National Consultative assembly

With oil nationalization signed and Mosaddegh in office, Britain cuts off Iran's oil exports and moves warships into the Gulf.

Book Three – Ep.6: Nationalization – Part Two

With oil nationalization signed and Mosaddegh in office, Britain cuts off Iran's oil exports and moves warships into the Gulf.

Mohammad Reza Shah 1949 Assassination Attempt: Survival, Power, and the Road to America

Mohammad Reza Shah 1949 assassination attempt. How he survived, tightened power, and turned to the US, reshaping Iran’s Cold War path.
As pressure builds and compromise collapses, Mohammad Mosaddegh leads a united nation towards oil nationalization.

Book Three – Ep.5: Nationalization (1)

As pressure builds and compromise collapses, Mohammad Mosaddegh leads a united nation towards oil nationalization.
When a deadly strike erupts and the Anglo-Iranian Oil Company refuses to yield, a veteran constitutionalist steps forward to fight for control of the nation’s oil.

Book Three – Ep.4: Paper City

When a deadly strike erupts and the Anglo-Iranian Oil Company refuses to yield, a veteran constitutionalist steps forward to fight for control of the nation’s oil.

How Iran Outmaneuvered Stalin: The Azerbaijan Crisis of 1946

The Iran Crisis of 1946 was the Cold War's first flashpoint: Stalin refused to leave, and Iran teetered on the edge of fracture.
As Cold War tensions rise, Iran and the United States become unlikely allies.

Book Three – Ep.3: New Friends

As Cold War tensions rise, Iran and the United States become unlikely allies. After surviving an assassination attempt, Mohammad Reza Shah moves to consolidate power and reshape Iran’s political order.

The Tehran Conference and the Rise of Mohammad Reza Shah: How World War II Reshaped Iran

As the Tehran Conference unfolds in 1943, Iran stands occupied and divided. How did Mohammad Reza Shah’s rise reshape the country?
The Azerbaijan Democratic Party challenges Tehran, and Iran becomes an early battleground of the Cold War.

Book Three – Ep.2: ADP

In the aftermath of World War II, the Soviet-backed Azerbaijan Democratic Party rises in northern Iran, testing the country’s unity in one of the first crises of the Cold War.
After Reza Shah’s abdication, Mohammad Reza Pahlavi takes the throne. Allied leaders gather in Tehran as Iran grapples with the aftermath of the Anglo-Soviet invasion.

Book Three – Ep.1: Tehran Conference

After Reza Shah’s abdication, Mohammad Reza Pahlavi takes the throne. As Iran reels from the Anglo-Soviet invasion, Allied leaders gather in Tehran.
Reza Shah's Abdication - 1941

Reza Shah’s Abdication: The 1941 Iran Invasion That Ended His Reign

This is the transcript for Book Two, episode 10 of The Lion and the Sun podcast: Reza Shah’s Abdication. When…

The Rise and Fall of Teymourtash and Firouz: The Architects of the Pahlavi Dynasty

The rise and fall of Teymourtash and Firouz Nosrat-ed-Dowleh. Two key allies of Reza Shah who helped shape modern Iran.
The Lion and the Sun - S02E05 - Triumvirate

Book Two – Ep.5: Triumvirate (1)

Behind the Pahlavi dynasty were three politicians who orchestrated Reza Khan’s rise and shaped his rule. This is the story of their fall.
Teymourtash, Reza Shah and the heir, Mohammad Reza Pahlavi

Teymourtash, Reza Shah, and the Battle for Iran’s Oil

How Teymourtash and Reza Shah fought to reclaim Iran’s oil from British control, leading to the downfall of Iran’s most powerful minister.
Reza Shah changing IRan through the motto "God, Shah, Nation"

God, Shah, Nation: Reza Shah’s Modernization of Iran

In 1935, Nowruz marked a turning point in Iran’s history as Reza Shah redefined the nation with his motto: "God, Shah, Nation." His reforms reshaped Iran’s military, economy, and infrastructure.
Reza Shah's coronation

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

After abolishing the Qajar dynasty, Reza Shah's coronation in 1926 marked the birth of the Pahlavi dynasty and a new era for Iran.

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