Iranian Revolution (1978-79)

The Middle East has always been a hotbed for revolution. Iran, a consistent focus of international attention in recent years, was also headline news in the 70s. During the majority part of the 60s and 70s, Iran was ruled by Mohammad Reza Shah Pahlavi. The Shah (or ‘the king’) initiated a sweeping set of reforms in the early 60s (Ironically, called the White Revolution) that severely limited traditional religious authority and influence in the nation. As a result of the Shah’s more secular leanings, the US lent its financial support to the regime
(promoting regional stability and other security concerns). Unfortunately, for the Shah, his governmental reforms didn’t go over very well with Iran’s clergy or most anyone else in the country. Out of this discontent came Ayahtollah, Ruhollah Khomeini. The Ayahtollah (literally “gift of God”, and is a term for a religious scholar) as early as 1963 began fermenting dissent against the Shah’s government. He particularly lambasted western and specifically US influence in Iranian affairs. Though the Ayahtollah was quickly exiled, he continued to sow the seeds of revolution from Iraq and then France. It all came to a boil in 1978 as demonstrators (about 20,000 strong) were fired upon by government security forces. This was the day that became known as Black Friday. Several hundred students were killed and thousands of others were hurt. Within a few months, protestors began rioting across the country, attacking any symbol of so-called Western “decadence” (liquor stores, banks, government institutions, etc.). Finally, disgruntled soldiers rebelled and attacked officers of the Shah’s Imperial guard. This was the Shah’s death knell and in 1979 he fled the country, leaving the Ayatollah Khomeini and his plans for an Islamic state behind. It wasn’t long after this that the US embassy in Iran was taken over by militants (because the US support of the Shah) and held the personnel assigned there as hostages. The rest – of course – is history.