Sudan, Farouk I.

The resting place of Mohammed Reza Pahlavi in ​​the Cairo mosque al-Rifai

Interestingly, while in exile, Mohammed Reza hoped to get refuge in England. The Queen of England believed that Britain should not deny him this, given his many years of support for British interests in the Middle East. Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher spoke sympathetically of the Shah, who, in her opinion, was "a reliable and useful friend of Great Britain." However, the Board of the Foreign Office decided that it would be politically incorrect to allow him to settle in England, as it would have a negative impact on British relations with the new Islamic Republic. Former British Ambassador to Iran Denis Wright was entrusted with a special mission - to meet incognito in one of the Bahamas with the Shah and convince him to accept the decision of the British government (the Thatcher government did not want to be in a situation where the Shah would have to be denied entry at the border), - with which Denis Wright successfully coped. Nothing could dispel the bitter disappointment of the Shah in this regard.

Family

Was married three times. His first wife was the Egyptian princess Fawzia, daughter of King Fuad I of Egypt. Mohammed Reza's second wife Soreya Esfandiyari (of half German descent) was one of the most famous women of her time. The shah divorced his first two wives, as he had no sons from them. The Shah and his first wife Fawzia had a daughter, Shahnaz.

The third wife of the Shah, Farah Diba, an Azerbaijani from Tabriz, who bore him two sons and two daughters, was crowned Shahban (Empress) of Iran in 1967. His eldest son Reza Kir Pahlavi, named after King Cyrus of Persia, after the death of his father is the head of the Pahlavi house and heir to the non-existent Iranian Shah throne. The youngest son of Ali Reza Pahlavi committed suicide on January 4, 2011 with a gunshot in his home in Boston.

Awards

• Iran - Grand Cordon of the Order of the Crown of Persia (1926)
• Iran - Grand Chain of the Pahlavi Order (1932)
• Egypt - Chain of the Order of Muhammad Ali (1939)
• United Kingdom - Knight Grand Cross of the Order of the Bath (GCB) (1942)
• Czechoslovakia - Grand Cross of the Order of the White Lion (1943)
• France - Military Cross with Palme (1945)
• Republic of China - Grand Cordon of the Order of the Propitious Clouds (1946)
• USA - Order of the Legion of Honor of the degree of commander in chief (1947)
• Vatican - Knight of the Order of the Golden Spur (1948)
• UK - Royal Victorian Chain (RVC) (1948)
• Iran - Grand Cordon of the Order of the Zulfiqar (1949)
• Jordan - Chain of the Order of Hussein ibn Ali (1949)
• Jordan - Grand Ribbon of the Order of the Renaissance (1949)
• Saudi Arabia - Order of King Abdulaziz, 1st class (1955)
• Germany - Grand Cross of the Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany Special Class (1955)
• Lebanon - Grand Cordon of the Order of Merit (1956)
• Spain - Grand Chain of the Order of the Yarm and Arrows (1957)
• Italy - Grand Cross decorated with a large ribbon of the Order of Merit of the Italian Republic (1957)
• Libya - Grand Cordon of the Order of Idris I (1958)
• Japan - Chain of the Order of the Chrysanthemum (1958)
• Austria - Big Star of Honor (1958)
• Denmark - Knight of the Order of the Elephant (1959)
• Netherlands - Grand Cross of the Order of the Netherlands Lion (1959)
• Pakistan - Order of Pakistan, 1st class (1959)
• Nepal - Order of Ojaswi Rajanya (1960)
• Greece - Grand Cross of the Order of the Savior (1960)
• Belgium - Grand Cross of the Order of Leopold I (1960)
• Norway - Grand Cross on the Chain of the Order of St. Olaf (1961)
• Ethiopia - Grand Chain of the Order of Solomon (1964)
• Afghanistan - Grand Cordon of the Order of the Sun of Liberty (1965)
• UAR - Grand Chain of the Order of the Nile (1965)
• Argentina - Grand Cross of the Order of the Liberator of San Martin (1965)
• Tunisia - Grand Chain of the Order of the Liberation (1965)
• Brazil - Grand Chain of the Order of the Southern Cross (1965)
• Morocco - Grand Cordon of the Order of Mohammed (1966)
• Bahrain - Order of al-Khalifa (1966)
• Qatar - Order of Liberation (1966)
• Saudi Arabia - Order of the Great Badr (1966)
• Sudan - Chain of the Order of Honor (1966)
• Yugoslavia - Order of the Great Yugoslav Star (1966)
• Sweden - Order of the Seraphim (1967) (Knight-1960)
• Malaysia - Order of the Crown of Malaysia (DMN) (1968)
• Thailand - Knight of the Order of Chakri (1968)
• Finland - Grand Cross of the Order of the Lion of Finland (1970)
• Oman - Military Order of Oman, 1st class (1973)
• Spain - Grand Cross of the Order of Carlos III (1975)
• Mexico - Chain of the Order of the Aztec Eagle (1975)

Mohammed Reza Pahlavi in ​​art

Check on the money

Mohammed Reza Pahlavi, Shah from 1941 to 1979, has been featured on all Iranian banknotes in all issues since the 1944 issue. His portraits on money reflected his age and changed: first they grew up, then they grew old along with him.

