The idea that Iran would soon reach a Western standard of living under his leadership became a central theme of his public rhetoric. Development, modernization, and progress were framed not as political choices but as moral imperatives—goals whose realization justified authoritarian measures. In this worldview, opposition to the Shah was not merely dissent; it was obstruction of a divine and historical mission.
The Clergy, the Baháʼí Faith, and Selective Alliances
Despite his reliance on pre-Islamic symbolism, Mohammad Reza did not entirely abandon cooperation with the religious establishment. On the contrary, during the mid-1950s he sought the support—or at least the neutrality—of the Shiite clergy (ulema) as a counterweight to secular nationalism and leftist movements. This tactical alliance came at a significant cost to religious minorities, particularly the Baháʼí community.
The Shah resumed the traditional policy of persecuting Baháʼís, who were widely regarded by conservative clerics as heretical. In 1955, the chief Baháʼí temple in Tehran was destroyed, and new laws were introduced banning Baháʼís from gathering in groups. These actions represented a calculated concession to clerical pressure, designed to secure religious support for the monarchy at a moment when its legitimacy remained fragile.
