Urban Construction of Tehran Municipality in the Authoritarian Context based on enlightened despotism in the first Pahlavi Period

The purpose is to investigate the position of Tehran Municipality in the first Pahlavi period and identify the tools of urban construction expansion in light of authoritarianism. 

Method and Research Design: 

Archival records and government reports were studied, analyzed and described using historical method.

The results show that Reza Shah, aimed to expand urban construction, along with other elements, in light of modernism. Therefore, the implementation of the urban construction projects in light of the rules and regulations specified the necessity of the municipality even more. Reza Shah appointed a military person, Colonel Karim Bouzarjomehri, as the head of Tehran municipality, and he managed the urban affairs with his dictatorial attitude and policy. In this period, Tehran municipality started the process of assimilation based on the policy of centralization and attempted to modernize Tehran with authoritarian policies, omitting the old concepts and clearing up the Qajar’s past. Consequently, Tehran was changed and its urban construction and streets were renewed and expanded. Naturally, some ancient monuments and cultural heritage were demolished while widening streets and sidewalks.