Several events in the 1970s set the stage for the 1979 revolution: In October 1971, the 2,500-year celebration of the Persian Empire was held at the site of Persepolis. Leftist and Islamist groups attacked his government for violating the Iranian Constitution, political corruption, and political oppression by the SAVAK (secret police). New York: Random House, 2003. FP subscribers can send in their questions in advance. China, Russia, and their autocratic friends are leading another epic clash over the worlds largest landmass. The White Revolution solidified domestic support for the shah, but he faced continuing political criticism from those who felt that the reforms did not move far or fast enough and religious criticism from those who believed Westernization to be antithetical to Islam. Suzanne Maloney Vice President and Director - Foreign Policy MaloneySuzanne Widely considered unthinkable even as it was unfolding, the ouster of the shah and the assumption of authority by an. May 23, 2023 "Ideology, Culture, and Ambiguity: The Revolutionary Process in Iran", "Iran's tide of history: counter-revolution and after", "Analysis: Braced to crush unrest, Iran's rulers heed lessons of Shah's fall", "Rentier state and Shi'a Islam in the Iranian Revolution", The Persian Sphinx: Amir Abbas Hoveyda and the Riddle of the Iranian Revolution, Dynamics of the Iranian Revolution: The Pahlavis' Triumph and Tragedy, America's secret engagement with Khomeini, US had extensive contact with Ayatollah Khomeini before Iran revolution, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Background_and_causes_of_the_Iranian_Revolution&oldid=1155786540, Articles containing Persian-language text, Articles with unsourced statements from November 2020, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License 3.0, Unpopular disregard for Islamic tradition exemplified in his 1976 change from an Islamic calendar to an Imperial calendar, marking the beginning of the reign of, Extravagance, corruption and elitism (both real and perceived) of the Shah's policies and of his. "[121], Another author, Moojan Momen, questions whether Carter "could have said or done" anything to save the Shah aside from foregoing his human rights policy since "any direct interference by America would only have increased resentment" against the pro-American Shah.[96]. Moscows arms exports have fallen to levels not seen since the Soviet Unions collapse. The latest news, analysis, and data from the country each week. by Zongyuan Zoe Liu Theda Skocpol, an American sociologist specializing in the study of social revolutions, proposed an unprecedented cultural theory to account for the unique aspects of the Iranian Revolution, which she admitted falsified her past history-based theories on causes of social revolutions. with James M. Lindsay and Sadanand Dhume (Persian: ). For many liberal Iranians who still dream of a democratic Iran, he also remains a symbol of civic nationalism and constitutionalism because of his demand that the shah should reign but not rule. Its outcome an Islamic Republic "under the guidance of an 80-year-old exiled religious scholar[46] from Qom" was, as one scholar put it, "clearly an occurrence that had to be explained."[47], The revolution was unique for the surprise it created throughout the world,[48] and followed the maxim of appearing "impossible" until it seemed "inevitable". The only thing that can be said with certainty is that the Iranian masses search for freedom continues. The Iranian Revolution was the Shia Islamic revolution that replaced the secular monarchy of Shah Mohammad Reza Pahlavi with a theocracy led by Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini. These negative aspects of the shahs rule became markedly accentuated after Iran began to reap greater revenues from its petroleum exports beginning in 1973. Delivered Friday. [41] Later that year a dissenting group (the Writers' Association) gathered without the customary police break-up and arrests, starting a new era of political action by the Shah's opponents. In 1962, Amini resigned and Asadollah Alam, a faithful friend of the shah who had no intention of reform but to consolidate the power of the monarchy, became the new prime minister and laid the ground for the Shah to reestablish his dictatorship in early 1963.