In 1921, Reza Khan rose to power with the help of the British government. He led a modernization of Persia, insisting the international community refer to his country as Iran. His son, Mohammad Reza Shah, inherited the throne in 1941.

The Shah expanded his authority using a violent secret police force called SAVAK. They terrorized the Iranian people and preyed on Iranians abroad. They helped enforced the Shah's rule, even as his White Revolution displaced rural communities and alienated Shia clergy. Decades-long economic exploitation and authoritarian repression ignited a series of phases leading to the 1979 Islamic Revolution.

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Sources:

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Note: The Recap section was written with the assistance of ChatGPT-4.

Music:

Scorching Action by Jonathan Margrove

Blood Kiss by Hainbach - Topics

Kalahari Wind by Humans Win

Cinematic Ambient Orchestral Drama Trailer by MEDIA MUSIC GROUP

Dramatic Investigation by Jon Presstone

Eye Of The Storm (Feat. Cicely Parnas) - Instrumental Version

Gnosienne by Eric Satie performed by Neil Cross and Raighes Factory

Edit: March 12, 2026 - The thumbnail image for this episode was replaced with another image with two changed in order to amend one historical inaccuracy and to add context. The previous image had the Islamic Republic's flag for a background. The current image has the Persian flag of the regime of which the Shah ruled. The second change is a USA countryball with a thumbs up was placed behind the SAVAK logo to better illustrate American involvement. If you'd like to see the old image, feel free to email me. Thank you!