Obverse: 5 and 500 rials, 1944

20 rials 1951 and 10 rials 1954

Obverse: 200 rials 1958 and 500 rials 1962

500 rials 1969 and 1000 rials arr. 1974

Fighting the Shah after the Islamic Revolution

After the victory of the Islamic Revolution of Ayatollah Khomeini in 1979, the new Islamic power of the image of the Shah, which was depicted on all banknotes of Iran, sealed with one (portrait) or two (portrait and watermark) crosses, usually with red paint.

Overprints of 1979 for 20 and 50 rials arr. 1974

Overprints of 1979 for 100 and 5000 rials arr. 1974

"Zapatchka" 1979/1980

Then, in 1980, the mere crossing out of the detested new power of the “Westernizer” Shah was deemed insufficient. The image of Pahlavi on banknotes was covered with an "artistic" frilly black pattern, repeating his silhouette. This was considered expedient, since the Central Bank of Iran had large stocks of printed, but not put into circulation, banknotes of the 1974 model.

Obverse: 100 and 200 rials overprinted 1979-1980

500 and 1000 rials overprinted 1980 1000 1979 and 50 1980 with special cancellation stamp 1982

S Oraya Asfandiyari-Bakhtiyari was born on June 22, 1932, in Isfahan, Iran. The eldest child and only daughter of Khalil Asfandiyari, a representative of the noble Bakhtiyari tribe from southern Iran, who in the 1950s was the Iranian ambassador to Germany. Soraya's mother is a Russian-born German, Eva Karl. In general, her family has long represented the Iranian government and the diplomatic corps. Uncle, Sardar Assad, was the leader of the Iranian constitutional movement at the beginning of the 20th century. In 1947, the parents took the girl with amazing blue-green eyes to Europe, where she received her education. Who knows what the fate of Soraya would have been if she had stayed in Europe...
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Soraya with her mother \ Soraya Asfandiyari-Bakhtiyari

But in 1951, the Shah of Iran, Mohammed Reza Pahlavi, having easily survived a divorce from the Egyptian princess Fawzia, decided to marry a second time. The candidates were presented to him personally or shown photographs so that the Shah could make his choice. Among others was a photograph of Soraya. The girl was very surprised when her family received an invitation to visit the Shah's palace and participate in the dinner of the ruling dynasty of their native country. And Shah himself had only one meeting to make his choice.
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The Shah soon presented Asfandiyari with a 22.37-carat diamond ring to mark their engagement. The couple planned to get married on December 27, 1950, but due to the illness of the bride, the celebration was postponed to February 12, 1951.
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Soraya Asfandiyari-Bakhtiyari and Shah of Iran Mohammed Reza Pahlavi

Although the Shah announced that the guests were supposed to donate money to a special charitable fund for poor Iranians, among the wedding gifts, for example, there was a mink coat and a writing set with black diamonds sent Joseph Stalin. The decoration of the ceremony took 1.5 tons of orchids, tulips and carnations, which arrived by plane from the Netherlands. The bride was dressed in a silver dress, studded with pearls and trimmed with marabou stork feathers, which Christian Dior sewed for the occasion.
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Soraya Asfandiyari-Bakhtiyari and Shah of Iran Mohammed Reza Pahlavi on their wedding day

