Mohammad Reza Pahlavi Net Worth

Table of Contents

1. What is Mohammad Reza Pahlavi’s Net Worth?
2. Highlights
3. Early Life
4. Career
5. Personal Life
6. Net Worth Over Time
7. Components of Net Worth

What is Mohammad Reza Pahlavi’s Net Worth?

Mohammad Reza Pahlavi, the final Shah of Iran, had a net worth of $2 billion at the time of his death in 1980. Adjusted for inflation, this amount is equivalent to around $7.2 billion today. As the Shah of a country possessing vast oil reserves, Mohammad Reza Pahlavi was enriched through income generated by the state-owned National Iranian Oil Company.

Highlights

• Mohammad Reza Pahlavi’s net worth was $2 billion at the time of his death in 1980.
• During his reign, Iran underwent rapid industrial and military modernization.
• Mohammad Reza Pahlavi and his extended family brought an estimated $4 billion in wealth when they fled Iran in 1979.
• He personally controlled $1 billion of his family’s wealth, mostly held in Swiss bank accounts.
• Some of his most important personal assets included banks, insurance companies, manufacturing companies, and ownership stakes in major Iranian hotels.

Early Life

Mohammad Reza Pahlavi was born on October 26, 1919, in Tehran, Qajar Iran. He was the son of Reza Khan, who later became Reza Shah Pahlavi, the first Shah of the House of Pahlavi. Growing up, Mohammad Reza had a difficult relationship with his authoritarian father. His mother and sisters provided him with the emotional support he lacked from his father.

Mohammad Reza received his education from military officers handpicked by his father and attended the Swiss boarding school Institut Le Rosey. He later enrolled at a military academy in Tehran.

Career

Mohammad Reza Pahlavi ascended to the throne in 1941, replacing his father as the Shah of Iran. During his reign, he implemented sweeping reforms and modernized the country through industrial and military advancements.

In the 1950s and 60s, Mohammad Reza became a major figure in OPEC and significantly contributed to the surge in oil prices. His reign also saw the introduction of the White Revolution in 1963, which aimed to modernize Iran through social, economic, and political reforms.

Mohammad Reza Pahlavi’s reign in the 70s brought sustained economic growth to Iran, making it one of the fastest-growing economies in the world. He invested in infrastructure, healthcare, education, and the military, leading to substantial economic progress. However, civil unrest began to mount, ultimately leading to the Iranian Revolution and his deposition in 1979.

Personal Life

Mohammad Reza Pahlavi had three marriages during his lifetime. His first marriage, to Princess Fawzia of Egypt in 1939, ended in divorce in 1948. He then married Soraya Esfandiary-Bakhtiary in 1951, but they also divorced in 1958. Mohammad Reza’s third and final marriage was to Farah Diba in 1959, with whom he had four children.

Net Worth Over Time

Mohammad Reza Pahlavi’s net worth increased significantly throughout his reign as the Shah of Iran. At the time of his death in 1980, he had a net worth of $2 billion, equivalent to around $7.2 billion today. His wealth was predominantly held in Swiss bank accounts and controlled through the Pahlavi Foundation, which owned significant equity stakes in various industries and major assets in Iran.

Components of Net Worth

As the Shah of Iran, Mohammad Reza Pahlavi derived significant wealth from income generated by the state-owned National Iranian Oil Company. The company’s dividends alone paid $12 million in one month in 1962, equivalent to $117 million today.

Mohammad Reza personally controlled approximately $1 billion of his family’s estimated $4 billion wealth. His assets included ownership stakes in banks, insurance companies, manufacturing companies, mining operations, cement companies, construction companies, food production companies, and hotels. He also had stakes in General Motors Iran and other personal investments, including real estate.

All figures and estimates related to Mohammad Reza Pahlavi’s net worth are based on public sources and may not be exact.

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