Shah of Iran's visit to Switzerland - 1961 - Interview

Shah of Iran's visit to Switzerland - 1961 - Interview

(October 1961) The Shah of Iran is interviewed by Bernard Béguin from Swiss TV on his position vis-a-vis the USSR and the way in which His Imperial Majesty sees the future of His country. It evokes in particular the ongoing land reform ("White Revolution") and the path towards economic prosperity.



PM Dr. Ali Amini of Iran visit to Switzerland - 1962

Passing through Switzerland, on his return to Tehran after attending a meeting in London, Dr. Ali Amini, Iranian Prime Minister, is interviewed by Swiss TV.

Remembering the two Great Pahlavi King's

July 26 & 27 marks the passing away of the two Great Pahlavi King's of Iran - Reza Shah the Great and Mohammad Reza Shah (Shahanshah Aryamehr). As I have already written an entry which covered many (although not all) of Shahanshah Aryamehr's achievements I would like to focus this entry more on the founder of modern Iran - HIM Reza Shah the Great.

Iran before Reza Shah the Great was a an impoverished, disease-stricken, bandit-ridden, land with society being controlled by the poisonous grip of the Arabo-Muslim clergy. The ruling dynasty was the Qajar (Kadjar) who where known for spending more time and money travelling abroad than actually being present in the country they ruled. The Qajar's have gone down in Iranian history as one of the worst and most incompetent dynasties to rule Iran due to their complete incompetency and failure in defending Iran's borders with the entire northern parts of the country having been conceded to foreign nations. The Qajar's did not care for Iran as much as they cared for their harem's and trips abroad which had led to a disastrous socio-economic state in the country - the majority of people during the Qajar Era did not even know about their Great historical figures like Cyrus the Great, instead they had been fed Arabo-Muslim propaganda for 1400 years which had made them loose touch with their roots and Iranian identities. Not being able to tolerate the status quo and the threat which foreign powers posed to the integrity of the nation any longer (in particular the threat posed by the Bolsheviks and the Imperialist threat of Britain) a saviour rose up amongst the ranks of the Iranian Cossack Brigade - a man who would become Commander of the Imperial Armed Forces and Minister of War.

Reza Shah went on to quell all unrest across the nation in particular those separatist ambitions which the Soviets had nurtured in the northern provinces (Azerbaijan and Kordestan) and also in the south in Khuzestan were an Arab Sheikh had tried to claim Iranian territory for being Arab land. Reza Shah dealt with these enemies with an iron fist to secure the territorial integrity of Iran. Order had been established in a country which had been lawless for centuries. Having proven his worth and loyalty to his nation the Iranian parliament declared Reza Shah the new King of Iran - and thus the Pahlavi Dynasty replaced the now defunct Qajar Dynasty.

Reza Shah would come to be known as the man who laid the foundation for modern Iran - he set out rebuilding, modernizing, reforming, and improving the peoples' quality of life. Apart from the few accomplishments listed already Reza Shah is credited for:

- Building the trans-Iranian railway
- Introduction of modern education after 1400 years of the Arabo-Muslim clergy having a stranglehold on the Iranian populace through religious brainwashing/indoctrination schools
- Establishment of modern Iran's first University with many more following suit
- Introducing government sponsorship for many Iranian students at foreign educational establishments in Europe and America
- Restricting the rule and power of the Arabo-Muslim clergy
- Emancipation of Iranian women from the imposed Arabo-Muslim all-enveloping dress (chador)
- Judicial reform
- Social and Economic progress
- Introduction of reformed financial and administrative systems
- Reform of the Imperial Iranian Navy and Army
- Creation of the Imperial Iranian Air Force
- Recognizing and respecting Iranian religious minorities who had been oppressed and neglected by the occupying Arabo-Muslim clergy
- Cancelling agreements which worked against Iranian interests that had been signed before his coming to power
- Construction of roads, schools, hospitals
- Nationalization of several economic sectors

For more discussion on Reza Shah the Great's discussion please see THIS OLD THREAD of mine which I started on a discussion forum. Also see THIS PAGE.

See my photobucket album of Reza Shah the Great by CLICKING HERE and of Shahanshah Aryamehr by CLICKING HERE.

JAVID SHAH! SHAHANSHAH!

UPDATE #1 : Listen to Banoo Pari Saffari's message on the occasions of the Pahlavi Kings' memorial day - CLICK HERE.