Iran before the revolution in photos - Photos!
Like Ataturk in Turkey, Reza Shah undertook a series of reforms aimed at turning Iran into a modern westernized nation.
Although Reza Shah's intentions were to turn Iran into a modern westernized state, his bans on religious garments alienated and frustrated religious conservatives and traditionalists.
Women and men mixed freely, and educational opportunities were greatly extended. Western clothing and norms also became ingrained into large segments of the Iranian population.
These reforms included the structuring of Iran around a central Persian identity and the expansion of woman's rights.
Part of Iran's method of achieving this was through the banning of veils in public.
Women were also encouraged to attend school and receive an education.
Tehran funded study abroad in Europe for Iranians, and schools and clinics were built throughout the Iranian countryside to care for poorer children as part of the Shah's "White Revolution."
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The Iranian royal family reciprocated and widely toured the world's capitals. Here, the Shah and his wife met with Winston Churchill in London.
British Prime Minister Sir Winston Churchill poses with the Shah and Queen Soraya of Persia on February 21 at his official London residence, 10 Downing Street, after they lunched with him there. AP Photo