The Fourteenth Majles (National Consultative Assembly) was the first relatively free parliament formed after the fall of Reza Shah’s dictatorship, emerging in an open yet tense political environment. This atmosphere resulted from the presence of Allied forces, the weakness of the central government, the early reign of Mohammad Reza Shah, the collapse of military and security institutions, and the rise of diverse political factions. Within this context, the Majles addressed major national issues such as American financial advisers, oil concessions, the withdrawal of foreign troops, and the Azerbaijan crisis, while also enabling, for the first time in two decades, a critical reassessment of Reza Shah’s rule.
Using a descriptive–analytical approach and quantitative–qualitative content analysis, this study examines the transcripts of 193 parliamentary sessions held between 1943 and 1945. It explores which aspects of Reza Shah’s government were most criticized, when criticism peaked, and which deputies, factions, or parties were most active. The findings show that criticism focused primarily on rubber-stamp parliaments, restrictions on freedom of expression and the press, the performance of the Ministry of Culture, tribal policies, the army, the Trans-Iranian Railway project, and the Ministry of Health. The year 1944 witnessed the highest volume of criticism.
Among individual deputies, Dr. Mohammad Mossadegh of the Independents faction emerged as the leading critic, while the Tudeh faction collectively voiced the strongest opposition. Figures such as Gholamhossein Rahimian, Seyyed Zia al-Din Tabataba’i, and Ali Dashti were also prominent critics, highlighting broader efforts to redefine political legitimacy after authoritarian rule.