It is said that the Shah was madly in love with Soraya. She accompanied Reza Pahlavi everywhere and always, capturing her eyes and always admiring her beauty, grace and impeccable manners. But despite this, the imperial couple broke up in early 1958 due to the apparent infertility of Sorai, which she tried to cure in Switzerland and France.
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And the Shah needed an heir, and this was a question at the level of the country's national security problem. Mohamed Reza Pahlavi was desperately looking for a way out of the situation ... He thought about taking a second wife who would give birth to his son. He proposed to change the constitution of Iran so that after the death of the Shah, the throne would be inherited by his brother ...
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But the ruling circles put pressure on the Shah - changing a wife is much easier than changing the constitution. Bakhtiyari left Iran in February and eventually came to her parents' home in Cologne, Germany, where the Shah sent her uncle, Senator Sardar Assad Bakhtiyari, in early March 1958 to persuade her to return.
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It was soon announced that the imperial couple was ending their relationship with a divorce. Soraya, 25, said she was "sacrificing her happiness" and later said her husband had no choice but to divorce her.
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On March 21, 1958, the Shah, with tears in his eyes, announced his divorce to the Iranian people. His speech was broadcast on radio and television, in which he also added that he would not remarry in a hurry. The marriage was officially annulled on April 6, 1958. According to the New York Times, the divorce was preceded by intense negotiations, where Queen Soraya was tried to be convinced that her husband's second wife was not so bad. However, Asfandiyari referred to "the sanctity of marriage", saying that "she cannot bear the idea of ​​sharing her love for her husband with another woman."
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The gifts that showered Soraya Shah were too generous for "compensation" after a divorce. By the end of his life, Soraya's fortune was estimated at 75 million euros. For the rest of their lives, Shah and Soraya closely followed each other through chronicles, secular and not so much.
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Having become free, Bakhtiyari starred in films for some time and was next to the Italian director Franco Indovina. After Indovin's death in a car accident, Soraya spent the rest of her life in Europe, drowning in depression, the details of which she outlined in her memoirs - in the 1991 book "The Palace of Solitude".
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Soraya Asfandiyari-Bakhtiyari died on October 26, 2001, in her apartment in Paris, France, at the age of 69, she died of a massive hemorrhagic stroke, leaving behind a huge fortune, later sold under the hammer. Because she didn't have any heirs.
Upon learning of her death, her younger brother Bijan passed away a week later. Rumors that the brother and sister were killed remained groundless.
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Article by A. Chervonenko Secret materials, No. 22 of 2005.

In the 1880s, a Cossack brigade was created in Persia. Under the leadership of Russian officers who trained and armed the Persian Cossacks, the brigade became the most combat-ready unit of the Persian army with modern artillery and machine-gun platoons.

FROM IMAM Abul-Khasan to Griboyedov

The fact that Russia as a great power took place largely thanks to the Cossacks is widely known. But to find out that the Cossacks stood at the origins of the statehood of modern Iran at the beginning of the 20th century was surprising.
Relations between Russia and Persia were not easy.
The first Russ, according to the well-known historian of the East, Imam Abul-Hasan Ali-Masudi, appeared in the expanses of the Caspian around 880.
Then there were times when the Cossack ataman Stepan Razin walked around the neighboring properties. His treasures with Persian jewels have not been found so far. They say that only a few of these treasures have been opened, and a terrible spell hangs over the rest, cast by the ataman.
There was also the Persian campaign of Peter I, which brought Russia lands on the coast of the Caspian Sea.
There was Griboyedov's mission, as a result of which the Russian diplomat died, torn to pieces by the crowd. However, Zoroastrians have their own opinion on this matter.
Zoroastrianism is an ancient religion that existed on the territory of Persia long before the birth of Islam and which is still alive today. So, there is still a legend in Iran that Griboyedov did not die, and the found body did not belong to him at all, but to a completely different person.

The history of the appearance of the Persian Cossacks is as follows.
From the middle of the 19th century, under the influence of neighboring Russia and England, which was trying to increase its influence on the Asian continent, a period of modernization of the state structures of Persia began. The army also underwent transformations according to the European model.
The country's leadership understood that only with the help of a well-organized military force it was possible to create a strong centralized state, strengthen the power of the government, create the prerequisites for the country's economic development and ensure the state independence of Persia.
But it turned out that it was not enough to divide the army into separate military units and introduce a military charter that meets European standards. By itself, this charter could not provide the necessary discipline and implement the tactics and strategy adopted in Europe. Therefore, the main task was to create a corps of officers and non-commissioned officers trained in accordance with European practice.
The English military instructors, invited to reorganize the Persian army, were not too eager to raise its combat effectiveness, since later this could create difficulties for securing England in this country. As a result, military reforms did not produce tangible results.
Then in 1879, Shah Nasser-ed-Din turned to the Russian government with a request to assist in the creation of a combat-ready military formation capable of actually fulfilling the tasks assigned to it.
Lieutenant Colonel of the Russian General Staff Domantovich, with Cossack officers, created a Persian regular cavalry regiment, modeled on Russian Cossack regiments, which soon grew to the size of a brigade. The Persian Cossack brigade of His Majesty the Shah was commanded by a Russian officer, reporting directly to the Shah ...
During the First World War, the brigade was deployed into a division, numbering more than 10,000 people, its units were located in all major cities of the country.

