A CROWD OF 30,000 PACKED THE AMJADIEH STADIUM IN TEHERAN ON WEDNESDAY (OCTOBER 26) TO WATCH A FOUR-HOUR DISPLAY BY SCHOOL CHILDREN, POLICE, ATHLETES AND ARMY UNITS TO CELEBRATE THE SHAH'S 47TH BIRTHDAY.

ACCOMPANIED BY EMPRESS FARAII DIBA, THE SHAH WATCHED AN HISTORICAL PAGEANT FEATURING WARRIORS IN ANCIENT PERSIAN COSTUME, DISPLAYS BY YOUTH ORGANISATIONS AND WRESTLERS SWINGING CLUBS. AFTER A MARCH PAST BY ARMY UNITS A GIANT PORTRAIT OF THE SHAH WAS UNFURLED.

THIS WILL BE THE LAST YEAR IRAN CELEBRATES THE BIRTHDAY OF THE SHAH. NEXT YEAR HE WILL BE CROWNED KING ON HIS 48TH BIRTHDAY. THE SHAH HAS POSTPONED THIS CROWNING CEREMONY FOR 25 YEARS.

A DEVOUT MOSLEM, THE SHAH WAS EDUCATED IN SWITZERLAND AND LATER WENT TO THE IRANIAN MILITARY COLLEGE. HE CAME TO POWER IN 1941 WHEN HIS FATHER, REZA SHAH, ABDICATED. THE SHAH HAS BEEN PROMINENT IN THE INTRODUCTION OF SOCIAL REFORMS AND PUBLIC OWNERSHIP, AND IN 1949 HE SURVIVED AN ASSASSINATION ATTEMPT.

WEDNESDAY'S BIRTHDAY CELEBRATIONS WERE ROUNDED OFF BY A SPECTACULAR FIREWORKS DISPLAY AND A TORCHLIGHT DEMONSTRATION BY THE IMPERIAL GUARDS.