Birth of the Pahlavi Dynasty: Reza Shah’s coronation and his ascention to the Throne

This is the transcript for Book Two, episode 2 of The Lion and the Sun podcast: The Constituent Assembly. This story is about the events after the abolishment of the Qajar dynasty and Reza Shah’s coronation as the new king of Iran. Listen to this episode on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or all other podcast platforms.

Reza Khan sat at his desk, unmoving, lost in thought as the hours slipped by.

The weight of his decision pressed down on him.

The decision was not one that would alter the fate of the nation or shift the tides of his regime. Yet for him, it carried more weight … This was a personal issue for him.

A choice that would reverberate through generations, carving its place into the legacy of his bloodline.

Reza Khan had to pick a name.

Ancient Naming Traditions in Iran

Throughout the Qajar dynasty, Iranians – much like the ancient Arab world – had a peculiar naming system.

They identified themselves through traditional methods rooted in lineage, occupation, geography, religion, or tribal affiliations. In a largely oral culture with decentralized governance, people did not require fixed family names for identification. Instead, they relied on patronymic customs, referring to someone by their father’s or ancestor’s name.

In other cases, a person’s profession shapes their identity. Individuals were commonly known by their trade or craft—like “Najjar” (carpenter) or “Attar” (herbalist). Religious titles also played a significant role in naming conventions. For example, those who completed the pilgrimage to Mecca earned the honorific “Hajji.” Or alleged descendants of the Prophet Muhammad were given the revered title “Sayyed.” Among tribal communities, particularly in rural areas, individuals identified themselves by their tribal affiliation. Such as belonging to the Bakhtiari, Qashqai or Qajar tribes. These systems were deeply embedded in Iran’s pre-modern social fabric.

Within the noble and elite community, awarded titles were a significant part of the traditional naming system. These titles, often granted by the monarchy, served not only as markers of social status but also as symbols of power and political privilege. Individuals from influential families or those who served in high-ranking administrative or military roles were awarded titles that reflected their rank, responsibilities, or favour with the ruling monarch.

For example, “Qavam al-Saltaneh” meant “Strength of the Monarchy.” It was a prestigious honorific given to one of Ahmad Shah’s prime ministers. Or “Sardar Sepah” which meant commander of the army and was awarded to Reza Khan himself.

Titles like this were often hereditary or remained attached to influential individuals across generations, becoming informal family identifiers.

Iran’s Shift to Standardized Surnames

However, this patchwork of identification methods posed challenges for modern governance and record-keeping. The lack of standardized surnames became a barrier to implementing state institutions and reforms, which required more systematic control.

On May 5th, 1925, the parliament approved a broad and important piece of legislation. Through this law, all titles, civilian, trade-related, religious and pseudo-military were revoked. All Iranians, old and young were now required to select a family name. A surname that would continue through their generations and be used as their tracking ID by the newly established registrar officers.

In the past decade, the titles awarded to individuals for various reasons had become so many and so unnecessary that they have lost all their significance and meaning. Anyone could get an honorary title from the Qajar kings by donating some gold and doing a favour for the monarchy. Or simply delighting the kings in any way. The Law of “Identity and Personal Status” aimed at curbing this unnecessary overuse of prestigious titles. It was about grounding the nation into a more structured system of recognition.

Reza Khan himself had decided to give up on the “Sardar Sepah” title to set an example.
But now he had to pick a family name. One that would reverberate through generations, carving its place into the legacy of his bloodline.

Reza Khan Chooses His Legacy

After hours of deliberation, he settled on a name.

The name embodied centuries of history, tradition and prestige. It was an ancient language that the old kings of Persia spoke. The name aligned with Reza’s nationalistic vision and his goal to revert his country to its past golden glory.

It was a name that Reza hoped one day would rule the country. This time not based on tribal affiliation, religious beliefs or ethnic belongings, but on pure personal ambition. One that would reflect the rise of a simple soldier who had united a shattered country out of chaos.

The prime minister signed the papers with his new name.

He glanced at the drying ink that reflected his new identity.

Reza of the House Pahlavi.

The Aftermath: The Day After the Fall of the Qajar Dynasty

On October 31, 1925, Majlis with an overwhelming majority, voted to abolish the Qajar dynasty.

“In the name of the welfare of the people of Iran, Parliament hereby declares the abolition of the Qajar Dynasty. It, within the bounds of the Constitution and other prevailing laws of Iran, entrusts the provisional government to Reza Khan.”