[114]. Many universities and foundations of education were established, and many young people from lower and middle classes were funded so that they could study in the best universities in the West. June 23, 2023, Religion and Foreign Policy Webinar: Religion and Technology, Virtual Event Why are young Iranians demanding the return of the Pahlavi dynasty? In response, China has accelerated its own efforts to develop its technological industry and reduce its dependence on external imports. An expert's point of view on a current event. As such a very "traditional" part of Iranian life could forge a very modern-looking revolutionary movement. In March 1951 Mosaddegh secured passage of a bill in the Majles (parliament) to nationalize the vast British petroleum interests in Iran. After the Soviet Union and Great Britain occupied Iran in 1941, Reza Shah was forced into exile, and Mohammad Reza ascended Irans throne. The trans-Atlantic alliance NATO has formally declared China a strategic threat, but there are also emerging gaps in how various European capitals and Washington want to engage with Beijing. But do Washington and Brussels agree on how to deal with Beijings growing cloutShow more? 94-5. That November, militants seized the U.S. embassy in Tehrn, took American hostages, and demanded Mohammad Reza's extradition from the U.S. in return for their . How are other countries being impacted as a result? Shi'a Islam embodies substantial symbolic content to inspire resistance against unjust rule and to justify religious leaders as alternative to secular authority. Join in-depth conversations and interact with foreign-policy experts with. [117] Kurzman also argues that the mourning rituals in Iran had been a political act only once before. Weekly update on developments in India and its neighbors. Articles with the HISTORY.com Editors byline have been written or edited by the HISTORY.com editors, including Amanda Onion, Missy Sullivan and Matt Mullen. But British personnel had been withdrawn from Iran in October 1952 and therefore did not play any direct role in the August 1953 coup or the covert political activity of the preceding months. By signing up, I agree to the Privacy Policy and Terms of Use and to occasionally receive special offers from Foreign Policy. HISTORY.com works with a wide range of writers and editors to create accurate and informative content. In 1976, he formally replaced the Islamic calendar with a Persian calendar. Kurzman points out that one explanation for the Shah's overthrow the 40-day (Arba'een) cycle of commemorating deaths of protesters "came to a halt" on June 17, 1978, a half year before the revolution's culmination. Other factors include the underestimation of Khomeinis Islamist movement by both the Shahs reign who considered them a minor threat compared to the Marxists and Islamic socialists and by the secularist, opponents of the government, who thought the Khomeinists could be sidelined. Khomeini condemns the U.S. for allowing the deposed Shah entry into the country. Examine the reasons for the Iranian Revolution. READ MORE: U.S.-Iran Tensions: From Political Coup to Hostage Crisis to Drone Strikes. The Shah was finally overthrown on February 12, 1979. As Shah aimed to marginalize the Shia clergy and eliminate their influence by its modernization policies, clerics in Qom and their followers developed a populist, anti-Imperialist interpretation of Shia theology to delegitimize Shah for his injustice and his reliance on the anti-Islamic foreign imperialists. Download the new FP mobile app to read anytime, anywhere. The Shah supported his Prime Minister who defended Iran's right in the Court of Hague to nationalize British-controlled oil fields. And the second CIA history mentioned above states that Ayatollah Kashani also helped organize these crowds, though it is not clear whether he received U.S. financial support. Waning support for the shah among Western politicians and mediaespecially under the administration of U.S. President, Alleged treachery of the Americans and other foreigners. While the CIA documents that have been declassified in the last few years held few surprises for professional historians, the historical reality of the U.S. role in the coup is an inconvenient truth for opponents of the Islamic Republic in the United States who advocate regime change in Tehran. Harry S. Truman and Mohammad Reza Shah Pahlavi. Iran officially became an Islamic Republic on April 1, 1979, when Iranians overwhelmingly approved a national referendum to make it so. President . The Iranian Revolution was a populist, nationalist and Shia Islamic revolution that replaced a dictatorial monarchy with a theocracy based on Guardianship of the Islamic Jurists (or velayat-e faqih). Ali Shariati's vision of Islam as the one true liberator of the Third World from oppressive colonialism, neo-colonialism, and capitalism;[16] and Morteza Motahhari's popularized retellings of the Shia faith. The Islamic Republic stands today as a regime without a real constituency, covering itself in an ideology that few believe in.. You can navigate days by using left and right arrows. Before he passed away on July 27, 1980, he traveled to Panama and then Cairo, seeking asylum. These actions undoubtedly weakened Mosaddeq, but they had failed to dislodge him from power by October 1952, when he broke diplomatic relations with Britain. Based on a deeply flawed and highly selective reading of the available evidence, Takeyh has set himself the task of denying the Islamic Republic the moral high ground on the history of 1953, which gives Tehran an unearned advantage over Washington and the West, even