The Shah’s Party

Description

The Shah’s Party colourfully captures Iran’s oil-rich boom years. In 1971, eight years before the dynasty fell, Shah Mohammad Reza Pahlavi and his glamorous wife, Farah Diba, hosted one of the largest gatherings of world leaders ever, celebrating the 2,500th anniversary of the Persian monarchy. But this stranger-than-fiction event, staged in a tented city by the ancient ruins of Persepolis, came amidst a rise in leftist agitation and a turn towards political Islam.

Ruhollah Khomeini, an exiled mullah, began a relentless campaign against the Shah. A skilled populist, Khomeini tapped into growing inequalities and resentments to push his theocratic vision, particularly among those who had left the countryside in search of work. The Shah’s autocratic style played poorly in a world increasingly concerned with human rights.

The Persepolis party became a symbol of Iran’s regime, allowing the Shah’s critics to portray him as repressive and out of touch with the struggles of ordinary people. Khomeini’s novel religious populism and his mastery of messaging steamrollered the Shah; he left it too late to move towards democracy, losing the support of his army, his people and his allies. In 1971, trickles of dissent started to build into a revolutionary torrent that, within a decade, would end the dynasty.

Reviews

‘A masterful account of how a regime celebrated itself into oblivion. Richly researched, beautifully paced and quietly unsettling.’ — Thant Myint-U, author of Peacemaker: U Thant and the Forgotten Quest for a Just World

‘A kaleidoscopic tour de force—comprehensive in scope, meticulously researched and vividly written. More than just a fascinating slice of history, The Shah’s Party is an indispensable guide to understanding the complexity of contemporary Iran.’ — Gareth Evans, former Australian  foreign minister and International Crisis Group president

‘Beautifully written and insightful, The Shah’s Party presents a vivid look into the Iranian monarchy’s last hurrah, celebrations that were at once opulent and disastrous. By placing the Shah’s celebration in national, international and historical contexts, Templer chronicles the monarchy’s steady atrophy and its impending collapse. A book of tremendous value, a terrific read.’ — Mehran Kamrava, Professor of Government, Georgetown University in Qatar, and author of Triumph and Despair: In Search of Iran’s Islamic Republic

Author(s)

Robert Templer is a writer and former professor at the Central European University, where he also founded a research centre on post-conflict recovery. From 2011–2012, he was director of the Asia Programme at the International Crisis Group and has visited Iran on many occasions. He is the author of four books including the acclaimed Shadows and Wind: A View of Modern Vietnam and A Basilisk Glance: Poisoners from Plato to Putin.