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Inside the Gilded Cage and Iran’s Paradox of Progress Before 1979 From the Explaining History Podcast This article is a detailed companion piece to our recent podcast episode on the paradoxes of Pre-Revolutionary Iran. It expands on the key themes and historical figures discussed in the show. Introduction On the eve of its dramatic 1979 revolution, Iran presented a dazzling and deeply deceptive picture to the world. It was a nation of soaring skyscrapers and ancient bazaars, of fighter jets and clerical scholars, of Western-educated technocrats and devoted pilgrims. At its head sat Mohammad Reza Pahlavi, the Shah of Iran,…