The Islamic Revolution in Iran, 1979

What was the revolution in Iran?

The Islamic, or Iranian Revolution is the name given to the events of 1978 and 1979, when the people of Iran rose up, overthrew the Shah and established a new fundamentalist Muslim government.

Why did the Iranian Revolution happen?

Although resentment against the Shah had been building for a long time, there were some events that directly contributed to the outbreak of the Islamic Revolution in 1979.

• ❖ In 1977, the Shah relaxed police control, in response to international condemnation of Iran's human rights. This allowed his opposition to become more active and vocal.
• ❖ Fatalities caused by army brutality at protests sparked even more protests.
• ❖ The scale of the protests began to show the government's ability to maintain law and order was breaking down.

What protests led to the Islamic Revolution?

There were 4 important events that led to the 1978 protests of the Islamic Revolution.

• ❖ In 1978, there were massive protests and demonstrations against the Shah in Tehran.
• ❖ In September 1978, the government introduced military rule. Troops loyal to the Shah shot and killed hundreds of protesters.
• ❖ By the end of 1978, some soldiers refused to fire on the crowds, and displayed sympathy towards the protests.
• ❖ A mass rally in December 1978, saw two million people in Iran demanding, "The Shah must go!".

What happened in the Islamic Revolution?

There were 5 main events of the Islamic Revolution.

• ❖ In January 1979, the Shah left Iran to receive cancer treatment. He never returned.
• ❖ Ayatollah Khomeini returned to Iran from exile and declared an Islamic Revolution.
• ❖ The Shah's prime minister fled the country.
• ❖ The Iranian army declared its support for the revolution.
• ❖ In a referendum, most Iranians voted in favour of abolishing the monarchy and putting an Islamic republic in place.
• ❖ Iranian students stormed the US embassy and took more than 50 hostages.

How did the world react to the Islamic Revolution in Iran?

Few countries were happy about the change of regime in Iran. After the storming of the US embassy in Tehran, the USA called Iran 'an international outlaw'.

What was the new Islamic Republic like in Iran after the Revolution?

The new republic in Iran was dominated by the Islamic Republican Party which introduced laws to enforce a traditional Islamic way of life.

• ❖ Laws were based on the Koran, the Islamic holy book.
• ❖ Education was based around strictly Islamic ideas.
• ❖ Women had to cover their heads in public.
• ❖ Alcohol was banned.
• ❖ Western films and pop music were banned.
• ❖ There were mass trials and many of the Shah's supporters were executed.