Rather than respond to the spiritual and material needs of his people, a course which would have immortalized him as a great reformer, [the Shah] chose to pursue a personal, fleeting glory. A system which might have been capable of rescuing Iran from backwardness and misery was allowed to collapse. The Shah could not bear the idea of democratic participation in the political decision-making process, nor could he tolerate the prospect that someone else might gain a degree of popularity. Herein lay his tragedy. He saw any successful or respected personality as a potential opponent.
--
Alinaghi Alikhani, as quoted in Asadollah Alam (1991), The Shah and I, page 9Muhammad Reza Pahlavi
» Muhammad Reza Pahlavi - all quotes »
Iran, because of the great leadership of the Shah, is an island of stability in one of the most troubled areas of the world.
This is a great tribute to you, Your Majesty, and to your leadership and to the respect and admiration and love which your people give to you.
We have no other nation on earth... closer to us in planning our mutual military security. We have no other nation with whom we have closer consultation on regional problems that concern us both. And there is no leader with whom I have a deeper sense of personal gratitude and personal friendship.Muhammad Reza Pahlavi
The Shah's rule was a mixture of failures and successes; neither all one nor all the other. Some of the vaunted economic and developmental achievements were impressive- others were shallow and superficial. But in the end the important failures were primarily political- the Shah had no programme for restoring representative government and his only solution for dissent was repression.If he had succeeded in making the monarchy truly popular, perhaps he could have sustained that for a time- but instead the monarchy became more remote and disconnected from the attitudes and concerns of ordinary Iranians.
Muhammad Reza Pahlavi
At our worst in the Middle East, we unreservedly supported—or enthroned—medieval despots who supressed popular liberation efforts, thus driving moderate dissidents into the arms of fanatics. From our diplomatic personnel held hostage in Iran a generation ago, to the September 11, 2001 terrorist attack on the United States, we have suffered for our support of repressive "stable" regimes that radicalized their own impoverished citizens. In the interests of stability, we looked the other way while secret police tortured and shabby armies massacred their own people, from Iran to Guatemala. But the shah always falls. Would that we could tattoo that on the back of every diplomat's hand: The shah always falls.
Ralph Peters
Baba Makhan Shah Labana Dominated the stage of eventful sikh history as, Defender of Faith, Champion Of Truth and Revealter of Guru Tegh Bahadur. he was a Terror to Imposters and relentless fighter against falsehood in all spheres of life. Makhan Shah was a practical soul, powerful & Imposing in action, capable of handling labourious tasks, organization and always impatiently patient in upholding and revealing the glory and greatness of his beloved master. He was decisive and uncompromising in his conviction, inspired and creative in vision. He was submissiove & Humble before his guru. He spent all his time, money and energy under guidance and inspiration of guru, sought to remove the physical, mental and spiritual hungers of tolling and suffering humanity.
Bhai Makhan Shah Labana
It was an agreement between (former Iraqi president) Saddam (Hussein) and the shah of Iran (ousted in 1979) and not between Iraq and Iran.
Jalal Talabani
Pahlavi, Muhammad Reza
Pahlavi, Reza Shah
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