Iranian revolution, also called islamic revolution, persian enqelabe eslami, popular uprising in iran in 197879 that resulted in the toppling of the monarchy on february 11, 1979, and led to the establishment of an islamic republic. Two iranians from different generations give their thoughts on the islamic revolution 30 years ago, which toppled the westernbacked shah and brought ayatollah khomeini to power. Revolutionaries are, of course, conscious of this dramatic element. They, and other documents in the bbc written archive, allow for a serious scrutiny of the complicated relationship. Islamic republic, the theocracy of ayatollah ruhollah khomeini 19011989. Crowds are lining the streets in iran to celebrate the anniversary of the 1979 islamic revolution. As iran exported its shiite revolution, sunni arabs resisted irans shiites tried to spread their ideology after the 1979 revolution, but have met resistance in arab states led by sunnis. The iranian revolution is a thorough history of the iranian revolution two artciles, one by moojan momen, the religious background of the 1979 revolution in iran, and another by satya j. The shah, irans ruler for nearly four decades, had fled the country. The islamic republic of iran was proclaimed in 1979 after followers of the ayatollah khomeini drove the u.
The iranian revolution 1977 1979 download pdf version by stephen zunes april 2009. 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. Celebrating its 35th anniversary, irans islamic revolution shocked the world and redrew the map of global alliances. Ayatollah khomeini, the father of the revolution, viewed the worlds super powers as the source of world corruption. In some of its basic characteristics, the revolution did not conform to the usual norms of western revolutions, because the state did not represent just an ordinary dictatorship but an absolute and arbitrary system that lacked political legitimacy and a social base virtually across the whole of the society.
The 19781979 revolution in iran remains a contentious issue among research ers. The islamic revolution in 1979 transformed iranian society and reshaped the. The newsmagazine for teens tehran, irans capital, was in a state of revolt on jan. Before the revolution western and secular influences on iranian society before the revolution. Has the iranian revolution influenced islamic revivalism elsewhere or is. Pdf foreign policy of iran after islamic revolution.
The three paradoxes of the islamic revolution in iran, by abbas milani. Browse the independents complete collection of articles and commentary on islamic revolution 1979. The leadership of the islamic republic has avoided repeating. The iranian revolution of 19781979 violently e nded the monarchy of shah mohammed reza pahlavi 19191980 and replaced it with an islamic republic, the theocracy of ayatollah ruhollah. In march 1979, only one month after the return of the ayatollah to iran, a. In revolutions, even more than in other forms of political activity, there is an element of theater. Iranian revolution 1979 and persepolis by daniela rojas on prezi. The islamic revolution and iran under ayatollah khomeini, 1979 1989.
America will lose its status as the leader of the world, thus giving the islamic republic the opportunity to take its place. Satjas contacts with numerous nonstate groups throughout the arab middle east soon brought the organization into direct conflict with both the irp leadership and the. He was appointed to the council of the islamic revolution in 1979, and between 1979 and 1981 he was a member of the majlis, serving as deputy minister of defense, commander of the revolutionary guard. The islamic revolution of 1979 took place in a nonarab. Islamic revolution simple english wikipedia, the free. Marjane satrapi shelved 23 times as iranian revolution. Background to the revolution shah reza pahlevi, returning to iran after a weeklong exile due to the failled mohamed mossadegh coup detat. Bbc news middle east iranian views on the revolution. Islamic revolution of 1979 before and after by emma.
The iran islamic revolution of 1979 summary youtube. Trustees of princeton university irans islamic revolution in comparative perspective authors. The revolution of february 1979 was a revolt of the society against the state. All the latest breaking news on islamic revolution 1979. The iranian revolution past, present and future glittering achievements, the sassanid empire was characterised by extreme oppression of the downtrodden masses. The iranian revolution a history and analysis of the revolution in which socialists aligned themselves with islamists to overthrow the westbacked shah. Following the 1979 islamic revolution, the islamic republic of iran remained a member of the united nations and except for three core instruments, i. The iranian peoples revolution is only a point in the start of the revolution of the great world of islam. By far what had the biggest impact on the 1979 revolution was, however, mosaddeqs.
The shah, the islamic revolution and the united states springerlink. The soviet union and the iranian revolution russia in global affairs. The iranian revolution of february 1979 middle east. Jun 18, 2019 the revolution was mostly nonviolent, although there were incidents of armed struggle. Supporters of ayatollah khomeini organized protests in opposition to the authoritarian government of the shah. For many iranians, the oftforgotten films are a souvenir of a lost past, painting a picture of life before the 1979 revolution published. Ramin, who was born in 1979, praises its achievements. The islamic revolution of 197879 in iran sozialpolitik. Many researchers believe that islamic revolution is a part of a turning point of an i. The iranian revolution and the us policy of dual the united. The iranian revolution at 30 middle east institute. Khamenei was one of the founders of the islamic republican party, which dominated the majlis the national legislature after the 1979 revolution.
