Iranian revolution

consequences of the islamic republic emergence

• instability and tremors of secular dictators and monarchs

• isolation within the Middle East

• destroy of US policy in the Persian Gulf

History of Iran pre-Europe

• Qajar dynasty Persia 1796-1925

• During the period Europe meddled in internal affairs economically and politically

• capitulations ruin the business class and craftmens

• Inital France v Britain competition

• Russia v England later

• 1813 Treaty of Gulistan — RUssia got Georgia, Azerbaijan and portion of the Transcaucasian region + capitulation from Iran

• Russia wanted to gain access to warm waters, controlling the Caspian Sea, and the Persian Gulf

• the anglo-russian rivalry promoted the survival of Iran

European penetration

• 1860: concession for England for telegraph lines;

• 1872: concession for the construction of railway, mines, National Bank – opposition by ulama;

• 1879: fishing rights in the caspian sea for russian;

• 1890: Tobacco Monopoly – first mass movement led by the ulama;

• 1901: oil concessions, mineral exploration for William Knox-D’Arey, 1910 creation of the Anglo-Persian Oil Company, Britain purchased the majority of shares by 1914;

• 1907: Anglo-Russian Treaty;

• 1914: Anglo-Persian Treaty;

Constitutional revolution

• 1905, nationalist movement

• establishment of the First Parliament majles and the First Constitution in 1906

• both dissolved in 1911 by the Shah

WWI

occupation by Britain, Ottoman, Russia, hunger devastation and disorganization

Reza Khan

• Member of the persian cossacks

• coup d’etat 1921 expelled russians

• Prime Minister 1924, deposes Qajar and in 1925 he proclaimed himself Shah

• from Persia to Iran

• Atarturk as a model, less modernization

• closer ties with Germany and US

• nationalized banks, canceled capitulations, modified existing oil concessions

• persued a modernization, westernization and anti-religious obsessions

  • discouraged pilgrimages to Mecca

  • secularization of educational system

  • dress act 1928

  • Abolition of the chador

• resigned after soviet occupation during WW2

Reza Khan major reforms for modernization

1. eliminating religious courts limiting the power of the mullah and ulema

2. leva militare

3. promote literacy

4. education for the lower class (French system)

5. encouraged education abroad and women education

6. urbanization and industrialization

7. health sector

8. modernization of the agricultural sector

9. zoroastrism as a second state religion

10. persian calendar, and emphasized country’s pre-islamic past in school textbooks

First stage of Mohamed Reza Pahlevi reign

• 1945-1953

• uanble to control the parliament

• deposed by PM Mossadeq but returned to power in 1953 after CIA-backed up coup d’ètat

• autoritarian, brutal repression against secularists and nationalists, creation of SAVAK, signing of the Baghdad Pact

• cooperation with the clergy, broked in 1959

White Revolution

• 1960-1963

• agrarian reform

• sale of state factories

• nationalization of waters and forests

• network of infrastructure

• irrigation projects

• eradication of diseas

• right to vote for women

• maoist-inspired literacy groups

• ulema is mad

• support of AMerican companies up to 1973

economic challenges after white revolution

• agrarian reform lead to economic challenges causing agriculture to decline

• only large owners were suported

• purchase of weapons, and creating of an army thanks to US support

• 1973-1977 oil boom, but inflation and rising inequality

• polarization of the econmy

• price fall, deficits, loans, unemployment, tax increase

triggers of popular opposition

1. introduction of the resurgence party, abolishment of the two-party system

2. attempt to decrease the role of islam — glorify monarchy

3. wasteful spending by the regime

4. Shah’s reliance of foreign experts — emulation of west and western imperialism

5. pressure from the Carter administration regarding violations of human rights — torture of political opponents, the Shah actually did relaxe police controls

