This article examines the Iranian Occidental gaze in late Pahlavi-era cinema by analyzing nine selected films, and exploring the sexualization of Western modernity and the patriarchal responses it incited. Utilizing Mohammad Tavakoli-Targhi’s framework of Occidentalism, the study explores how Iranian cinema of the 1970s depicted the West, particularly through the fetishization of Western women. These figures were portrayed as captivating yet dangerous symbols of modernity, often rendered through male fantasies oscillating between desire and moral censure. The case studies reveal a dual narrative: fascination with Western allure alongside critiques of its perceived moral and cultural repercussions. These critiques fueled the concept of “Westoxification” and highlighted the moral corruption of Iranian men. Certain films propose a selective appropriation of Western modernity, reinterpreted within existing patriarchal structures, or an “Iranization” of Western elements. Additionally, the article examines how some films employ an Occidentalist lens to critique state-led modernization, exposing the social inequalities and cultural alienation arising from the uncritical adoption of Western values. This research enriches postcolonial discourse of Iranian studies by demonstrating how Iranian cinema engaged with Occidentalism, weaving together attraction, repulsion, and negotiation to articulate diverse visions of Iranian modernity.