Efforts toward satisfactory reform were continually stifled, however, amid reemerging social tensions as well as foreign intervention from russia, the united kingdom, and, later, the. In november of that year, 66 americans were taken hostage at the u. In the case of iran, the hatred born mohammad reza pahlavi was such a unifying theme milani 4. To the past, present and future freedom and equality fighters.
The uniqueness of the 1979 iranian revolution centers around the role of the ulama, or religious class. Following the success of the revolution, the islamists instituted a theocratic dictatorship and wiped out the workers movement and the left. Each special issue will be available, free of charge, on our website. This article focuses particularly on the development of the relationship since the 1979 islamic revolution in iran. This revolution was not without consequence, as the revolution brought about a governmental. Analyze why many iranian were dissatisfied with the government of shah mohammad reza pahlavi. He reformed the program which was built especially to weaken those classes that supported.
What to read to understand the 1979 iranian revolution. The iranian revolution of 197779 was the first in a series of mass popular civil insurrections which would result in the overthrow of authoritarian regimes in dozens of countries over the next three decades. Enqelabe sefid or the shah and people revolution persian. If the 1979 nicaraguan revolution and sandinista regime were of limited consequence for world politics in the grand scheme of things, the iranian revolution and islamic republic. Us iran relations, 1953 1979 before the iranian revolution, the u. Since the revolution, it has also been the primary target of u. I investigate the role of ideology in the iranian revolution by focusing on two periods of iranian history that witnessed popular uprising. The iranian revolution there are various parties that have different viewpoints and opinions of the revolution. The death penalty has been in widespread use in iran for many years, the figures jumping drastically since the 1979 revolution. Supporters of ayatollah khomeini organized protests in opposition to the authoritarian government of the shah. The iranian peoples revolution is only a point in the start of the revolution of the great world of islam.
The economy has been a central factor in shaping iran. The analysis shows that the turkish iranian relationship can be described as a structural. And the end goal of the revolution was never a state, it was the expansion of the revolution. Causes of the revolution discontent with the pahlavi rule exile of ayatollah khomeini social injustices violations against the iranian constitution of 1906 the city of tabriz. The carter administration and the fall of irans pahlavi. The iranian revolution past, present and future chapter 1 the historical background iran is one of the worlds oldest countries. The iranian state is there to serve the revolution, not the other way around. Iranian studies and the iranian revolution world politics.
Forty years ago, ayatollah ruhollah khomeini spearheaded a revolution that deposed a monarchy in iran. The organs of the iranian state serve the revolution, not the other way around. Islamist revolutionaries opposed the western secular policies of the authoritarian shah of iran mohammed reza pahlavi. He ordered the army to allow mass demonstrations, promised free elections and invited the revolutionaries into a government of nation. The shahs close relationship with the west was therefore one of the longterm factors that caused the revolution of 1979, because many in the country felt that he was betraying iran. For much of the late nineteenth and the first half of the twentieth century, iran s autonomy was challenged by russia and, in particular, great britain. The events came as a shock, since iran had been a strong u. Iranian revolution how is the islamic revolution connected.
Iran s revolution began with a popular democracy movement and ended with the establishment of the world s first islamic state. The revolution in iran is termed by the historians as one of the biggest. Answer the following questions as you read the article. Constitution of the islamic republic of iran, 1979. He was the founder of the islamic republic of iran and the leader of the 1979 iranian revolution, which saw the overthrow of the last shah of iran. The iranian revolution a history and analysis of the revolution in which socialists aligned themselves with islamists to overthrow the westbacked shah. Immediately after the revolution, the new government of the islamic republic, whose leaders had previously sided with criticism of the shahs human rights record, launched a. The iranian revolution of february 1979, by homa katouzian. Religion always has had a role in iranian politics, however.
Immediately after the revolution, the new government of the islamic republic, whose leaders had previously sided with criticism of the shahs human rights record, launched a wave of executions. The revolution replaced iran s secular monarchy with an antiamerican muslim government. This dissertation is submitted for the degree of doctor of philosophy. At the first signs of escalating unrest in early 1978, neither iranian nor u. The revolution and the iranian revolution 2172 words 9 pages. A repressive theocracy had replaced an authoritarian. Iran is an important test case firstly because until the revolution, iran was one of three key prowestern strongholds in the middle east necessary for suppressing local worker demands and keeping oil production cheap the others being israel and saudi arabia. In simple terms, the regime of muhammad reza shah pahlavi was overthrown by a coalition of opposition forces dominated by shii muslim fundamentalists.
Mossadeqs attempt to free irans economy from its dependence from other. During the first two years of carters presidency, iran entered a spiral of violence and unrest that ended with the deportation of the shah and the establishment of the islamic republic. Iran s peaceable relations with the united states of america. Iranian foreign policy since the iranian islamic revolution. The shah fled into exile in january 1979 and exiled cleric ayatollah ruhollah khomeini returned from exile to lead the new islamic republic. It is the story of two villains making life difficult. Iran s islamic revolution after the overthrow of the shah, an american ally became one of its biggest adversaries. The iranian revolution at 30 middle east institute. The iranian revolution of 1979 was many years in the making.