Early resistance pop

• opposition spoke out

• westernized urban professionals

• students from the new secular universities

• traditional secotrs of urban society

• bazaar merchants and students from the theological seminaries

two most important political parties

1. Militant wing of the ulama: not a unified vision

   • conservatives: large section, felt that political activity were not the role of the clergy, oposed land reform but did not want political mobilization

   • centrist: moderate reformers, bb constitution and constitunional monarchy, defending Shia institution in education

   • radicals: uncompromising and militant, goal was the creation of an Islamic state led by the ulama, group led by Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini

2. Freedom movement of Iran: founded in 1961, liberal opposition forces led by Mehdi Bazargan

   • adoption of a secular government without abandoning Islam

   • wanted to bb 1906 revolution

   • constitutional monarchy under the Shah

Khomeini background

• 1963 arrested for accusing the Shah of undermining Islamic principle

• re-arrested and exiled to turkey the following year

• Move to Iraq

• 1978 moved to Paris

• during the exile he kept speaking out against the Shah tapes were smuggled into Iran, he gained support

the fall of the regime

• black friday 1978

• shah offered some concession

• terminally ill with cacer

• revolutionary protest culminated in december, flood streets of Iran

• Jan 79, Shah departed Iran exiled to Egypt

• February 1 Khomeini turned in triumph

Steps taken to establish new islamic order

• Referendum March 1979, replaced the monarchy with Islamic Republic

• 1 April 1979, Islamic Republic of Iran proclaimed, year later a constitution became effective

Islamic Republic structure

Republic structure with division of powers:

• president, parliament (majles) and the supreme judicial council (faqui) based on Sharia law

• the new constitution introduced the Spiritual Leader Velayati Faqi

• Khomeini had the power to ratify the President and appoint the Guardian Council + supreme Islamic jurist, most powerful position, appointment not election

• Islamic jurisprudence interprets the Cnstitution, nullifying any attempt to democratize the regime

• ultimate authority was in non-elected officials hands

• Majles candidates approved by the Council of Guardians, no opponents of the regime would be elected

• Revolutionary Guards — young men arresting suspicious behavior and practiced against Islamic norms

• authoritarian populism — cult of Khomeini personal charisma and ultimate power

Hostage crisis

• November 1979

• supporters of Khomeini occupied the US embassy in Tehran taking hostages for 444 days

• dispute between US and Iran, poisoning relations

Role of the invasion by Iraq

• solidified support for the Islamic Republic and Khomeini

• loyalty to te new repuvlic

• patriotism mx with prime in defending Islam against Saddam Husayn

• Iran faced reconstruction challenges, and massive casualties

• Iraq had it worse

Islamization

• loyalty tests for all state employees, including teachers and civil servants

• 1980 universities shut down for islamization, when they reopened in 1982, only students with strong Islamic credentials and no history of leftist political activity were admitted

• secular judges who lacked competence in Islamic law were tranferred, dismissed, or retired

• dismantling rights for women, dress cde mandated

• family protection laws were alter, no divorce rights, no right to retain child custody, no school if married, no school in law medicine of engineering

Economic of the new republic

• nationalization of banks, insurance companies, and large industrial complexes

• disagreement between capitalists and state control

• no coherent economic policy

• in the lands there was caos up to the 80s

FP of Iran

• it remained isolated by the international community and in the ME in the 80s

• due to Khomeini announcing a universal Islamic order which alarmed everyone

• Intention to export revolution through Shia groups in Lebanon, who took US and European hostages

• distrusted both US and USSSR, ‘neither East nor West’

• After the Iraqi war, restoration of diplomatic relations in Western europe, and soften the call for a universal islamic order

Irangate scandal

• US struggled to deal with revolutionary Iran

• tried to balance support bc of economic and political importance, and fear of Khomeini

• 1985-1986

• US double policy, publicly campaigned for international arms embargo against Iran — secretly sold tons of military spare and antitank missiles to Tehran, using Israel as intermediary

• tried to pursue Khomeini to release hostages in lebanon, some were released, other taken

• NSA released the classified documents