1. Colonel Reza Pahlavi, command of the military forces (Reza Shah, founder of Pahlavi dynasty)
2. Masoud Keyhan, the minister of war
3. Colonel Gelrop, Swedish commander of Iran's police force
4. Sayyid Zia od-Din Tabatabai, the prime minister
Last of the shahs of the Qajar, Ahmad Shah, was young and incompetent, and the Cabinet was weak and corrupt. This situation led Reza Khan to decide on an attempt at putting an end to the chaos by taking over power and forming a strong government, bolstered by an effective and disciplined military force. He contacted some young, progressive elements and on Feb. 21, 1921, occupied Tehran at the head of 1,200 men. A young journalist, Sayyid Zia od-Din Tabatabai, became prime minister, while Reza Khan took command the military forces.
The sovereign, Ahmad Shah, was ill and undergoing a lengthy cure in Europe. In spite of the entreaties of Reza Khan and the speaker of the Majles (Iranian parliament), the Shah refused to return to Iran. Reza Khan then considered proclaiming a republic but was dissuaded by the strong opposition to the idea by the majority of the people. In 1925 the Majles deposed the absentee monarch, and a constituent assembly elected Reza Khan as shah, vesting sovereignty in the new Pahlavi dynasty.
Edited by Cyrus Shahmiri