History

The official unveiling decree associated with the reign of Reza Shah stands among the most controversial and transformative policies of early twentieth-century state reform. Announced formally in December 1935 and implemented publicly in January of the following year, the measure sought to abolish the traditional covering of women in public spaces and replace it with Western-style dress codes. The policy …

Gholamreza Takhti (September 25, 1930 – January 17, 1967), widely known by the honorary title “Jahanpahlavan Takhti” (Champion of the World), stands as one of the most admired figures in the history of freestyle wrestling and modern social culture of his homeland. He was not only a celebrated athlete, but also a symbol of ethical conduct, humility, courage, and public …

Houshang Ansari remains one of the most emblematic yet lesser-known figures of Iran’s late Pahlavi period: a man whose life traced an extraordinary arc from provincial hardship to the highest levels of diplomacy, finance, and international power. Photographer, journalist, diplomat, oil executive, economic strategist, and later an exiled financier, Ansari embodied the Shah’s technocratic project—an elite class of Western-oriented administrators …

Nasser Mohammad Rezaei, known to audiences and colleagues by his artistic stage name Shahroz Ramtin, stands among the notable yet often under-remembered figures of Iran’s pre-revolutionary performing arts. Born in Tehran in 1942, Ramtin belonged to a generation of Iranian artists whose careers unfolded during a decisive period of cultural modernization, artistic experimentation, and political transformation. His life and professional …

Until the first half of the 1950s, firewood vendors were among the most essential yet overlooked figures in the daily life of Tehran. In an era when modern energy sources such as kerosene, gas oil, and later piped gas had not yet become widespread, firewood was the primary and most reliable fuel for heating homes, cooking food, and sustaining daily …

Dariush Asadzadeh (December 1, 1923 – September 2, 2019) was one of the most enduring and versatile figures of modern performing arts in his country. Active for more than seven decades, he left a lasting mark on theater, cinema, radio, television, and cultural historiography. His career unfolded across multiple generations, political transformations, and artistic movements, allowing him to become both …

The month of 1340 in the Iranian calendar marked a significant moment in the cultural and political life of Iran, a time when modernization was no longer merely a slogan but a visible, tangible project that extended into everyday life, technology, and even personal taste. Among the many symbolic events of that period, Mohammad Reza Shah Pahlavi’s visit to the …

In the mid-1950s, Iran stood at a complex crossroads of modernization and deprivation. While the Pahlavi state promoted images of progress, urban development, and medical advancement—particularly in Tehran—the realities of everyday life for large segments of the population remained deeply marked by poverty, inequality, and institutional fragmentation. One of the starkest illustrations of this contradiction can be found in the …

By the mid-1950s, Mohammad Reza Shah Pahlavi had emerged from the most dangerous crisis of his reign with a renewed sense of authority and historical purpose. The overthrow of Prime Minister Mohammad Mossadegh in 1953, engineered with the decisive involvement of British and American intelligence services, marked a turning point not only in Iran’s political trajectory but also in the …

Reza Shah Pahlavi (15 March 1878 – 26 July 1944), born Reza Khan, was one of the most consequential figures in modern Iranian history. Rising from humble origins as a military officer to become Shah of Iran, he founded the Pahlavi dynasty and ruled the country from 1925 until 1941. His reign marked a decisive break with Iran’s pre-modern political …