As we know, the emergence of Bahaism has been accompanied by foreign supports and although this support has been English and Russian; but the regional and international transformations eventually caused the Baha’is to find their greatest foreign supporter.
A government which was looking for accessing its benefits in Iran and in the region particularly when the center of attention of England gradually changed from Indian subcontinent towards the Persian Gulf and oil-rich areas. The British attempts to create a strong central power in Iran caused the relationships between the Baha’is and Britain to be stronger, so the Baha’is introduced Reza khan to Britain as their future savior of their future.
Contrary to public assumption in which Reza Shah’s era is introduced as era of pressure the on Baha’is, in this period of time the Baha’is found freedom of action more than Qajar era. Then, there wasn’t Amir the Great and arena wasn’t open for the scholars like Qajar era to confront against the religious deviations of Bahaism or to stand against their power-up in the economic and political arenas of Iran.
Several foundations which were formed or expanded were as the result of making grounds done in Reza Shah’s period of time.
Reza Shah’s fall was inevitable, so neither Britain nor the Baha’is tried to stand against it.
During the years 1320 to 1332 S.H. the Baha’is exploited the chaos dominating on the arena policy of economy and the community of Iran.
Although during this period of time and contrary to Reza Shah’s period of time, the clergymen weren’t silent and tried to be active against Bahaism. However, the complexity of the profits of superpowers particularly the united kingdom, the central government of Iran and Bahaism caused for eradicating Bahaism to be difficult; as if another opportunity was necessary for three sides of this triangle to be destroyed at once.
Concerning the relationships between government and Bahaism, Habib Sabet Pasal‘s activities and good and clear signs of relatively good conditions of the Baha’is in this period of time. This condition is called relatively good because it can’t be compared with their political and economic conditions in 1340s and 1350s.
Also; in this period of time, the relationship between Bahaism and England is really favorable. The presence of the Baha’is in important centers like BBC Farsi and the embassy of this country in Iran was a really good sign in this regard.
Source: Raza Qaribi, the Baha’i wealthy people and the Baha’i regime, pp. 65-66.
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