Mohammad Reza Pahlavi, the last monarch of Iran, was born in Tehran, Persia to Reza Khan and Tadj ol-Molouk. He was the eldest son of Reza Khan, who later became the first Shah of the Pahlavi dynasty.

The Pahlavi rule was instrumental in Iran's nationalisation in line with Persian culture and language, achieved through the official ban on the use of minority languages and suppression of separatist movements.

At his father's coronation on 24 April 1926, Mohammad Reza was proclaimed Crown Prince.

At the age of 11, Mohammad Reza was sent to Institut Le Rosey, a Swiss boarding school, for further studies. He developed a lifelong love for all things French during his time there.

Mohammad Reza had serious misgivings about the agreement his father negotiated with the Anglo-Persian Oil Company in 1933. This agreement compromised Iran's ability to receive more favorable returns from its oil resources.

Mohammad Reza returned to Iran in 1936 after studying abroad for four years and obtained his high school diploma. He then enrolled in the local military academy in Tehran and graduated as a Second Lieutenant in 1938.

Mohammad Reza married Princess Fawzia of Egypt on March 15, 1939, in Cairo. The marriage was part of a diplomatic initiative to strengthen ties between Iran and Egypt.

On 16 September 1941, Reza Shah abdicated the throne and was replaced by his son Mohammad Reza Pahlavi, following the British and Soviet invasion of Iran.

A general amnesty was issued on September 19, 1941, two days after Mohammad Reza's accession to the throne. This led to the rehabilitation of political personalities who had suffered disgrace during his father's reign and the overturning of the forced unveiling policy.

In 1942, Mohammad Reza met Wendell Willkie, the Republican candidate for the U.S. presidency, and went flying for the first time. This meeting marked the beginning of Mohammad Reza's interest in aviation.

During the Tehran conference in 1943, the Shah was humiliated by Joseph Stalin when the Red Army alone guarded the Marble Palace during Stalin's visit, not allowing the Shah's bodyguards to be present.

On 11 December 1946, the Iranian Army led by the Shah entered Iranian Azerbaijan, leading to the collapse of the Pishevari regime with little resistance.

On 17 November 1948, Mohammad Reza divorced Fawzia after she refused to return to Iran despite efforts to persuade her.

On 4 February 1949, an unsuccessful assassination attempt was made on the Shah during a ceremony, with the perpetrator being linked to the Tudeh Party.

On 12 February 1951, Mohammad Reza married Soraya Esfandiary-Bakhtiary, his second wife, who was introduced to him by a close relative.

Princess Ashraf, the twin sister of Mohammad Reza Pahlavi, visited him to pressure him into signing a decree dismissing Mossadegh. She was known for her tough demeanor and public questioning of her brother's manhood.

Kermit Roosevelt met with Mohammad Reza Pahlavi to explain the mission of the CIA plot to overthrow Mossadegh. The Shah was bribed with $1 million in Iranian currency to support the coup.

A right wing faction of the Iranian Army, with the Shah's order, attempted a coup against Mossadegh but failed. This led to the Shah fleeing the country temporarily.

Opposition against Mossadegh intensified as Communists turned against him and conservative clerics and National Front leaders sided with the Shah. Mosaddegh defended the government against the new attack.

Under the direction of Kermit Roosevelt Jr., the CIA and British SIS funded and led a covert operation to depose Mossadegh as prime minister of Iran. The operation, known as Operation Ajax, involved military forces disloyal to the government and resulted in the installation of General Fazlollah Zahedi as the new prime minister.

Ali Reza, the full brother of Mohammad Reza Shah, was his heir presumptive until his death in 1954.

Starting in 1955, Mohammad Reza began to cultivate left-wing intellectuals and embraced the image of a 'progressive' Shah, aiming to modernize Iran and introduce socio-economic reforms.

In 1957, Mohammad Reza dismissed Hossein Ala' as prime minister, showcasing his authority and control over the government.

A military coup led by General Valiollah Gharani in February 1958 was thwarted, leading to a crisis in Iranian-American relations and suspicions regarding U.S. commitment to Iran's defense.

On 24 July 1959, Mohammad Reza Pahlavi gave de facto recognition to Israel by allowing an Israeli trade office to be opened in Tehran, which functioned as a de facto embassy. This move offended many in the Islamic world.

In the 1960 U.S. presidential election, the Shah favored Republican candidate Richard Nixon and contributed money to his campaign. Relations with the eventual winner, Democrat John F. Kennedy, were strained.

In an attempt to mend relations with President Kennedy after Nixon's defeat, Mohammad Reza Pahlavi sent General Teymur Bakhtiar to meet Kennedy in Washington. However, Bakhtiar's request for American support in a coup plan heightened the Shah's fears about Kennedy.

In 1962, the Shah clashed with Ayatollah Khomeini over changing local laws to allow non-Muslims to take the oath of office using their holy books. Khomeini objected, leading to pressure from the clergy and eventual withdrawal of the law.

In 1963, Mohammad Reza initiated the White Revolution, a set of extensive reforms that faced opposition from religious scholars due to allowing women to vote, leading to nationwide demonstrations and unrest in Iran.

The Shah, Turkish President Cemal Gürsel, and Pakistani President Ayub Khan announced the establishment of the RCD organization in Istanbul to promote joint transportation and economic projects.

In August 1964, Ayatollah Khomeini was exiled to Iraq after emerging as a leader in protests against Mohammad Reza's rule, particularly in the holy city of Qom.

