Rereading Clergy’s Stances on the Power Transition from the Qajars to the Pahlavi Dynasty

The present article aims to investigate the stances taken by the clergy during the process of power transition from the Qajar to the Pahlavi dynasty. The purpose of this study is to delve deep into the causes for the involvement of this long-lasting social class in the Iranian political arena from the rise of the Sardar Sepah to the emergence of the Pahlavi dynasty. The main question is whether the clergy played a significant and essential role in the deposition of the Qajar dynasty. Using the historical analytical method and based on the findings of this study, it can be argued that Reza Khan went through three stages in the process of overthrowing the Qajar dynasty. In the first two phases, the clergy mainly adopted an essentially neutral or, at most, critical stance. However, since the conclusion of the Khuzestan crisis, i.e. the beginning of the last phase, the clergy fundamentally changed its attitude. The viewpoint held by religious authorities (marājiʿ) which considered a central power necessary for preserving the religion, prevailed. Furthermore, the improvement of the relationship with Seyyed Hasan Modarres gave Reza Khan the upper hand in the political struggle. The two factors, together, significantly contributed to Reza Khan’s impending success.