Under the leadership of Russian officers who trained and armed the Persian Cossacks, the brigade became not only the backbone of the throne, but also the most combat-ready regular formation of the Persian army with modern artillery and machine-gun platoons.
The commander of this brigade, Colonel Lyakhov, was in fact the commander of the Armed Forces of the country, and the Shah himself was the Supreme Commander.

TROUBLES

Reza Khan is successfully moving up the career ladder. He became an officer, and in 1916, with the rank of colonel, he headed the Kuzvin detachment of the Persian Cossack brigade.
For a quarter of a century of service, Reza Khan absorbed the knowledge of the Russian Cossack military school and became an experienced and knowledgeable military leader ...

The end of the 19th-beginning of the 20th century was marked for Persia by palace coups, the actions of the revolutionary organizations of the Mujahideen, fadai detachments and other groups of the population disloyal to the shah. In 1909, the Iranian parliament - the Majlis - announced the deposition of Mohammed Ali Shah in favor of his 14-year-old son Sultan Ahmed.
The deposed Mohammed Ali was expelled from Persia and lived in Odessa, periodically trying to regain power. In 1911, he even secretly landed on the Caspian coast of northern Iran in Gomyush-Tele. But he was defeated and returned to Odessa, from where in 1920 he was forced to leave for Istanbul, fleeing the Bolsheviks. Iran, at the end of the First World War, was in complete anarchy. Ahmed Shah from the Qajar dynasty was a weak ruler and could not influence the events taking place in the country.
In 1916, in opposition to the Persian Cossacks, the British, under the command of General Sykes, created detachments of South Persian riflemen modeled on the Indian sepoy units, which, despite all efforts, could not be compared with the Cossacks in combat capabilities. The British were gaining more and more influence in Persia. They controlled the oil fields in the south of the country, and on August 16, 1918, Great Britain, having entered Russian territory, captured Baku, which at that time accounted for about 50% of world oil production.
In 1919, England decides to take control of the entire territory of Persia. The British diplomatic service transfers a multi-thousand bribe to the government in order to conclude an agreement, as a result of which Persia is almost completely transformed into an English protectorate.
The signing of this enslaving agreement caused an explosion of indignation in the country and led to the resignation of the Cabinet of Ministers, which was headed by the pro-British Prime Minister Vosug od Drule.
However, the next government did not last long. In less than a few months, the new Cabinet of Ministers, headed by Moshir od-Dole, fell under pressure from the British. The reason was the categorical refusal to transfer the Persian Cossack brigade to British officers ...
However, the High Council still refused to approve the enslaving agreement with Britain. To defend its independence, the Iranian side had only one way out...

TEHRAN SURRENDED WITHOUT A FIGHT

Reza Shah and Persian troops.

On February 21, 1921, the Qazvin detachment of the Persian Cossack division under the command of Reza Khan entered Tehran and captured it without a fight. On February 26, a Soviet-Iranian treaty of friendship and cooperation was concluded, in which the RSFSR renounced in favor of the Iranian side all funds, capital, concessions and property of Russian institutions in Iran. At the same time, the cancellation of the agreement with Great Britain was announced.
In such a difficult period in the history of his country, Reza Khan became the Minister of War. He was a brave and determined man. There were several attempts on his life, but unsuccessfully.
Having become the commander-in-chief, Reza Khan suppressed the resistance of the recalcitrant government of the khans in several regions of the country in four years and, having occupied the capital of Gilandiya - Rasht, liquidated the Giland Republic.
Reza Khan understood that the main support in his political struggle against the opponents of the planned transformations - the clergy and the aristocracy - was only the army, which he created on the basis of the Persian Cossack brigade.
They spared no funds for the maintenance and equipment of the brigade. After the modernization, it became the strongest in the region. The connection status has reached an all-time high.
Having installed his most devoted officers as governors of the provinces, Reza Khan established control over the entire country, and on October 31, 1925, the Qajar dynasty was overthrown.
On December 12, 1925, the newly elected Constituent Assembly declared Reza Khan the hereditary shah of Iran, considering that a monarchical form of government was necessary for Persia. Reza Khan Mirpanj ascended the throne, taking the surname Pahlavi for his dynasty.