The iranian revolution of 1979 has been described as one of the epochal events of the twentieth. The earliest organization promoting the active export of revolution was satja, established in the spring of 1979 by mohammad montazeri and his close associate, mehdi hashemi. And they have certainly not forgotten about the outcomethe capture of the political movement, which began as a democratic process, by islamic extremists. The iranian people eager to rid themselves of an autocratic government, but realize true regime change takes time. During this era, iran experienced a harsh economic downturn, urban. Remembering irans 1979 islamic revolution as part of a series of conversations marking 1979 as a seminal year in the muslim world, steve inskeep talks. The fundamental driving force behind the iranian revolution of 1979 was the rise of conservative positing of islam in a modernist version of it. Apr 25, 2012 this is a video presentation in partial fulfillment of persyan 10.
Nov 25, 2019 from october of 1977 to february of 1979, the people of iran called for the end of the monarchy but they didnt necessarily agree on what should replace it. Jun 30, 2011 according to their views america, israel and their allies i. Here is an overview of the events that led up to the iranian revolution, as well as the events in the revolution and the aftermath. Apr 23, 2014 ayatollah khomeini start a movement base on pure islamic thought ashura and made a social movement that an islamic republic government concluded from that. Politics before modernization persia iran world war ii western invasions oil economic turmoil dissatisfaction with the regime during fomenting the revolution shah extremely secular,westernized the poor were more religious shah abused his power increased divergence between.
Irans islamic revolution after the overthrow of the shah, an american ally became one of its biggest adversaries. Reza shah, the elder pahlavi, came to power during the 1920s after promoting the idea of 2,500 years of persian monarchy mohammadi 38. Nourin, who took part in the revolution, expresses disappointment. This is evidenced by the almost universal use of such words as drama, stage, scene, role, even actor, in speaking of revolutionary events. Gabriel, class analysis of the iranian revolution of 1979, are useful. The second islamic revolution and the return of mahdi. Pdf this paper intends to explore the role and key contributions that ayatollah ruhollah played in the. This is a video presentation in partial fulfillment of persyan 10. The islamic revolution occurred in 1979, in the muslim majority country of iran. Revolution of iran distinguishable from other revolutions of the past is the religion and islamic teachings upon which the entire ideology of the revolution is based. What are the main points of the islamic revolution in 1979. In the iranian revolution of 1979, ayatollah sayyid ruhollah musavi khomeini ousted mohammad reza pahlavi, who succeeded his father as shah of iran in the early 1950s. Culture before the revolution shah following the revolution november 4, 1979 1980 september american embassy occupied august. Ruhollah khomeini ruhollah khomeini centre greeting supporters after returning to tehran, february 1979.
The bbc persian service and the islamic revolution of 1979. To the extent that this policy must be understood in its hi t i l t thistorical context, i ill i th hi t i l b k di will examine the historical background for the formation of the policy. By looking at the historical, domestic, international, and socioeconomic factors related to the revolution, this case study examines the turbulent context of iranian society in the 1970s and the crucial role that religion played in shaping modern iran. Culture after the revolution ruhollah khomeini removes all western influences enforce islamic regulations strict rules for women reverse your thinking. Guardians of the islamic revolution deep blue university of. January 1979 saw the ussupported shah forced to leave the country after widespread demonstrations and strikes. As iran exported its shiite revolution, sunni arabs resisted. Aug 17, 2009 remembering irans 1979 islamic revolution as part of a series of conversations marking 1979 as a seminal year in the muslim world, steve inskeep talks to iranianborn journalist kasra naji about.
On balance, the iranian revolution of 1979 was more about introducing new ideas into the religiopolitical lexicon of muslims than it was about asserting iranian independence and sovereignty, mahan abedin wrote january 3, 2007, in asia times. The formation of the council of the islamic revolution january 12, 1979 246 the fortieth day after ashurajanuary 15, 1979 249 declaration upon arrival at tehranfebruary 1, 1979 252 address at bihisht i zahrafebruary 1, 1979 254 martial law is contrary to the sharia february 11, 1979 261. Nevertheless, for the iranian world the advent of islam meant not liberation but defeat and conquest by an alien people. In other words, it can be said that religion was the driving force behind the islamic revolution of 1979. The iranian revolution put an end to the rule of the shah mohammed reza pahlevi, who had alienated powerful religious and political forces with a programme of modernisation and westernisation. Iranian revolution and the islamic republic, its impact on the relationship between the state and.
Following the success of the revolution, the islamists instituted a theocratic dictatorship and wiped out the workers movement and the left. In january 2009, the foreign office released under the thirty year rule many documents pertaining to the last year of the revolution. In the united states you knew more about islamic fundamentalism than we did in the. The iranian revolution of february 1979, by homa katouzian. Islamist revolutionaries opposed the western secular policies of the authoritarian shah of iran mohammed reza pahlavi. Economic decline and revolutionary turmoil in the 1970s even though the peak of the revolution was in 1979, key preliminary events occurred throughout the mid 1970s. Iranians today have learned the lessons of the 1979 revolution. The islamic revolution of 1979 took place in a nonarab country with a rich historical heritage, universalist pretentions and a political economy that both empowered and enabled it. The iranian political elite, state and society relations, and foreign. Islamic revolution in iran that would alter this country forever.