Gholamreza Pahlavi truly felt himself accepted as a member of ruling family. Then, as now, was going through extraordinary turbulence, buffeted by the rival claims of Britain and Russia, both of which, along with the United States, hoped to dominate its burgeoning oil industry. Though an ancient kingdom, with a civilisation stretching back several thousand years, Persia (as it was then known) was not only being pulled apart by outside forces, but was riven by bitter dynastic disputes.
