Iran - (P 84) 20 Rials (1969) - UNC

Muhammad Reza Pahlavi: The Last Shah of Iran

Muhammad Reza Pahlavi (1919-1980) was the last Shah of Iran of the Pahlavi dynasty, who ruled the country from 1941 to 1979. He ascended the throne after the abdication of his father Reza Shah, who was forced to step down during World War II under pressure from the United States, Great Britain, and the Soviet Union.

His reign was marked through efforts to modernize Iran by a program known as the "White Revolution." This comprehensive reform plan included land reform, industrialization, women's emancipation, and educational development.

Although these changes brought progress to the country, they also caused deep discontent among traditional religious circles and the lower echelons of society.

Reza Pahlavi was also known for his authoritarian rule and cooperation with the West, particularly the United States. These relationships, along with political repression provided by the SAVAK secret police, led to growing opposition led by the clerical leader Ayatollah Khomeini. This opposition led to the 1979 Islamic Revolution in Iran, after which Muhammad Reza Pahlavi was forced to leave the country.

After the fall of the monarchy, he lived in exile in several countries, including Egypt, where he died of cancer in 1980. His reign and legacy remain intensely contested to this day, seen by some as a reformer and moderniser, and by others as a dictator who suppressed freedom and human rights.