Was the Shah of Iran a ruthless dictator who violently suppressed dissidents and profited obscenely from oil exports at the expense of his own people? The Shah’s regime has been described as autocratic, relying on SAVAK (secret police) for surveillance, torture, and disappearances of dissidents. Modernization was top-down and coercive, alienating religious conservatives and rural populations. Economic growth benefited elites, exacerbating inequality—oil wealth funded opulent palaces while inflation and unemployment soared.
Globally, the Shah was seen as a secular moderniser who propelled Iran into the 20th century. Initiatives like the White Revolution (1963) included land reforms, women’s suffrage, literacy campaigns, and industrialisation, expanding education and economic opportunities.
Photos from the 1960s–1970s depict a vibrant Iran with mixed-gender socialising, Western fashion, and urban development, evoking a “golden age” of freedoms. However, “forced secularisation” clashed with Shite traditions, banning veils in public and promoting Western norms, which many saw as cultural imperialism. The Shah’s elitism is also evident in lavish spending.
Back then, the Shah of Iran was hailed as an anti-communist bulwark, rubbing shoulders with US presidents and European royals. Domestically and abroad, the Shah and Empress Farah were likened to Jackie and John F. Kennedy – elegant, cultured, and progressive. Among older exiles or non-monarchists, he’s romanticised as a patriot who left voluntarily to avoid bloodshed, as per his son’s accounts. Visuals from pre-revolution Iran—beaches, universities, festivals contrast starkly with today’s restrictions, fueling nostalgia. When Iranian youths today saw pictures of the former Iran, they started hating the Islamic regime. Those who have no access to these images will only see the regime’s propaganda which demonises him as a US puppet. The exiles defend him as a victim of betrayal. Check out the video below:
US puppet? Certainly didn’t seem that way. I couldn’t watch 60 Minutes back in the 1970s. even if I could, I might not have understood it as I was still a clueless teenager. Watching this interview gives me a different perspective. There are no good guys in this game and some leaders in the Middle East while not saints, may have been oversimplified by certain channels and publications. Please do not slap the label of “Western media” on any channel or publication from the West. 60 Minutes is being very liberal, professional and magnanimous in broadcasting this interview which does not put America in a very good light. It won’t be easy to find an Asian country that is willing to do this.
Now for the question – why did the US fail to predict the downfall of the Shah? The US which was Iran’s closest ally, failed to see the Islamic Revolution coming despite extensive ties, including military aid and intelligence sharing. This “intelligence failure” stemmed from systemic biases and underestimation of societal forces. Going forward, you could say that Americans never learned their lesson. The were wrong about China for pretty much the same reasons. Give them movies and disco and they should be fine. Uncle Sam’s experts couldn’t believe that the Islamists could gang up with the communists to topple the Shah. Then there’s the early wokie Jimmy Carter. Carter’s adamant human rights emphasis pressured the Shah to “liberalise” – by giving critics more freedom to express themselves, clearly underestimating the Shah’s precarious situation and by association, American interests in Iran then.
As you can see from the interview, the Shah of Iran had a pretty “healthy” relationship with Israel and for that, he was challenged by the late Mike Wallace! Talk about press freedom and objectivity. But here’s the thing. Had the Islamic Revolution not succeeded, Israel would have far fewer enemies than it has today and the Middle East would be a tad safer than it is today. Today’s Iran – up to the day Donald Trump attacked at least, has been a sponsor of terrorism. The Shah was certainly no saint. If you’re communist, you probably wouldn’t have liked him for imprisoning and torturing your comrades. But like I’ve always asked, which is the lesser of two evils? GenZs are asking their parents: what the hell were you thinking (supporting the Islamic regime?)?