Chanhee Jeon's List: Imam in power

Throughout history, there has been numerous revolutions took place, and most of them took place due to political issues or economical problem. Regardless of the reasons of revolutions, the main aims are simple - to overthrow the authority. In 1979, which is significant year in modern world history, Iranian revolution takes place. This incident triggered 33-years of struggle between Iran and United States, and it is still ongoing. For Iranian revolution, there were political reasons and religious reasons – which makes this revolution different from ordinary revolutions, behind the revolution.

Iranian Revolution

Dominant religion: Shia

Shah Mohammed Reza Pahlavi:

• He comes in after WWII taking over for his father, Reza Shah

• He accommodated foreign oil interests (like the Anglo-Iranian Oil Co.)

• He tried to modernize/secularize Iran

• Pro-US

Out goes the Shah; In comes the Ayatollah

PM Mossaddeq: elected in 1951 as people were unhappy with the Shah.

• Became PM in 1951

• He began which greatly disturbed the British. They were kicked out of the country so needed help.

• While he is not a communist, he receives support from the Iranain communist party.

• Remember kids… Your friends and who you hang with makes an impression on others!

His actions?

Result?

• Well… Mohammed Reza fled the country, the Shah loyalists, with the help of the CIA, overthrew Mossaddeq in 1953 and put the Shah back into power.

• Crisis resolved. Or is it?

Truman doesn’t overthrow, but Eisenhower does.

SAVAK – The Shah’s intelligence service

• Very powerful

• Very repressive

WHY the Revolution by 1979?

• Well… You identify some points from the GREAT article I handed out to you

• The Shah imposed price controls to curb inflation-> closed down many small shops-> merchant class opposes

• Modernists opposed him for his capitalistic economic policies

• Progressive intellectuals wanted a modernized Iran, but no monarchy

• Professional middle class viewed the shah’s highly centralized control over the political and economic process as the greatest obstacle to their advancement

January, 15 1979

• The Shah leaves Iran

• He first goes to Egypt and then Mexico.

• Because he has cancer and his health is deteriorating he asks for admittance to the US and President Jimmy Carter accepts the request.

• He leaves the US for Panama and then dies in Egypt

February 1, 1979: The Islamic Republic is declared

• Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini: He is kicked out of Iran in 1964 and goes to Iraq and then Saddam Hussein kicks hm out of Iraq in 1978 and he goes to France which is actually a blessing in disguise. WHY?

• According to Khomeini: “There is not a single topic of human life for which Islam has not provided instruction and established norms.”

• Hence… The creation of a theocracy (Doesn't mean he is the President!)

power from 1979 to 1989.

My Background knowledge

Before Iranian revolution, Iran was under foreign force, and their natural resource were under foreign forces' control.

The first one who tried to get rid of foreign force was Iranian Prime Minister Mossaddeq who was in power from 1951 to 1953.

Actually, he was assassinated in 1953.

Then Shah, who was pro to western force, came back into the power, and kicked Ayatollah out of Iran as Ayatollah was gaining more power, and shah was afraid to the western force.

Ayatollah initially went to Iraq, where is touching Iran's bourder line.

However, Ayatollah was kicked out from there again and goes to France in 1978.

In France, he records his speech with cassette tapes, and he sent them to Iran, and these speech were heard by the entire Iranian population. This was building powder keig in Iran for revolution, and in January 1979, shah was kicked out of the throne, and the revolution was triggered.

Area = 636,296 mile2(1,648,000km2)

= More than twice of Texas.

One of the highest country(Average 4,000ft = 1219 meters)

Central Iran consists of vast, flat desert.

Villages are scattered around the deserts and throughout the mountain chains.

Three mountain ranges cut Iranian plateau

-Zagros Mountains in the West and Southwest divide Iran from Mesopotamian plain of Iraq.

-The Markazi range extends from northwestern Iraq to the Southeastern coast.

-Elburz Mountains in northern Iran consist of several volcanic peaks, including Mt.Damavand(5671m).

Lakes and Plains

-North of the Elburz mountains, land slopes down to Caspian Sea(Largest lake in the world)

-Khuzestan, where summer temperatures can reach 51 Celcius, is the hottest place of the plain.

- Karun, Iran's only navigable river, flows across Khuzestan plain

- Most of Iran's oil fields are located in here.

P.6~7 Iran

Cyrus II - Defeated Medes in Mid 6th century, B.C.

Cambyses - Conquered Egypt

Darius - Conquered Northern India & Ionian Greek Land.

Xerxes - Decline as he fails to conquer Greece

Alexander the Great conquered Persian stronghold of Persepolis. BC 330

Regained independence BC 323

AD 1588 ~ 1629

Persian Shah Abbas I reunited Persia.

By 20th century, Persia diminished to present size.

Early 20th century, British discovered oil in Khuzestan Plain (Mentioned in Geography notecard)

WWI

-During WWI due to government's corruption and Iran's lack of Independence, young army leader Reza Khan led a coup (Becomes Reza Shah Pahlavi in 1925)

WWII

-During WWII, Iran was occupied by British & Russians.- Reza Shah Pahlavi abdicates and was succeeded by Muhammad Reza Shah Pahlavi.

Muhammad Reza Shah Pahlavi

  -tried to nationalize oil field, but failed.

  -White revolution

    -MRSP implemented sweeping reforms "White Revolution" This included land redistribution, restrictions placed on women.

    -1963

By 1978, Groups of students, intellecuals, and religious leaders strongly opposed to it.

Revolution

In1978~1979, there were strong political discontents.

Shah's secret service, Savak, wiped out all political organizations.

    -Students & intelletuals wanted more political freedom.

    -Muslims thought Shah's policies were against muslims. And they becomes the dominana revolutionary force.

P.10~14, Iran

The Hostage crisis: November 4, 1979: Carter is president

Iranian students took 52 American hostages (embassy staff) hostage for 444 days.

Raegan is being president when the hostages are released

WHY?

• The Shah was allowed into the US

• The US was accused of interfering in Iranian internal affairs

• Taking hostages would serve to weaken the moderates in the newly formed government and increase the power of the Ayatollah

Since revolution, Iran turns their back to western force - becoming opponent of the entire world.

Then in 2001, 9.11 took place.

After this terrorism, George W. Bush announced Iran, Iraq, and North Korea as "Axis of Evil".

The aftermath is still ongoing. US' EMBARGO on Iran is still there; however, Iranian government itself is controlling the foreign product in their country, since there are too many foreign products in Iran.

Iran has the second largest amount of oil in their land. They have lots of natural resource, means they have large money source.

Their mind is still quite Islamic and against US.

There is no US government there.

There was American church before the revolution; however, Koreans are using that church after the revolution, as Americans were prohibitted to emigrate into Iran.

Iranian revolution is a big event by itself, because it actually changed a country’s ideology and authority. However, the factor that makes this larger is that Iran turned her back to United States, and this is still ongoing for 33 years. After the revolution, there were lots of incidents, such as US embassy hostage crisis. Because it is a turning point of relationship between Iran and US that triggered lots of struggling incidents, Iranian revolution is flawless to be considered as “Tipping Point” of modern world history.

Ansari, Ali M. "Iran." World Book Student. World Book, 2012. Web.

O'Shea, Maria. Iran. 2000. 96. Print.