in situations that have nothing to do with 1953 and in which Irans behavior is the sole cause of the conflict, such as the negotiations over the Iranian nuclear program.. Shia cleric Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini, the leader of the Iranian revolution,[11] first came to political prominence in 1963 when he led opposition to the Shah and his program of reforms known as the "White Revolution", which aimed to break up landholdings owned by some Shia clergy, allow women to vote and religious minorities to hold office, and finally grant women legal equality in marital issues. The nationalization of Iranian oil was not only a blow to Britains economic interests in Iran but to the very survival of the British Empire in the Middle East. Although it was very undesirable for the Shah to introduce another round of liberalization policies, the first round being in the early 1960s, he had no other choice but to do so. America Is Winning Against China in Oceania, U.S.-China Rivalry Looms Large at Shangri-La. However, he does want the Iranian people to endorse him to help overthrow the Islamic Republic and lead the transition towards a secular democracy. As protests against the Shah began, the Shi'a clerics could claim legitimate leadership of the protests and the Husayn legend provided a framework for characterizing the Shah as a modern incarnation of the tyrant Yazid. These actions gave the coup a constitutional faade and helped turn Iranian military personnel and civilian officials against Mosaddeq. A BRICS Currency Could Shake the Dollars Dominance. As a strategic consensus emerges in Europe, France is in the way. This was despite the fact that Hooks own State Department published a long-overdue volume of the Foreign Relations of the United States series in 2017 that was full of declassified CIA documents confirming the United States covert role in the coup. By D. Parvaz 11 Feb 2014 The Middle East and North Africa continue to boil in the aftermath of popular uprisings - revolutions that continue to shape Libya, Tunisia and Egypt after the fall of the. The many strands of opposition submitted to Khomeini because he seemed the most capable of leading the revolution to success., The Islamic Republic has now been in power slightly longer than the shahs monarchy. This work is licensed under Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International (CC BY-NC-ND 4.0) License. For example, Iran in the 1970s was a nation in discontent. [7][8], Reza Shah was deposed in 1941 by an invasion of allied British and Soviet troops[9] who believed him to be sympathetic with the allies' enemy Nazi Germany. Prince Pahlavi (later crowned Shah) reigned until the 1979 revolution with one brief interruption. Evening roundup with our editors favorite stories of the day. Allow me to indulge. Cleverness and energy of Khomeini's organizers in Iran who outwitted the Shah's security forces and won broad support with their tactical ingenuity amongst other things, convincing Iranians that the Shah's security was more brutal than it was. Demonstrations against the Shah commenced in October 1977, developing into a campaign of civil resistance that included both secular and religious elements and intensified in January 1978. Mohammad Reza Pahlavi was overthrown in a 1979 revolution led by Ruhollah Khomeini, who went on to found the Islamic Republic. Any history of the Pahlavi dynasty must take into account the outsized role that America played in Iran, but for all of Americas meddling, the revolution was truly a Persian affair, argues Ray Takeyh, the Hasib J. Sabbagh senior fellow for Middle East studies at the Council on Foreign Relations (CFR), in his new book. New York: Greenwood Press, Inc., 1989. p. 52, Amjad, Mohammed. Takeyh rejects the notion that the United States bears primary responsibility for Mossadeqs downfall. The shah traveled to Egypt, Morocco, The Bahamas, and Mexico before entering the United States on October 22, 1979, for medical treatment of lymphatic cancer. Discontent was also rampant in the poor and middle classes, who felt that the economic developments of the White Revolution had only benefited the ruling elite. HISTORY reviews and updates its content regularly to ensure it is complete and accurate. While U.S. President Harry Truman encouraged British Prime Ministers Clement Attlee and Winston Churchill to compromise with Mosaddeq, even hosting the Iranian premier in Washington in October 1951, the United States eventually lost patience as Anglo-Iranian negotiations failed. Join FPs Ravi Agrawal for a discussion with experts on both sides of the Atlantic: Cindy Yu, an assistant editor of the Spectator and host of its podcast Chinese Whispers; and James Palmer, author of FPs weekly China Brief newsletter. United States Although he continued the modernization of Iran began by his predecessors and introduced such reforms as women's suffrage and even redistributed land to help small farmers, he became increasingly