Reza Khan (Shah) declares himself President of Iran (Persia)

[SlideAway]

In the early 1920s, Reza Khan, having ousted the Qajar monarch, initially planned to declare Persia a republic and himself president, taking Atatürk's example in Turkey. In this, he was supported by parliament, by many of the country's intellectuals and the military, and a large public campaign was launched touting republicanism.

Abolishing the monarchy, however, drew outrage from the country's clerics, and in the end Reza Khan decided to instead declare himself the new shah, becoming Reza Shah Pahlavi.

How would Iran's history have unfolded if he had stuck to his initial plans?

On the face of it, major changes aren't totally obvious. Reza Khan probably still takes the name Pahlavi; still attempts to secularize the country; still changes the internationally-recognized name to Iran; still allies with the Nazis; is still forced out by the British and Americans.

But beyond that? I would think that you'd avoid his son's succession to office. You probably get Iran under a different military ruler in the initial postwar years, then a similar struggle over oil nationalization, perhaps even under Mossadegh – only with Mossadegh as president, not prime minister. Mossadegh might still get ousted by a coup, replaced again by a military leader.

The key thing, though, is that what this might establish is a Turkish pattern – a Republic with periods of civilian rule punctuated by military coups. In doing so, you avoid the long reign of Muhammad Reza Shah, and perhaps avoid the Islamic Revolution.

Thoughts?

[Alex Richards]

The potential's certainly there. After all one can hardly claim that there weren't religious implications in the abolition of the Ottoman Monarchy, after all the Calif went soon afterwards.

Though this could cause some small changes in Britain's relations with Iran which could in turn affect domestic/international politics so I'm not certain on the exact situation remaining the same up until Reza Khan's death, though I agree you could get the general pattern emerging like this.