University of Tehran : The illiterate king learned how to read and write at 45. He founded the university of Tehran and here he is at the opening ceremony of the school of medicine of Tehran University.
During Reza Shah's twenty year rule, there were developments that all Iranians dreamed of. But there were other changes which were nightmares. The positive list includes Trance Iranian Railways, connecting the Persian Gulf to Tehran, turkey and Russia, an increase of highway miles by 700%. There was free education for many Iranian students in Europe, who then returned to run the modern system of government, factories, hospitals, schools, universities, Iranian banks, a Center for disease control, National educational system, teachers, professors, and strong push to consume Iranian made goods. The long aristocratic names were changed to simple first and last name with birth certificates. Reza Shah had total intolerance for anyone lying to him for any reason. Reza Shah was the first Iranian Monarch after 1400 years who paid respect to the Jews by praying in the synagogue when visiting the Jewish community of Isfahan, an act that boosted the self-esteem of the Iranian Jews and made Reza Shah their second most respected Iranian leader after Cyrus the Great. The Shah's reforms opened new occupations to Jews.
However, the nightmare was brought about by his justifiable, but premature, collision with religion. Reza Shah eliminated the Islamic veil from Iranian society. Women who resisted would lose their veil by force (you just cannot do that to an Iranian husband). Religious people still damn him for this behavior. When there was an uprising against this rule, he sent the army into the most sacred shrine of the country and machine gunned the protestors.
Seyyed Hassan Modares:
Popular liberal clergyman killed in most gruesome fashion
As he got older he became more stubborn and suspicious. He cut down the power of clergy by force. The only people who were permitted to wear Islamic clergy clothes were those who had a degree in theology from the university of Tehran.
Reza Shah's generals with their family in unveiling ceremony.
You can see in the picture that in his majesty's presence, you do not talk, sneeze or move unless you are told to. Also there are no chairs (no sitting in his presence). Like other dictators, he developed an exaggerated sense of self importance.
He dealt harshly with opposition, newspapers were closed and liberals were imprisoned.
His closest friends were so fearful of him that they would run away to Europe, retire, or in the case of Mr Davar Secretary of justice, commit suicide.
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