After his first foreign trip, Reza Shah declares war on Islam and orders women to remove their hijab.

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The drive for Iran’s modernization, particularly the push for secular reforms, began in the 1920s, when Reza Shah came to power. He marked his rule by efforts to modernize Iran’s infrastructure, improve education, and build a stronger national identity.

Behind these actions was a man who played a crucial role in Reza Shah’s political and reform agenda: Mohammad Ali Foroughi. Foroughi, a distinguished intellectual and politician, had been a close ally of Reza Shah. His influence within the government was significant, and he had been involved in numerous important positions, including as prime minister.

Reza Shah drew inspiration for his vision of the future, in part, from the reforms seen in neighbouring Turkey under Mustafa Kemal Atatürk.

After a trip to Turkey in 1934, Reza Shah became even more determined to accelerate Iran’s transformation, seeking to emulate Atatürk’s efforts in secularizing Turkish society.

In 1936, the government forced strict dress codes for men and women, requiring them to adopt Western-style attire. While many younger people in urban centers embraced the change, there was strong resistance from older generations and more conservative factions of society, especially in rural areas.

Religious groups saw this as a direct assault on hijab and their traditions, opposed the policy fiercely.

This resistance came to a head in Mashhad, where protests broke out against the forced unveiling. The protests turned violent when the military intervened, resulting in a massacre of hundreds, possibly thousands, of people. This brutal crackdown further soured Reza Shah’s relationship with the clergy and the Shia religious establishment, who had already been alienated by the king’s secular policies.

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