As soon as these words were spoken, multiple protocols, put forth by the prime minister got activated.
Reza Khan, the soon-to-be king resigned from his prime minister position. Mohammad Foroughi, the finance minister of his government became the acting prime minister. The Minister of Interior informed all provinces and their governors of the new ruling of Majlis and the change in political systems. The foreign minister did the same but for all foreign allegations.

While the government was busy with its bureaucracy, the army took over the royal palaces. They got rid of all relics of the Qajar rule and evicted all its residents. One of the residents was Mohammad Hassan Mirza, the brother of Ahmad Shah and Prince Regent.

The Exile of the Crown Prince: Mohammad Hassan Mirza’s Fate

After Ahmad Shah’s departure from Iran, Mohammad Hassan Mirza, the prince regent, took residence in Golestan Palace and began calling it his home.

Golestan Palace, located in Tehran, was the official residence of the Qajar kings and a symbol of their authority. Originally built in the 16th century and expanded in the 19th, it served as the center of government and the royal court. Believing himself to be the rightful heir to the throne, Mohammad Hassan Mirza claimed the palace as his own. This belief was further reinforced when Ahmad Shah abandoned plans to return to Iran.

As soon as the abolishment of the Qajar dynasty, Reza Khan wasted no time demanding that the prince regent be thrown out of the palace and ordered him to leave the country. The prince regent didn’t have a great relationship with Reza Khan but he requested an audience with him before his departure.

Reza Khan refused.

The Crown Prince was escorted by guards into a car. He was taken to the border of Iraq. He pleaded that the government owed him 20 thousand tomans, around $450,000 in today’s money. Reza Khan settled on giving him 5 thousand tomans, a quarter of that amount.

His forces shortly deported Mohammad Hassan Mirza to Iraq, where he travelled to Paris to meet his brother.

The Public’s Indifference to Monarchy Change

With that last Qajar prince gone, it was time to switch gears. A three-day official holiday was announced; with streets lit up and fireworks shows on full display at night. The country was finally rid of the Qajars and there was nothing but great things on the horizon. These holidays were announced as a measure to excite the general populous.

Despite Qajar’s unpopularity among the people, the masses didn’t have great excitement for the change. Some weren’t even aware that a change of monarchy was happening!

The everyday Iranians weren’t aware of the political games each side played, the constant changes in the government or what the politicians were up to. They respected Reza Khan for his achievements but Reza Khan’s strict personality and his stern military appearance made it harder for people to have enthusiasm for him. He wasn’t a typical politician, he was older and thus the people had to be pursued into liking him.

Reza Khan Sets Out His Vision: Islam and the Welfare of Iranians

On November 2nd, Reza Khan, who now had the title of His Imperial Highness, issued a notice as the head of the provincial government. In it, he mentioned that he had two objectives for his rule. To put into effect the true religious tenets of Islam and to work for the peace of mind and tranquillity of Iranians.

The announcement was another step in garnishing support from the people but it was also a signal to the clergy. It had been 48 hours since the abolishment of the previous regime but the Ulamas of Qom, Najaf and Karbala hadn’t announced their position.

Reza Khan wanted to court their approval.

With Qajars out of the country; provincial and international leaders informed of the changes; and the declaration made to people, it was time to make things official. Reza Khan had to establish a Constituent Assembly to officiate his ascend to the throne.

What is a Constituent Assembly?

A constituent assembly is a body assembled for the purpose of drafting or revising a constitution. Or in this case, for creating a new political entity to rule the country.

Reza Khan asked Foroughi, the acting prime minister to organize the elections for this chamber. The ministries of War and Interior took all the precautionary methods to make sure that only the qualified candidates could make it through.

For Reza Khan, a qualified candidate was anyone with a guaranteed vote in his favour. All parliament members who had voted in favour of abolishing the previous monarchy became members of the assembly by default.
Urban cities held elections, more distant places had rigged elections and some regions didn’t even leave things to chance. The delegates were notified by telegram that they had to show up and represent their region.

With elections and non-elections out of the way, the constituent assembly held its inaugural meeting on December 6th, 1925. Reza Khan opened the chamber with a short speech and asked the members to hasten the process so the country could get back to normalcy.

The Constituent Assembly Convenes

There was no real objection in the assembly. All members were pro Reza Khan. Its job wasn’t about selecting him as the next king. It was about making necessary changes to the constitution so that everything would be legitimate and official.

