The Pahlavi dynasty, founded by Reza Khan in 1925, sought to transform Iran by reducing Shia clergy influence and creating a modern centralized state. After his father was deposed in 1941, Mohammad Reza Pahlavi rose to power at age 21. The dynasty's legacy continues to resonate in current Iranian protests, where anti-regime activists invoke the family's image nearly 47 years after the Islamic Revolution.

Mohammad Reza consolidated power after the 1953 Operation Ajax, orchestrated by the US CIA and UK MI6 to depose Prime Minister Mohammad Mosaddegh. He established the notorious SAVAK intelligence agency to suppress political dissent while promoting modernization through the White Revolution reforms. These policies reduced clerical influence but also built growing public dissatisfaction.

The Pahlavi emperors pursued secularization policies, including banning hijabs in 1936 and placing education under state control. Mohammad Reza's 1967 coronation aimed to solidify his image as a transformative leader. Despite attempts to create a modern Iran, the dynasty's authoritarian methods ultimately contributed to their downfall during the 1979 Islamic Revolution.