Religious and cultural policies in the Pahlavi era (1925-1979)

This study examines religious and cultural policies of Reza Shah (1925-1941) and Mohammad Reza Shah (1941-1979).
Method/ Research Design: Library resources were consulted to gather data for the analysis.
Findings and Religious and cultural policies in the Pahlavi era were influenced by Iranian intellectuals’ intention to modernize the nation by supporting an "enlightened dictatorship". Reza Shah's policy, therefore, was to promote modernization and to support a secular approach to religion. However, after establishing his authoritarian rule, Reza Shah exercised harsh censorship and social repression with little cultural creativity. During the reign of Mohammad Reza, after the fall of Reza Shah, and while the policy remained the same, during the occupation of Iran by allied forces he found the Shiite clerical establishment to be a potential ally to resist the danger of communism. However, after the death of Ayatollah Boroujerdi and a successful referendum for the so-called White Revolution reforms, the Shah did not need to continue his alliance with the religious establishment.