when was the shah of iran overthrown

The Shah of Iran, Mohammad Reza Pahlavi, was overthrown on 11 February 1979 during the Iranian Revolution.

Key date

• The Iranian monarchy effectively collapsed on 11 February 1979, when the Supreme Military Council ordered troops back to their barracks and ceded control to revolutionary forces aligned with Ayatollah Khomeini.

• This date is widely marked as the formal overthrow of the Shah’s rule and the end of over 2,500 years of monarchy in Iran.

Brief context

• Growing unrest through 1978, including events like the “Black Friday” massacre in September, undermined the Shah’s authority and fueled revolutionary momentum.

• The Shah left Iran on 16 January 1979, but the regime itself was considered overthrown when Khomeini’s supporters gained de facto control on 11 February 1979.

TL;DR: The Shah of Iran was overthrown on 11 February 1979, at the climax of the Iranian Revolution.