Sayyid ruhollah musavi khomeini also known in the western world as ayatollah khomeini, was an iranian politician, revolutionary, theorist and islamic scholar. The 1979 iranian revolution was a major landmark in iranian history. The shah, iran s ruler for nearly four decades, had fled the country. In this national security essay, jack miklos, a foreign service officer who served in several key assignments in iran, discusses the iranian revolution. The iranian revolution ten years later middle east. To many observers in the west, events in iran leading up to the revolution in 1979 took a mystifying and seemingly irrational course. That battle began 35 years ago with iran s revolution in 1979. Pdf this paper intends to explore the role and key contributions that. Enqelabe shah o mardom was a farreaching series of reforms in iran launched in 1963 by the shah, mohammad reza pahlavi, which lasted until 1979. Sep 07, 2006 so we will look at what happened during the iranian revolution of 1978 1979. The iranian revolution 19771979 download pdf version by stephen zunes april 2009. Visit to download history revision podcasts in mp3 format for free.
During the first two years of carters presidency, iran entered a spiral of violence and unrest that ended with the deportation of the. The year that shaped the modern middle east new york. Explain why iran s revolution came as a shock to the u. Iranians would have free telephone, heating, electricity, bus services and free. An impartial evaluation of the 1979 revolutions impact on irans society and. To this end, the media should be used as a forum for the healthy encounter of different ideas. Preamble the introductory phrases of the iranian constitution outline the role media is expected in. But revolution, war, mismanagement and factional feuds over economic policy have undercut potential since the islamic republic. The major cause of the iranian revolution of 1979 was the governments inability to. The 1979 iranian revolution wiped out the former governments institutions. Us iran relations on the brink of the 1979 revolution. Nov 16, 2019 history b e f o r e o u r m e e tin g in 19 7 9, th e r e public of iran h as h ad a very sto ri ed h i st o ry.
For these reasons, the following definition of a revolution will be used as the systematic and definitive definition for the remainder of the paper. Iran is an islamic country largely dominated by twelver shiis, though there is a small population of sunni muslims as well. Mossadeqs attempt to free irans economy from its depende. Like all great social upheavals, the iranian revolution of 1979 was many years in the making. The newsmagazine for teens tehran, iran s capital, was in a state of revolt on jan. Iran and the islamic revolution journalism is often. The iranian revolution narrative is typically presented to the public and students as a revolution led by islamic radicals to overthrow the evil shah. I investigate the role of ideology in the iranian revolution by focusing on two periods of iranian history that witnessed. He ordered the army to allow mass demonstrations, promised free elections and invited the revolutionaries into a government of national unity. History b e f o r e o u r m e e tin g in 19 7 9, th e r e public of iran h as h ad a very sto ri ed h i st o ry. The islamic revolution occurred in 1979, in the muslim majority country of iran. In 1979, the country of iran underwent a drastic change in which the monarchy system of government, which had been in practice for centuries, was overthrown in a violent revolution.
Some theories of revolution deny an independent role for ideology in the making of revolutions, whereas others grant it an indispensable role. Nov 25, 2019 heres a brief history of the iranian revolution of 1979, in which islamic clerics overthrew shah pahlavi and established the islamic republic of iran. Just as islam increasingly became the catalyst for the 1979 revolution, it also acted as a unifying force for iranians throughout khomeinis tenure as supreme leader. Guardians of the islamic revolution deep blue university of. Prior to the 1979 iranian revolution, several disparate groups with unique ideologies existed, but they were able to unify and mobilize against the state. It marked the latest chapter in a decadeslong battle between the u. The iranian revolution of 1979, as all historical revolutions, did not happen in a day. Khomeinis theory of islamic state and the making of the. The 1979 revolution, which brought together iranians across many different social groups, has its roots in iran s long history. The revolution was a procedure that commenced chronologically in 1977 and concluded with the official liberation day of february th 11, 1979. Islamist revolutionaries opposed the western secular policies of the authoritarian shah of iran mohammed reza pahlavi supporters of ayatollah khomeini organized protests in opposition to the authoritarian government of the shah. The 1979 iranian revolution wiped out the forme r government s institution s, practices and be liefs, paving th e way for a renewed kind of society, and, to some extent, for a different.
Preamble the introductory phrases of the iranian constitution outline the role media is expected in play in the propagation of revolutionary islamic values. F ro m 1 9 0 5 1 9 1 1 an t i m on ar ch ic al pro te sts led to the q a ja r dyn asty bein g o vert hro wn. This revision podcast is relevant to both gcse and igcse hi. The iranian revolution, also referred to as the islamic revolution, can be analyzed. T h e i r a n i a n r e v o l u t i o n 1 9 7 7 1 9 7 9. These groups, which included clergy, landowners, intellectuals, and merchants, had previously come together in the constitutional revolution of 190511. Toward a strategicrelational analysis of the 1979 revolution in iran. Islamic revolution simple english wikipedia, the free. Pdf given the complexity of the subject, the research relied on a.
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