Day 3 - Reza Shah and the Foundation of the Pahlavi dynasty

After the decline and decomposition of the last vestiges of power of the Qajar dynasty, the country fell into the hands of an active and ambitious man, Colonel Reza Khan, who assumed the royal power into his hands after deposing the last Qajar monarch in 1925. He strived to modernize and strengthen the country, and many of his reforms laid the foundation of modern Iran. The Pahlavi dynasty only had two reigning monarchs, Reza Shah (1925-1941) and his son Mohammad Reza Shah (1941-1971), who was deposed during the 1979 Islamic Revolution. This class will provide an opportunity for students to explore this historical period while expanding their ability to discuss historical change and modernization in Persian.

  1. Curriculum
  2. Intermediate Persian Syllabus
  3. Week 8 - Historical Persian (Modern History)
  4. Day 3 - Reza Shah and the Foundation of the Pahlavi dynasty  

Reading: We are going to read parts from the Persian translation of Yervand Abrahamian’s famous book on the modern history of Iran. The assigned reading is from pages 123 to 131, and the PDF file of the book can be found here.

Listening: For today’s listening practice, we have two documentaries. The first, produced by Manoto TV, focuses on the reign and personality of Reza Shah Pahlavi (the original video on Facebook). The second is a short documentary by Iran International covering the 1953 Coup d’état and the overthrow of Mohammad Mossadegh’s government in Iran.

Subject of Conversation: The US and Iran relations during the last century: a hostile friendship or friendly hostility? (روابط ایران و آمریکا در صد سال گذشته: یک دوستی خصمانه یا دشمنی دوستانه؟)

In this conversation, students will examine the complex and often contradictory relationship between the United States and Iran over the past century. From early diplomatic ties and strategic alliances to periods of deep mistrust and confrontation, this session encourages students to reflect on the shifting dynamics of this relationship. Using key vocabulary from historical and political contexts, students will practice expressing nuanced opinions in Persian while analyzing the nature of what has been described as a “hostile friendship” or a “friendly hostility.”

Homework:
- Read the full material and translate the excerpts assigned by the instructor into English.
- Watch the second documentary about the 1953 Coup d’état. Write a short summary (150–200 words) in Persian, using vocabulary and expressions you’ve heard in the video.
- Make sure to prepare for tomorrow’s discussion.