How did Reza Shah Pahlavi change the administration of Mashhad’s shrine?

Under the Qajar dynasty, the administration of the shrine of ‘Alī al-Riḍā in Mashhad was typically managed by members of the royal family, who simultaneously served as the governors of the Khorasan province.1

Reza Shah Pahlavi fundamentally altered this model by centralizing control under the crown. Instead of appointing dynastic members, he installed loyal aides to oversee both the provincial government and the shrine’s administration (mutawallī). This shift allowed the Pahlavi state to exert direct authority over the shrine’s extensive assets, which had become one of the most profitable economic enterprises in Iran. Consequently, the crown assumed control over all key decision-making processes regarding the complex, including pilgrimage management, prayer services, infrastructure investments, and the administration of madrasah and curricular affairs.1