On 10 April 1965, a soldier attempted to assassinate Shah Mohammad Reza by shooting his way through the Marble Palace, but was killed before reaching the royal quarters.

On 15 September 1965, Mohammad Reza Pahlavi was bestowed with the title of Aryamehr ('The Sun of the Aryans') by a joint session of the Iranian Parliament, adding to his prestigious list of titles and honours.

Despite achievements such as increased school attendance, the Shah's policies led to unintended consequences like high unemployment among educated youth. In 1966, high school graduates faced higher unemployment rates than the illiterate population.

Mohammad Reza Pahlavi was officially crowned as the Shah of Iran on October 26, 1967, in a ceremony that marked the formal beginning of his reign.

The Shah abrogated the treaty, leading to Iran ceasing to pay tolls to Iraq for using the Shatt al-Arab, causing tensions between the two countries.

Mohammad Reza Shah formed an alliance with Colonel Gaddafi of Libya to press for higher oil prices for their nations. This collaboration aimed to strengthen their respective economies through increased oil revenues.

In October 1971, Mohammad Reza celebrated 2,500 years of continuous Persian monarchy since the founding of the Achaemenid Empire by Cyrus the Great. The celebration included changing the Iranian calendar benchmark to the beginning of the First Persian Empire and a grand parade at Persepolis.

Mohammad Reza Shah informed President Nixon about Soviet Union's influence in the Middle East through Iraq, leading to Nixon's support for Iran against Iraq. The Shah financed Kurdish rebels in Iraq with Soviet weapons seized by Israel, but later signed the Algiers Accord in 1975, ending support for the rebels.

After the 1973 oil embargo, the Shah of Iran increased oil production to take advantage of higher prices. He urged OPEC nations to further raise prices, leading to a 470% increase over a year and boosting Iran's GDP by 50%.

In an interview with Der Spiegel, Mohammad Reza declared that Iran's actions were not just to take vengeance on the West and expressed the desire for Iran to be a member of the Western club.

During a press conference, Mohammad Reza predicted that by 1984, Iran would have electric cars in cities, mass transportation systems using electricity, and two or three holidays a week.

On May 1, 1974, French Professor Georges Flandrin diagnosed the Shah with chronic lymphocytic leukemia during his visit to Tehran. The Shah's cancer diagnosis was kept hidden from him until 1978.

Mohammad Reza Pahlavi aimed to establish a 'Great Civilisation' in Iran, a concept that gained attention in the West. The Shah's vision was seen as a turning point in Iran's history and the world's.

Mohammad Reza sponsored various international conferences in Iran throughout the 1970s, aiming to showcase Iran as part of the Western world. However, these initiatives were seen as wasteful by ordinary Iranians.

The wealth generated by Iran's oil in the 1970s led to a sense of nationalism at the Imperial Court. Iranians, previously looked down upon, were now courted and admired by Westerners seeking Iran's largesse.

During a visit to Washington, the Shah's reception at the White House is interrupted by Iranian student protests and police use tear gas to disperse the demonstrators.

On January 6, 1978, Iranian newspaper Ettela’at published a front-page editorial that criticized Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini. The editorial was reportedly written by the royal court under the Shah's directive.

On October 2, 1978, the Shah granted a general amnesty to dissidents living abroad, including Ayatollah Khomeini, in an attempt to calm the situation amidst extreme unrest and open opposition to the monarchy.

On November 5, 1978, Mohammad Reza went on Iranian television to acknowledge the voice of the revolution and promised major reforms in response to the escalating situation.

Mohammad Reza Shah made a contract with Farboud and left Iran at the behest of Prime Minister Shapour Bakhtiar, who sought to calm the situation. As he boarded the plane, many Imperial Guardsmen wept while Bakhtiar showed disdain for the Shah. This event marked the beginning of the dissolution of the Pahlavi dynasty.

Facing increasing political unrest and protests in Iran, Mohammad Reza Pahlavi left the country for exile on 17 January 1979. This marked the beginning of the end of his rule as the Shah of Iran.

Imam Khomeini made a significant declaration upon his arrival in Tehran on February 1, 1979.

Following the Iranian Revolution, the monarchy in Iran was abolished on February 11, 1979, and Ruhollah Khomeini assumed power as the Supreme Leader, marking the end of Mohammad Reza Pahlavi's rule.

In October 1979, President Jimmy Carter allowed Shah Mohammad Reza Pahlavi to enter the United States for medical treatment, using a false name and facing opposition from Iranian students. His stay was extended due to surgical complications, contributing to the Iran hostage crisis.

In December 1979, Shah Mohammad Reza Pahlavi left the United States and briefly stayed in Isla Contadora, Panama. His presence in Panama caused riots among the locals, and he was kept as a virtual prisoner by General Omar Torrijos.

Mohammad Reza Pahlavi, commonly known as the Shah, was overthrown by the 1979 Iranian Revolution, leading to the establishment of the Islamic Republic of Iran. This event marked the end of the Pahlavi dynasty's rule in Iran.

The book provides a compelling narrative about the Shah of Iran, offering insights into his reign and the dynamics of power during his rule.

Stephen Fleischman discussed the Shah's belief that oil is too valuable to burn in an article on CommonDreams.org.

The book examines the transition from the Qajar dynasty to the Pahlavi era in Iran, shedding light on the societal and political changes during this period.

An article on Payvand News highlighted Zbigniew Brzezinski's role in the overthrow of the Shah in Iran.

The book explores the cultural landscape and political dynamics during Reza Shah's era, focusing on the Pahlavi State, new bourgeoisie, and the modernization of Iranian society.