As their first order of business, they selected Reza Khan to be the new sovereign of Iran and for the succession of his kingdom to lie in his male descendants in direct line, only if born of an Iranian mother. They also speculated that in the event of no son in the bloodline, the sovereign could designate an heir apparent subjected to parliament’s approval. The only exception was that no one of Qajari descent could be chosen for this. Even after their demise, Reza Khan couldn’t help but carry his grudge for the previous monarchy.

Out of 260 members of the body, 257 voted in favour of changes to the constitution. Interestingly, the only three abstaining members were those who strongly supported Reza Khan’s bid for republicanism a few years earlier. They argued that they were inherently against another monarchy and couldn’t support the proposed changes.

The only remaining matter was the name of Reza Khan’s new dynasty.

Choosing a Name for the Dynasty

A few months before on May 5th, 1925, the parliament had approved a broad and important piece of legislation. Through this law, all titles, civilian, trade-related, religious and pseudo-military were revoked. All Iranians, old and young were required to select a family name. Reza Khan himself had decided to give up on the “Sardar Sepah” title to set an example and settle on a family name.

A name that embodied centuries of history, tradition and prestige. It was an ancient language that the old kings of Persia spoke. A name that aligned with Reza’s nationalistic vision and his goal to revert his country to its past golden glory.

Foreign Reactions to Iran’s New Monarchy: Recognition and Diplomacy

The British, the Soviets, turkey and all other foreign legations in Tehran were quick to recognize Reza’s new title. They didn’t even wait for the constituent assembly to express their congratulations to the new king.
Percy Loraine, a British diplomat who served as the British Representative to Tehran wanted to make sure that the British would be one of the first countries that would recognize the rule of Reza Khan.

United states was the only country that waited for the vote of assembly before officially recognizing the new king. But even they had expressed their sentiments of friendship beforehand.

Reza Khan’s relationship with the British Empire had already strained over their support of Khaz’al. Lorraine worried that any delay in their recognition could further tarnish the goodwill between the empire and the soon-to-be king. Lorraine had personally called Reza Khan a few days after the dissolution of the Qajar monarchy. But the soon-to-be king was still waiting for an official congratulatory note from the British government.

Diplomatic Tensions with the British and the Russians

The issue got more complicated after an incident with the Soviet minister. On November fourth, the soviets had called Reza Khan to officially congratulate his ascension to the throne. During the conversation, the Soviets had suggested the possibility of establishing an embassy in Iran and Reza Khan had agreed to the request. What Reza Khan wasn’t aware of was that until then, the only country with an ambassadorial level had been Turkey. Now the Soviets would be the second country with that level of diplomatic relations with Iran.

On December 27th, Konstantin Yurenev was promoted to the rank of Ambassador. This meant that now the Soviets had a higher diplomatic relationship with Iran than the British. Percy Lorraine was only a senior foreign diplomat and now had to walk behind the soviet ambassador in all political gatherings, speak after the Soviets and was outranked by Yurenev.

This offended Loraine and he took the issue to Moshar, the foreign minister, but the deed was done. On November 3rd, Great Britain, Turkey, Germany and the Soviet Union all sent notes of recognition and five days later Italy, Belgium, Poland and Egypt followed suit.

Reza Khan’s Oath of Office: A New Era for Iran

On December 12th, only one week after the establishment of the assembly, they concluded their work and finalized their changes to the constitution. On December 15th, Reza Khan appeared before the delegates to be officially sworn in as the new king.

In a small ceremony, Reza kneeled before the Quran, the holy book of Islam. He kissed the book as a sign of respect and gave his oath.

“I call upon Almighty Allah as my witness and swear by the Holy Quran and all that is sacred before God, to dedicate all my efforts to preserving the independence of Iran, safeguarding its borders, and protecting the rights of its people.”

Iranians had a new monarchy. Reza Khan was now the first of his name in the house of Pahlavi and the king of Persia.

Ahmad Shah’s Protest: The Last Stand of the Qajar Monarch

While Reza Khan was busy legitimizing his kingdom, Ahmad Shah, exiled in Paris, sent a telegram protesting the Constituent Assembly’s decision to abolish the Qajar dynasty. In the message, he declared himself the rightful king of Iran, rejecting Reza Khan’s claim to the throne.

As you may recall, only a few months earlier, Ahmad Shah had announced his intention to return to Iran. However, after witnessing widespread protests in cities like Tabriz, where people were calling for a regime change, he reconsidered.