despotic and authoritarian. The revolution was in part a conservative backlash against the westernization and secularization efforts of the Western-backed Shah, and a more popular reaction to social injustice and other shortcomings of the regime. Skocpol argued that the revolution diverges from past revolutions in three distinct ways: The revolutions success was arguably dependent on the sustained extraordinary efforts by the urban Iranians to wear down and undermine the regime. Although these programs were applauded by many in Iran, Islamic leaders were critical of what they saw as the westernization of Iran. Some 300 people died during fighting in Tehrn. These opponents of the Islamic Republic, both American and Iranian, worry that if the U.S. public is made to feel guilty about the CIA intervention in Iran in 1953, they may be less likely to support another U.S. intervention in Iran today. ? A few days later, British and U.S. intelligence agents orchestrated a stunning coup detat against Mosaddeq, and the shah returned to take power as the sole leader of Iran. British officials then helped to plan and finance the August 1953 coup and contributed one of the two covert networks of Iranian agents mentioned above. Once hes gone, it will have to find a new purpose. Its political order was suffocating and its economy was cooling. A short, sharp period of economic contraction and decline in 197778 following a considerable period of economic growth, that according to scholar of revolutions Crane Brinton creates disappointment much greater "than if people had been left in poverty all along"; Bottlenecks, shortages and inflation that were followed by austerity measures, attacks on alleged price gougers and black-markets, that angered both the, His antagonization of formerly apolitical Iranians, especially merchants of the bazaars, with the creation of a, Underestimation of the strength of the opposition particularly religious opposition and the failure to offer either enough, Failure to prepare and train security forces for dealing with protest and demonstration, failure to employ non-lethal crowd control tactics. [15] Also spreading and gaining listeners, readers and supporters during this time were v t e The Iranian Revolution was the Shia Islamic revolution that replaced the secular monarchy of Shah Mohammad Reza Pahlavi with a theocracy led by Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini . His book, published in 1970, was widely distributed in religious circles, especially among Khomeini's students (talabeh), ex-students (clerics), and traditional business leaders (bazaari). A curated selection of our very best long reads. Funded by the United States and the United Kingdom, it removed Mohammad Mosaddegh from power and restored Mohammad Reza Shah Pahlavi as Iran's leader. by Anshu Siripurapu and Noah Berman The new theocratic Constitution whereby Khomeini became Supreme Leader of the country was approved in December 1979. But in August 2013, the CIA officially declassified a document acknowledging its own role in the coup. The United States Overthrew Irans Last Democratic Leader, Want to read more on this topic or region? Iran Under the Ayatollahs. In the Paris basement of Mosaddeqs grandson, Amirani discovered the transcript of an interview with Norman Darbyshire, the SIS officer who helped devise the coup plan, that was mysteriously cut from the 1985 broadcast. That November, militants seized the U.S. embassy in Tehrn, took American hostages, and demanded Mohammad Rezas extradition from the U.S. in return for their release. The signs are mixed. The British control of the oil was already precarious given their withdrawal of forces "east of Suez" in the beginning of the 1970s. Mohammad Mosaddeq is a name that evokes strong emotions in the average Iranian. In 1958, the US unsuccessfully attempted to replace the Shah with Iran's chief of staff, a reform orientated politician, to push for social reform in Iran. The revolution also attracted secular Iranians who saw Shi'a Islam and Khomeini's unwavering moral leadership as an indigenous way to express common opposition to an arrogant monarch too closely associated with foreigners. Fourteen days later, the Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini, the spiritual leader of the Islamic revolution, returned after 15 years of exile and took control of Iran. However, like the shah, they acted under U.S. leadership. While many of the military personnel and members of these crowds undoubtedly acted voluntarily, they were responding to conditions and following leaders catalyzed and directed by Roosevelts team. Keri Russell gets Drexel furniture but no Senate confirmation hearing. AFP via Getty Images The shah had initially opposed a coup. His failure to cultivate supporters in the Shi'a religious leadership to counter Khomeini's campaign against him. Indeed, Zahedi spent most of the period from Aug. 16-19 hiding in the U.S. Embassy and a CIA safehouse. All articles