1. Building nations in the middle east – Presentation #4By

2. Background information on the middle east
This region of the world has had many conflicts involving oil.
The religion of Islam has heavily influenced political policies and has influenced some countries laws and foreign policy
Lots of conflict in the area since oil has been discovered
Large production of oil comes from this region of the Middle East
Also 89 % of Iran religion is Islam and Saudi Arabia 97% Islam

3. The history of Iran
Key term: Theocracy: government ruled by religious rulers
Iran’s monarch, Shah Mohammed Reza Pahlavi had western backing but faced nationalist oppponents at home, led by Mohammed Mosaddeq elected prime minister in Nationalized Western-owned oil industry.
1953, United States helped the Shah oust Mosaddeq and it outraged many Iranians. Shah returned Oil to Western Control. United States help keep Shah in power for next 25 years.
Shah wasn’t very popular because he gave rights to women, and redistributed land from wealthy and religious Institutions to peasants.
Opposition came from landowners, merchants, students, and Islamic clergy.

4. Continued
Shah secret police terrorized critics driving many into exile.
This event was build up to his 1979 overthrow in which ayatollah Khomeini took power and established a theocracy
Khomeini condemned western influences and accused Shah of violating Islamic law.
Replaced secular courts with religious ones and abolished women’s rights. Brutalized opponents just as the shah had done.

5. Ayatollah rule
In the following year of 1979 the government had abolished women's right & set up a system of a complex rules with a “supreme leader who had a final say in almost everything”
Also in 1979 the Islamic government allowed radicals to attack a US embassy and this came to be known as the Iran hostage crisis.
The reason this situation happened was because Shah Mohammed came to America seeking help for his cancer and that upset them. They stormed the US embassy for the US helping the Shah.
52 hostages were taken and a few were released due to illness.
Iran demanded Shah: or ex-leader of Iran and also demanded no US intervention in Iranian affairs. However, Shah dies and the Iranians are forced to fight Iraq and so Jimmy Carter agrees to their terms.

6. Iran current day
Current “supreme” leader is Mahmoud Ahmadinejad and is current leader in 2011 and he was accused of Fraud in the election his closet opponent at 32% in votes and somehow some of these votes disappeared. The protesters called for a recount and asked where did the votes go and causing riots and chaos.
The current supreme Ruler also claims to be building a “peaceful and efficient way of power by building a peaceful nuclear power plant
However his intentions are unclear and come across as an exploration of nuclear weapons
Also, Iran still does not want any US intervention to this day and relations with Iran are at a distance
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7. Saudi Arabia
Saudi Arabia, a vast desert land, has the world’s largest oil reserve.
*Saudi Arabia’s economic development after WII depended on massive oil exports.
*In 1979 Saudi Arabia joined OPEC (organization of petroleum exporting countries).
*They said that western influence in the kingdom violated Islamic principles.

8. Oil Religion, and Threats to Stability (2)
The royal family supported fundamentalist religious leaders but some leaders and followers criticized relationships with the west because it violated Islamic principles.
Opponents of Western ties became violent and in 1996 and 2004 they attacked U.S. military compounds
People began to fear the conflicts would have an effect on the world’s economy
Kuwait, Bahrain, Qatar and United Arab Emirates face similar threats
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