Throughout the 20th century, Iran was dominated by serious political and social upheaval. While Reading Lolita in Tehran focuses on the Islamic Revolution, it is important to note that it was not the only revolution Iran experienced during the course of the century.

At the beginning of the century, Iran underwent the Constitutional Revolution, which began in 1905. After spending much of the 19th century deeply indebted to foreign powers—particularly Russia, in both direct and indirect ways—Iranians began to rebel against the rule of Mozaffar ad-Din, the Shah of the long-standing Qajar dynasty. Protests intensified throughout 1905 and 1906, until Mozaffar ad-Din agreed to the establishment of the National Consultative Assembly in 1906, which granted political representation and more freedom to the people of Iran.

However, trouble began again when Mozaffar ad-Din’s heir, Mohammad Ali, came to the throne and entered into open conflict against the Constitutionalists with British and Russian support. In 1909, the Constitutionalists gained the upper hand and Mohammad Ali was forced to abdicate that same year. The situation remained unstable over the next few years, with continuing political tensions and foreign occupations in various parts of Iran during World War I, bringing famine and violence.

In 1921, a military officer named Reza Khan instigated a coup and seized power, establishing the Pahlavi dynasty of Shahs that would rule the country until the Islamic Revolution of 1979.