are regularly reviewed and updated by the HISTORY.com team. What exactly are these differences, and how will they impact the worlds relations with China? Failure of his overly ambitious 1974 economic program to meet expectations raised by the oil revenue windfall. Pahlavi has consistently said he does not seek a role as a future leader of Iran, and whether Iran's people chose a republic or monarchy to replace the mullahs is their choice. [5] Women who resisted his ban on public hijab had their chadors forcibly removed and torn. [27] Prominent in it was Mehdi Bazargan and his liberal, moderate Islamic group Freedom Movement of Iran, and the more secular National Front. The United States certainly did not act alone in overthrowing Mosaddeq. Hokumat-e Islami: Velayat-e faqih (book by Khomeini)#Why has Islamic Government not been established? In a widely read Foreign Affairs essay, Tellis makes the case that the White House should recalibrate its expectations of India. Where is this new tech war headed? Author of Under Five Shahs and others. This revisionist history has become a powerful weapon in the hands of the Islamic Republics opponents because the enduring popularity of Mosaddeq is inconvenient for Irans clerical rulers. Only FP subscribers can submit questions for FP Live interviews. Britain maintained its control of the Iranian oil industry for a long time using its alliance with power blocs, landlords, and courts and was able to reduce the power of the United States and the Soviet Union in Iran. Amongst them were some minor armed Islamist groups which joined together after the revolution in the Mojahedin of the Islamic Revolution Organization. Acknowledging the role of Iranian actors, including some of the Shiite clergy, in the 1953 coup does not absolve the United States of responsibility for the coup. In fact Reza Shah could not trust allied forces due to long history of British and Russian interference, separating parts of Iran and contracts exploiting Iran. Mohammad Reza Pahlavi, the Shah of Iran, and his then-wife, Queen Soraya, pose for the media in Tehran in March 1953.AFP via Getty Images. It produced profound change at great speed[45] and replaced the worlds oldest empire with a theocracy based on Guardianship of the Islamic Jurists (or velayat-e faqih). Mosaddeq's overthrow consolidated the rule of Mohammad Reza Pahlavi, the shah of Iran, for the next 26 years until he in turn was toppled by the 1979 Iranian Islamic revolution. Based in the urban middle class, this was a section of the population that was fairly secular and wanted the Shah to adhere to the Iranian Constitution of 1906 rather than religious rule. January 31, 2022, How Tobacco Laws Could Help Close the Racial Gap on Cancer, Interactive The United States assisted Mohammad Reza Shah Pahlavi in the removal of Soviet troops. Following Khomeini's arrest on June 5, 1963, three days of major riots erupted throughout Iran, with Khomeini supporters claiming 15,000 were killed by police fire. Why was Mohammad Reza Shah Pahlavi so significant? A monthly digest of the top articles read by FP subscribers. How did Mohammad Reza Shah Pahlavi come to power? The Shah left Iran for exile on January 16, 1979, as the last Persian monarch, leaving his duties to a regency council and an opposition-based prime minister. Faced with an army mutiny and violent demonstrations against his rule, Mohammad Reza Shah Pahlavi, the leader of Iran since 1941, is forced to flee the country. Turkeys geography and membership in NATO have long given the country an influential voice in foreign policy, but the assertive policies of President Erdogan have complicated its role. Rather, it followed decades of corrosion of Irans political establishment by an autocratic ruler who demanded fealty but lacked the personal strength to make hard decisions, and ultimately lost the support of every sector of Iranian society. [35] The party attempted to take a populist stand fining and jailing merchants in its "anti-profiteering" campaigns, but this proved not only economically harmful but also politically counterproductive. [39], In 1977 a new American president, Jimmy Carter, was inaugurated. What exactly are these differences, and how will they impact the worlds relations with China? Israel and Iran maintained close ties particularly on energy and security during the reign of Shah Mohammad Reza Pahlavi, who was overthrown in a popular 1979 uprising led by Islamist clerics. By late 1974 the oil boom had begun to produce not "the Great Civilization" promised by the Shah, but an "alarming" increase in inflation and waste and an "accelerating gap" between the rich and poor, the city and the country. Language links are at the top of the page across from the title. The Shah was perceived by many as beholden to if not a puppet of a non-Muslim Western power (the United States) whose culture was affecting that of Iran. New York: Greenwood Press, Inc., 1989.p.74-79, invasion of allied British and