Iran (History Exam)

How have the various leaders in Iran responded to foreign influence/western intervention?

Reza Shah allowed Nazi Germany a greater role in Iran, which makes Britain uneasy. Mohammad Shah changes the 60-year contract with Britain - Iran gets 50% of the revenues. Mohammad Shah "escapes" to Rome after the US created a coup to get Mossadegh out of power. Mohammad says he had cancer and was innocent. The US convinced Iran that Mossadegh was corrupt. Ayatollah Khomeini purchased hundreds of millions of dollars in weapons from the US. He also used unconditional support from Britain and the US.

Mohammad Mosaddegh

Elected Prime Minister. Britain organized a secret coup against him. He tried to get Mossadegh out of power to get to Iran's oil. Mossadegh wanted to nationalize the oil. The US convinces Iranians that Mossadegh was corrupt, an enemy of Islam, and pro-communist. The US paid thugs to attack religious leaders and claim that the Prime Minister did it. He "escaped" to Rome for safety. He said he had cancer so he can look innocent. He comes back as the Prime Minister. He was imprisoned by the Shah. He nationalized the oil

Shah Mohammad Reza Pahlavi

Elected monarch (selected by the Majiles who are the legislative body) He starts off as colonel, then becomes Prime Minister, and then Shah. He says that he'll work on infrastructure (roads). He wants a modern and more Western Iran. He did this by uniting Iran by controlling and uniting tribal areas, creating new roads, railroads, factories, hospitals, and expanded education at all levels for boys and girls. He runs into conflict with the ULAMA. He believes the clergy was preventing the modernization of Iran. He is the father of Reza Mohammad. He wanted a constitutional monarchy (King can rule but they have to follow the constitution.) He resigns after making a deal with Hitler (scares British and they nationalize the oil). He unveils women by force.

Ayatollah Khomeini

He doesn't like selling oil to Jews. He wants Islam to play a more prominent role in Iranian society. He brings back the ULAMA council. They think that men should be the only ones that run the government. They cancel un-Islamic claws. He created the Guardianship of the Jurist. He wanted a theocracy - wanted the clergy to be involved in laws, war, education, etc. He thought that the Islamic clergy should be the ultimate conscience of the state. He becomes the Supreme Leader.

Mahmoud Ahmadinejad

He said that Israel should not exist. Americans hated him and laughed at him. When he ran again for the presidency, the Islamic clergy wouldn't let him because he was the laughing stock of Iran. He is very controversial.

2009 Presidential Election

Liberal candidate Mousavi lost. This election was more democratic and less clerical Iran. This was another attempt to make Iran less theocratic - fails. This emerges to the green movement.

What factors influenced Iran's transition from absolute monarchy to constitutional monarchy to Islamic republic?

The Majiles (legislative body) was established. Islamic Republic (Khomeini): People are able to vote, but the Council of Guardians and Supreme Leader ultimately have the final say. Persian Constitutional Revolution of 1906: Constitutional monarchy was established instead of an absolute monarchy. The Shah becomes a monarch. The legislative body is established which are the Majles.

What role has Islam played in the history of Modern Iran?

The government was a theocracy based on Shia Islam. There is the Guardianship of the Jurist and Council of Guardians (that consists of 6 Islamic clerics and 6 jurists). ULAMA is the religious scholarly council. This conflicts with Reza Shah - he "unveils women by force", equal education for men and women, modesty, westernization/modernization

Oil Nationalization

The oil was nationalized by Mossadegh. Britain and the US teamed up against Iran to nationalize it. Britain threatened to invade Iranian military and organized a secret coup against him. The US convinced that Mossadegh was corrupt.

Islamic Republic

Theocracy government - religion has the final say. Khomeini became the Supreme Leader of Iran. The Council of Guardians could veto un-Islamic laws, screen candidates for office. There was a new constitution made. There is the Majilis which are the legislative body. There is the Guardianship of the Jurist.

Iranian Revolution

This is what the Shah creates to get rid of religious influence in government and unrest. The US continued to support the Shah and Iranian military. They also wanted the Shah to have military-political repression. This was the rise of Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini (Cleric) - Shah and his relationship to the US, selling Iranian oil to Israel, corruption of the Shah and his regime, and failure to help the poor. The Shah's actions to stop unrest and to hold back religious influence.