PERSIAN PETER THE GREAT

The transformations that Reza Shah Pahlavi carried out in his country are often compared in importance with the reforms of Peter the Great in Russia. The Persian Shah, just like the Russian emperor, sought to turn his state into a strong, economically developed power with an independent and independent foreign policy.
Reza Shah, who had served in the Cossack brigade for many years, communicated with Russian officers, was on friendly terms with some of them, knew the Russian language perfectly. His military and state views and beliefs were formed largely under the influence of the Russian military school.
Reza Shah always treated Russia and the Russians with great respect, realizing that stable relations with our country are a guarantee of Iran's stability.
However, relations with the Soviet authorities did not work out for him. Reza Shah frankly did not like the Bolsheviks - just as his friends and colleagues in the Cossack division - Russian officers, did not like them. He was always afraid of the intrigues of red Moscow and the spread of the influence of communist ideas to the north of Iran. Moreover, in the early 1920s, Soviet-Iranian relations were not easy to develop.
In addition, England did not abandon attempts to subjugate not only the whole of Iran, but also to gain control over the Baku oil fields.
As a far-sighted politician, Reza Shah did not break off relations with the colonial empires, however, he significantly curtailed the privileges that foreign companies previously had on Iranian territory.
In 1927, a judicial reform was carried out in the country. The structure of the French judiciary was taken as a basis. The powers of the Sharia courts were significantly curtailed, and only matters relating to religion and family remained in their jurisdiction.
From 1925 to 1928, new legislation was passed in Persia.
In 1930, a national bank was established. The gold real, replacing the silver faucet, became the national currency.
From the Caspian Sea to the Persian Gulf, the Trans-Iranian Railway was built entirely at Iranian expense. Industrial enterprises were resurrected.
During the reign of Reza Shah Pahlavi, the number of primary and secondary schools increased several times, and in 1934 Tehran University was established.
In 1935, in official diplomatic correspondence, the name of the country "Persia" was replaced by the name "Iran" by the decision of the government.

LAST PAGES

Inside the country, Reza Shah had to brutally suppress the resistance that the local clergy offered to the transformations. In foreign policy, he also tried to exclude outside pressure.

To weaken the influence of Great Britain and Soviet Russia, Reza Shah established a special relationship with Nazi Germany in the late 1930s, signing secret agreements on the supply of wheat, cotton, wool and other strategically important agricultural goods to the Reich.
In return, Germany undertook to supply Iran with railway equipment, as well as provide its specialists and advisers. The notes of the Soviet government were ignored. Iran was flooded with agents of the German secret services.
In August 1941, the head of the Abwehr, Admiral Canaris, secretly arrived in Tehran to prepare a coup d'état. But the coup failed.
On August 25, a proposal was received from British Prime Minister Winston Churchill "to open communications from the Caspian Sea to the Persian Gulf." The Soviet government, on the basis of an agreement of 1921, sent troops into northern Iran. At the same time, British troops entered the southern provinces.
On September 16, 1941, Reza Shah Pahlavi, who ignored the decision of the allies to expel diplomatic missions from the countries of the fascist coalition, was forced to abdicate in favor of his eldest son Mohammed Reza Pahlavi.
Reza Shah himself was taken on a ship of the Royal Navy of Great Britain to the island of Mauritius, located off the eastern coast of Madagascar. Here he was under guard until the spring of 1942, after which, already seriously ill, he received permission to move to the South African city of Johannesburg, where he died on July 26, 1944.
There were persistent rumors in Iran about the poisoning. Everyone knew that Reza Shah had excellent health, so it was difficult to believe in an unexpected illness. His remains were transported to Iran, embalmed and placed in a special tomb, and the Majlis awarded him the title "Great" in 1949... However, the legend is still alive, contradicting the official version. Allegedly, a double was sent into exile on the island of Mauritius, and the ex-shah peacefully died of old age on the coast of the Caspian Sea while reading the poems of Ferdowsi, whom he loved very much.
There is another legend associated with the name of Reza Shah Pahlavi. Allegedly observing Stalin, Roosevelt and Churchill during the Tehran conference in 1943, he uttered the following prophetic words: “Now these are mighty rulers. But the time will come, and one of them will die like a dog, the second will die easily and suddenly, and the third will die in peace and wealth, but deprived of power ... "

Shahinshah Aryawat Mohammed Reza Pahlavi.

The Pahlavi dynasty lasted until 1979, when the clergy came to power in Iran.
Reza's son, the last Shah of Iran, Mohammed Reza Pahlavi, took the embalmed body of his father from the tomb and flew first to France and then to Cairo. Here he died on July 27, 1980 at the age of 61 and was buried with his father in the Rifai Mosque, next to members of the Egyptian royal family.
The grandson of Reza the Cossack, also Reza Pahlavi, who received the name in honor of the famous grandfather, is a military pilot and now lives in the United States.