Soviet troops, Islamic Government: Governance of the Jurist, Organization of Iranian People's Fedai Guerrillas, Mojahedin of the Islamic Revolution Organization, 2,500-year celebration of the Persian Empire, Political slogans of the Islamic Republic of Iran, Islamic Values and World View: Farhang Khomeyni on Man, the State and International Politics, Volume XIII, "Imam Khomeini (and clerics) leadership, Islamic Revolution", The Last Great Revolution Turmoil and Transformation in Iran, Velayat-e faqih (book by Khomeini)#Importance of Islamic Government, "Staying the Course: the "Lebanonization" of Hizbullah - Lebanon - Al Mashriq". Mohammad Reza was the eldest son of Reza Shah Pahlavi, an army officer who became the ruler of Iran and founder of the Pahlavi dynasty in 1925. [31] They subsequently failed to pose much of a threat to the regime once it had assumed power, although the People's Mujahedin of Iran, an organization that opposed the influence of the clergy, fought against Khomeini's Islamic government. Following the liberalization policies, mullahs played a crucial role in mobilizing the people against the regime. Mohammad Reza Shah Pahlavi, (born October 26, 1919, Tehrn, Irandied July 27, 1980, Cairo, Egypt), shah of Iran from 1941 to 1979, who maintained a pro-Western foreign policy and fostered economic development in Iran. In August 1953, Mohammad Reza attempted to dismiss Mosaddeq, but the premiers popular support was so great that the shah himself was forced out of Iran. A powerful and efficient network of opposition began to develop inside Iran,[25] employing mosque sermons and smuggled cassette speeches by Khomeini, amongst other means. The shah had two marriages that ended in divorce when they failed to produce a male heir to the throne. The revolution was unusual for the surprise it created throughout the world: it lacked many of the customary causes of revolution (defeat at war, a financial crisis, peasant rebellion, or disgruntled military), occurred in a nation that was enjoying relative prosperity, produced profound change at great speed, was massively popular, resulted in the exile of many Iranians, and replaced a pro-Western semi-absolute monarchy with an anti-Western authoritarian theocracybased on the concept of Guardianship of the Islamic Jurists (or velayat-e faqih). Fearing that continuing crisis and instability in Iran would lead to a takeover by Irans communist Tudeh Party, the newly elected President Dwight D. Eisenhower authorized the CIA to topple Mosaddeq in 1953. No credible evidence has emerged that Zahedi and his allies organized the military units and crowds that acted on Aug. 19. "Reza Pahlavi - the eldest son of Mohammad Reza Pahlavi, the former Shah of Iran - has surfaced as a born-again Zionist and contender in any political scenario that might unfold should the Islamic Republic collapse" Opinion by Hamid Dabashi. Zahedi and his immediate allies also contributed to the coup. He tells this fascinating story with unmatched perspicacity and insight all while restoring the agency of Iranian participants in this frequently tragic tale. Create an FP account to save articles to read later and in the FP mobile app. Mohammad Reza introduced the White Revolution, a series of economic, social, and political reforms aimed at transforming Iran into a global power and modernizing the nation by nationalizing key industries and land redistribution. He was selected by the Shah as Prime Minister and introduced to Parliament for approval following Iran's Constitutional procedure. Overconfidence of the secularists and modernist Muslims, of liberals and leftists, in their power and ability to control the revolution. He was finally granted asylum by Egypts president, Anwar Sadat. Find History on Facebook (Opens in a new window), Find History on Twitter (Opens in a new window), Find History on YouTube (Opens in a new window), Find History on Instagram (Opens in a new window), Find History on TikTok (Opens in a new window), Current one is: January 16. NEW FOR SUBSCRIBERS: Read more about The Last Shah: America, Iran, and the Fall of the Pahlavi Dynasty and order your copy at cfr.org/LastShah. After the revolution, Khomeini told questioners that the religious dignitaries do not want to rule., Background and causes of the Iranian Revolution., https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Iranian_Revolution, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Background_and_causes_of_the_Iranian_Revolution, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_Iran, https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Roollah-khomeini.jpg, https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Mass_demonstration.jpg, https://courses.lumenlearning.com/boundless-worldhistory/. The lingering trauma of 1953 is powerfully evoked in Taghi Amiranis new documentary film, Coup 53. A landlocked country is offering flags of convenience at sea. The revisionist history of the coup downplays this incontrovertible