The Shah of Iran

Mohammad Reza Pahlavi, the last Shah of Iran

Mohammad Reza Pahlavi (1919–1980) was the last Shah of Iran, reigning from 1941 until the Iranian Revolution of 1979. As the second and final monarch of the House of Pahlavi, his rule spanned a pivotal period in Iranian history marked by rapid modernisation, land reform and shifting geopolitical alliances.

Born in Tehran, he succeeded his father, Reza Shah Pahlavi, during the Second World War. His thirty-eight-year reign saw the White Revolution — a programme of land redistribution, women's suffrage and literacy campaigns that reshaped Iranian society — as well as the oil nationalisation crisis, the 1953 coup, and the 2,500-year celebration of the Persian Empire at Persepolis in 1971.

This archive collects 390 photographs from that era: state ceremonies and diplomatic meetings, military parades and inspections, the Imperial family including Queen Farah Pahlavi, and quieter, unofficial moments. Each photograph has its own page with a description of what is visible in the frame, so the collection can be browsed, searched and cited image by image.

Browse the archive by subject

• Portraits 208
• Military and Armed Forces 43
• The Imperial Family 38
• Further Photographs 30
• State Visits and Diplomacy 25
• Ceremonies and Celebrations 19
• Aviation and Travel 9
• Public Appearances and Crowds 6
• Motorcades and Vehicles 5
• Palaces, Architecture and Places 3
• Documents, Press and Print 2
• Sport and Leisure 2