The Shah and Queen’s Visit to Tehran University: A Historic Moment in 1944
Eighty years ago, on the anniversary of the founding of Tehran University, an event of great significance took place in the heart of Iran’s academic and intellectual center. On that day, Mohammad Reza Pahlavi, the young Shah of Iran, accompanied by his then-Queen, Fawzia Fawad, visited Tehran University in a ceremonial display of the monarchy’s support for higher education and modernization. This visit, covered in detail by the renowned Etelaat newspaper, was reported on 7 February 1944, with additional photographs and commentary published in the weekly Etelaat magazine, issue 192, dated 10 February 1944.
This article delves into the details of this historic visit, highlighting the key moments, the significance of the event, and the broader context of Iran’s educational and political landscape in 1944.
The Context of the Visit
By 1944, Iran was in a crucial transitional period. The country had been occupied by Allied forces since 1941 due to its strategic importance in World War II. Mohammad Reza Pahlavi had assumed the throne after the forced abdication of his father, Reza Shah, in 1941. The young monarch was working to establish his legitimacy, strengthen the state, and navigate the political complexities of a country under foreign influence.