<Tr> <Th> Rank </Th> <Td> Captain </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Th> Commands </Th> <Td> Army's Inspection Department </Td> </Tr> <P> Mohammad Reza Pahlavi (Persian: محمدرضا پهلوی ‎, translit . Mohammad Reza Pahlavi, pronounced (mohæmˈmæd reˈzɒː ˈʃɒːh pæhlæˈviː); 26 October 1919--27 July 1980), also known as Mohammad Reza Shah (محمدرضاشاه Mohamad Rezā Ŝāh), was the last Shah of Iran from 16 September 1941 until his overthrow by the Iranian Revolution on 11 February 1979 . Mohammad Reza Shah took the title Shahanshah ("King of Kings") on 26 October 1967 . He was the second and last monarch of the House of Pahlavi . Mohammad Reza Shah Pahlavi held several other titles, including that of Aryamehr ("Light of the Aryans") and Bozorg Arteshtaran ("Commander - in - Chief"). His dream of what he referred to as a "Great Civilisation" (Persian: تمدن بزرگ ‎, translit . tamadon - e bozorg) in Iran led to a rapid industrial and military modernisation, as well as economic and social reforms . </P> <P> Mohammad Reza came to power during World War II after an Anglo - Soviet invasion forced the abdication of his father, Reza Shah Pahlavi . During Mohammad Reza's reign, the Iranian oil industry was briefly nationalised, under Prime Minister Mohammad Mosaddegh, until a US and UK - backed coup d'état deposed Mosaddegh and brought back foreign oil firms . Under Mohammad Reza's reign, Iran marked the anniversary of 2,500 years of continuous Persian monarchy since the founding of the Achaemenid Empire by Cyrus the Great--concurrent with this celebration, Mohammad Reza changed the benchmark of the Iranian calendar from the hegira to the beginning of the First Persian Empire, measured from Cyrus the Great's coronation . Mohammad Reza also introduced the White Revolution, a series of economic, social and political reforms with the proclaimed intention of transforming Iran into a global power and modernising the nation by nationalising certain industries and granting women suffrage . </P>

When did the shah of iran take power