The Iranian Revolution: A Crash Course (but like, less funny because it’s Mr. Morelli and not John Green)

Aim: Who was the Shah of Iran, and why did he become unpopular after WWII? Constitution of 1906: Shah (king) + Majilis (Parliament) Mohammed Reza Shah (1941-1979) Dad vs. GB over oil (Anglo-Iranian Oil Company AIOC) Dad is buddies with Nazis during WWII  GB/Soviet Invasion of Iran in 1941 Dad flees, Reza Shah in charge

AIOC and the Supplemental Agreement GB LOOOOOOVES Reza Shah (because he doesn’t really know what he’s doing) Supplemental Agreement (1949): AIOC still controlled by GB but Iran has more of a say Majlis (Parliament) says nah

Mohammad Mossadegh and the National Front vs. Reza Shah The constitution required the Majlis to ratify the agreement for it to become law. Members of the Majlis were aware that public opinion was strongly against accepting the terms dictated by the British, yet they were also afraid to anger the shah. Debate began, but was interrupted by elections for the next session of the Majlis. Anxious to pass the supplemental agreement, the shah resorted to bribes and electoral fraud to place his supporters in the Majlis. Outraged by the shah’s attempts to hijack the vote, a prominent politician named Mohammad Mossadegh led protests in Tehran in October 1949 for new and fair elections for the Majlis. There were protests in other cities as well. Ultimately, the shah gave in. Mossadegh formed a coalition of political parties into the “National Front,” which wanted to free Iran from foreign influence. The National Front included secular groups, who were opposed to foreign influence and hoped to build an Iranian democracy, and members of the ulama, led by the Ayatollah Kashani. The pro-Soviet Tudeh party also supported the goals of the National Front. Though these groups held dramatically different political viewpoints, they were united by the desire to nationalize Iran’s oil resources, which meant returning control of these resources to Iran.

1951: Nationalization of Oil The Shah tries to fix the elections of the Majlis, which led to protests Mossadegh becomes more influential and the shah is forced to appoint him prime minister Oil is nationalized (in full control by the Iranian gov’t) GB responds by filing a complaint to the UN and an international boycott of Iranian oil, crushing Iran’s economy

From man of the year to victim of a CIA coup The biggest concern of the United States in the late 1940s and early 1950s was that Iran’s feud with GB would drive Iran into an alliance with the USSR …and add to that: Tudeh, the Iranian communist party, supported Mossadegh...

Aim: Why was the Shah ultimately overthrown? “White Revolution” (1960s): The Shah tries to gain back popular support through reforms Land to peasants [fail – rich, ulama, peasants] Women’s rights [fail – ulama] Literacy Corps [fail – ulama]

Ayatollah Khomeini Khomeini is exiled in 1963 and he begins to develop his vision of a new Iran: Velayat-e Faqih: Guardianship of the Jurist (an Iran based on Islam only)

Everyone hates the Shah and the Shah hates everyone SAVAK = secret police crushes opposition, major censorship All groups hated the Shah’s cozy relationship with the US and US meddling in the Iranian oil business Ulama was mad  too secular The National Front was mad  human rights abuses, ignoring the constitution Moderate liberals were mad  imperialism of US, royal dictatorship Socialists were mad  imperialism of US, royal dictatorship

NBC News: 1979 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oDeaOOmfxZ8

What will Iran do? Option 1: Develop a Social Democracy Option 2: Build a Socialist Future Option 3: Embrace the Guardianship of the Just