Behind the Scenes: Iranian Leaders and the Women Beside Them

Mohammad Reza Shah Pahlavi, born in 1919, was the last monarch of Iran, ascending the throne in 1941 after the forced abdication of his father, Reza Shah. Educated in Switzerland, Mohammad Reza sought to modernize Iran through a series of sweeping reforms known as the White Revolution, which included land redistribution, women's suffrage, and industrial growth. While these changes aimed to bring Iran into the modern era, they also disrupted traditional power structures and generated opposition among conservative groups.