U.S. role and instead blames Shiite clerics for Mosaddeqs downfall. And the clerics who did participate did so with U.S. support. The Shah maintained a close relationship with the United States, both regimes sharing a fear of the southward expansion of the Soviet state, Iran's powerful northern neighbor. Coincidentally, a few weeks later, the New York Times published a classified CIA history of the coup that provided extensive details on TPAJAX. Although the shah did not abdicate, a referendum resulted in the declaration on April 1, 1979, of an Islamic republic in Iran. Shah Mohammad Reza, a close ally of the US, pursued a policy of modernisation and secularisation . The shah traveled to several countries before entering the United States in October 1979 for medical treatment of his cancer. ut Ashley J. Tellis, a longtime watcher of U.S.-India relations, says that Washingtons expectations of New Delhi are misplaced. Offering a new view of one of Americas most important, strained, and misunderstood relationships of the postwar era, The Last Shah: America, Iran, and the Fall of the Pahlavi Dynastytells the history of the United States and Iran from the time the last shah, Mohammad Reza Pahlavi, ascended to the throne in 1941 to the 1979 revolution that brought the present Islamist government to power. Mossadegh was deposed in a military coup d'tat organized by an American CIA operative and aided by the British MI6. In the early 1950s a struggle for control of the Iranian government developed between the shah and Mohammad Mosaddegh, a zealous Iranian nationalist. The hostage crisis Your guide to the most important world stories of the day. June 1, 2023, Backgrounder In 1941, British and Soviet troops occupied Iran, and the first Pahlavi shah, who they regarded with suspicion, was forced to abdicate in favor of his son, Mohammad Reza. The U.S. rejected the demand. by Kali Robinson London: Routledge & Kegan Paul. Like the monarchy in its later years, the Islamic Republic is at an impasse, having become a regime that cannot reform itself even when it senses an urgent need for change., The theme of Iranian history is a populace seeking to emancipate itself from tyrannyfirst monarchical, now Islamist, Takeyh writes. Ultimately, his twin sister, Princess Ashraf, and a U.S. general helped convince him to back the coup. 04 Jun 2023 20:00:59 Sadanand Dhume, a senior fellow at the American Enterprise Institute and a South Asia columnist for the, with Heidi Campbell and Paul Brandeis Raushenbush, New Book Shows Why the Shahs Iran Collapsed From Withinand Why the Islamists Today May Have a Similar Fate, The Last Shah: America, Iran, and the Fall of the Pahlavi Dynasty. It began in January 1978 with the first major demonstrations and concluded with the approval of the new theocratic Constitutionwhereby Ayatollah Khomeini became Supreme Leader of the countryin December 1979. These opponents of Irans current government have responded with a revisionist historyput forward by writers such as the retired Pahlavi-era Iranian diplomat, Darioush Bayandor, and the former U.S. State Department official and current Council on Foreign Relations fellow, Ray Takeyhthat largely absolves the United States of responsibility for the coup and instead blames the downfall of Mosaddeq on Irans Shiite clergy, thereby weaponizing the history of 1953 against the clerical rulers of todays Islamic Republic. Anwar Sadat. Iran voted by national referendum to become an Islamic Republic on April 1, 1979, and approved a new theocratic-republican constitution whereby Khomeini became Supreme Leader of the country in December 1979. Weekly update on whats driving U.S. national security policy. [43][44], The Iranian Revolution had a number of unique and significant characteristics. His legacy and his nonreligious brand of Iranian nationalism remain so distasteful to Irans Islamic rulers that until 2018 they could not tolerate having a single street named after him in the countrys capital. In 1963, Shah Mohammad Reza Pahlavi (19191980) granted women the full right to vote in all elections. The book provides new interpretations of critical eventsincluding the 1953 coup against Prime Minister Mohammad Mossadeq and the rise of Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeinirevising the traditional understanding of America and Irans complex and difficult history. The Iranian Revolution is the only modern revolution which was deliberately and coherently fomented by a revolutionary movement consisting of different social classes united under the leadership of a senior Shia cleric Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini. by Lindsay Maizland We would like to show you a description here but the site won't allow us. [49], Some of the customary causes of revolution that were lacking include, The regime it overthrew was perceived to be heavily protected by a lavishly financed army and security services.
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