Now he declared that he’ll be taking his case to the League of Nations. He wanted to fight Reza Khan’s claim to the throne. On the very same day, all the remaining Qajar princes and nobility extended their official congratulations to Reza, ignoring their “true king.”

Ahmad Shah’s claim to league to the nation also didn’t go anywhere in the end.

Reza Khan Assembles His Government

The day after the ceremony, Foroughi who was the acting prime minister, along with all of Reza Khan’s cabinet resigned from their posts so that the king could select a new prime minister. This was more of a formality since Reza Khan, nominated him again to the post. Reza Khan was an inherently suspicious person, yet Foroughi had his complete trust. He had trusted him with the role of acting prime minister every time he had left the capital for long stretches of time, including his absence when dealing with Sheikh Khaz’al. What’s more is that Foroughi had a good relationship with the British and the soviets didn’t object to him either.
On December 16th, Foroughi presented his new cabinet to the parliament.

In this new cabinet, two figures stood out. The first was Ali Akbar Davar, appointed as Minister of Public Works and Commerce. Known for his bureaucratic skill and boundless energy, Davar would play a crucial role in shaping Iran’s internal politics.

The second was Abdol Hosein Teimurtash, named Minister of Court. Teimurtash, though relatively unknown and not initially part of Reza Khan’s inner circle, had earned the favour of the king. His charm, wit, and tireless efforts in helping Reza Khan abolish the Qajar dynasty had caught Reza’s attention. Reza Khan, eager to make a strong impression on European leaders, saw in Teimurtash the sophistication to elevate his court’s image—and Teimurtash did not disappoint.

Together, Teimurtash and Davar became pillars of the Pahlavi monarchy and architects of Reza’s success. Yet, their partnership would ultimately lead to their disgrace and death only a few years later —a story we’ll explore in another episode.

Planning for the Coronation

After the collapse of the Qajar dynasty, Teimurtash took upon organizing the coronation ceremony. Teimurtash who was a nationalist, wanted to refer back to Iran’s historic coronations. The only problem: there wasn’t enough information available beyond the 200 rule of the Qajars.

Teimurtash started communication with the Europeans to get inspiration from their ceremonies. Reza Khan wanted nothing to do with Qajars, so the steps were taken for a new crown to be designed. The new crown was made of gold and silver adorned with red velvet, reminiscent of ancient Sassanian royal crowns.

Reza Shah’s coronation ceremony took place on April 25, 1926, in the ballroom of Golestan Palace.

The Coronation Ceremony: Reza Khan’s Ascension to the Throne

True to his character, Reza shah kept the event simple and dignified, shunning extravagant displays. Government representatives, senior clergy members, and foreign legations attended, along with citizens who came to honour their new king.

Reza Khan arrived at the palace in a carriage drawn by six bay horses. Teimurtash and Foroughi followed in a separate carriage, showcasing their importance in the new monarchy.

High-ranking military officers and ministers each carried a piece of the crown jewels and regalia. Among these treasures was the legendary sword “World Conqueror.” Once wielded by King Nader Shah, a symbol of Persian strength and ambition. Famed for his conquests, including his capture of India’s Peacock Throne.

In the palace courtyard, Reza took his place atop the Marble Throne to receive his people, following the tradition of rulers like Fath ‘Ali Shah. Ever a soldier, he wore his military uniform, with a royal robe draped over it.

A senior Tehran cleric opened the ceremony with a speech, followed by Prime Minister Foroughi, who recited verses from Ferdowsi, the national poet of the 10th century.

Afterwards, Reza shah addressed the assembly and the nation, to share his vision.

The Pahlavi Dynasty is Born

He spoke of his commitment to safeguarding religion as the unifying bond of the nation. He outlined the reforms he aimed to bring to education, the economy, and agriculture, and, as expected, advocated strongly for strengthening and expanding Iran’s military.

Reza promised that his rule—and the actions of all who served under him—would be defined by honesty, moral courage, and perseverance.

Teimurtash stepped forward, holding the freshly crafted Pahlavi crown, a symbol of a new era. TIn the Qajar tradition, a royal elder would anoint the king by setting the crown upon his head; but Reza had no noble blood, no lineage to legitimize his claim – he had come from humble beginnings, alone.

Reza Khan lifted the crown and placed it on his own head. He had risen from nothing …. and now, he was king.

Reza Shah had ascended to the throne.