The Islamic Revolution was the 1979 revolution that transformed Iran from a constitutional monarchy, under Shah Mohammad Reza Pahlavi, to an Islamic, populist theocratic republic under the rule of Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini. The revolution has been divided into two stages: the first stage saw an alliance of liberal, leftist, and religious groups oust the Shah; the second stage, often named the Islamic Revolution, saw the Ayatollah's rise to power.

Iranian Revolution→Islamic Revolution→Islamic Cultural Revolution

The Shah had been in power since 1941, with a brief interruption in 1953; through the 1960s and 1970s he faced continued opposition, from religious figures as well as from urban middle classes, many of which supported a constitutional democracy with fewer powers resting with the Shah. The Shah enforced a strict regime, imprisoning hundreds of political activists, and enforcing censorship laws. At the same time, however, living conditions for the people improved significantly, and many basic human and democratic rights were established (e.g. extending suffrage to women), which were fiercely opposed by Mullahs who opposed the Shah. The Shah was denounced by many for being a puppet of the United States.

In 1978 a series of protests, triggered by a libelous story attacking Khomeini in the official press, created an escalating cycle of violence, until, on December 12, an estimated two million people filled the streets of Azadi Square (Then Shahyad Square) in Tehran to protest against the Shah. The army began to disintegrate, as conscripts refused to fire on demonstrators and began to switch sides. On January 16, 1979 the Shah and the empress left Iran on demands of prime minister Dr. Shapour Bakhtiar (a long time opposition leader himself), who sought to calm down the situation. He dissolved SAVAK and freed all political prisoners, allowed Khomeini to return to Iran after years of exile, asking him to create a Vatican-like state in Qom and called upon the opposition to help preserve the constitution, promising free elections. Khomeini rejected Dr. Bakhtiar's demands fiercely and appointed an interim government on his own. Shortly after, with the military announcing their impartiality in the conflict, the overthrow of monarchy was completed at the hands of the revolutionaries led by the Ayatollah Khomeini.

More on [ Iranian Revolution ]

Iranian Revolution - Twitter Search

Krauthammer: Iran's revolution, Obama's shame: On Tuesday, Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad did not just rejec... http://bit.ly/7ySpdC
NYDNopinions (NYDN - Opinions) Fri, 25 Dec 2009 09:41:18 -0000
Krauthammer: Iran's revolution, Obama's shame: On Tuesday, Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad did not just rejec... http://bit.ly/7ySpdC
I posted 10 photos on Facebook in the album "IRANIAN REVOLUTION" http://bit.ly/58c4Da
Sarbaz01 (Sarbaz Mihan) Fri, 25 Dec 2009 02:26:54 -0000
I posted 10 photos on Facebook in the album "IRANIAN REVOLUTION" http://bit.ly/58c4Da
I had to change the location to confuse Iranian government when I was partcipating in the green revolution
Devilboi69x (Damian Stelmach) Fri, 25 Dec 2009 01:55:25 -0000
I had to change the location to confuse Iranian government when I was partcipating in the green revolution
Provoking line from Persepolis, a film about the Iranian revolution "Fear is what lulls our minds to sleep and makes us lose our conscience.
reegmac (Rigo Macias) Thu, 24 Dec 2009 21:39:00 -0000
Provoking line from Persepolis, a film about the Iranian revolution "Fear is what lulls our minds to sleep and makes us lose our conscience.
@mvigo fascinating questions! foucault supported the iranian revolution, ezra pound was a fascist. important to know, but how much?
vyakarana (Elise Diane Matz) Thu, 24 Dec 2009 20:16:47 -0000
@mvigo fascinating questions! foucault supported the iranian revolution, ezra pound was a fascist. important to know, but how much?
RT @AnneDanmark: RT @coffee_n_cream RT @SayidSE Iranian girls karate team got gold http://bit.ly/7jadqe #Sharia #Revolution #Iran #iran ...
SayidSE (Siavash) Thu, 24 Dec 2009 19:19:13 -0000
RT @AnneDanmark: RT @coffee_n_cream RT @SayidSE Iranian girls karate team got gold http://bit.ly/7jadqe #Sharia #Revolution #Iran #iran ...

Subscribe to Iranian_Revolution RSS feed