Who were the Pahlavis?

• A. They appeared from 1925 to 1979 with General Reza Khan described as a prince on a white horse
• B. They were a religious group
• C. They were a foreign monarchy installed later
• D. They were the military wing of the revolution

Answer: (A)

The Pahlavis were Iran’s ruling dynasty from 1925 to 1979. A military officer, Reza Khan, rose to power in the early 1920s, became Reza Shah Pahlavi, and founded the Pahlavi dynasty, establishing a modernizing, secular monarchy that his son Mohammad Reza Shah Pahlavi continued until the 1979 revolution. The image of Reza Khan as a “prince on a white horse” captures the public portrayal of a strong, reformist leader who reshaped Iran’s government and society, at least for a time. This description fits best because it identifies the correct time frame and the central figure who established the dynasty; the other options describe different entities that do not match who the Pahlavis were.