1. Iran: Complex Republic in The Middle East
Population: about 72 million
Ethnic Make-Up: 50% Persian, 20% Azerbaijani, 10% Kurdish,
remaining 20% are Gilaki, Afghani, Arab, Lur, Baluchi, and Turkmen
Religions: 88% Shia, 10% Sunni, plus small numbers of Bahai,
Christian, and Zoroastrian
well preserved sequence of human occupancy, from Paleolithic
sites (40,000 years ago) to modern times:
Persian Empire under Cyrus the Great and others ( BC)
Sassanid Empire ( AD / establishes Zoroastrianism)
Arab Muslim invasion starts in 630s, leads to conquest in 641 AD
after collapse of Abbasid Empire in 1258 AD and due to invasion
by Mongols and Tatars, Iran suffered political fragmentation and
cultural disruption

2. despite all these challenges, the “Persian personality” survived
in 16th century the Safavid dynasty developed and a national unity is based on Shia Islam

3. Qajar, a new dynasty with Turkish tribal origins, comes into
power at the end of the 18th century
under Qajar rule, Iran lost both territory and vigor

4. in 1925 Reza Shah founded the Pahlavi dynasty and tried to set
in 1925 Reza Shah founded the Pahlavi dynasty and tried to set the course for a modern Iran
Reza Shah refused to allow Iranian territory to be used during WWII and was forced to abdicate in 1941; his son inherited the throne
His son was ousted briefly by nationalistic and anti-Western movement under Mossadegh (Prime Minister / )
Mohammed Reza Shah regains power with help of CIA and rules as autocrat with the help of a secret police force (SAVAK)
Mossadegh ( ) The Last Shah and his family image of Khomeini President Kathami ( )

5. Shah’s attempts a “White Revolution” (1962 / modeled after Turkey)
land reforms, public ownership of industries, voting rights for women,
compulsory education, etc.
opposition by landowners and religious leaders
continued repressive regime / perceived “selling out to the West”
late 1970s: rising discontent with government across the Iranian society
Ayatollah Khomeini at the head of a theocratic revolution in 1979
he lived in exile in Iraq and in France from
Grand Ayatollah The Council of Guardians President Rouhani (2013 – present)
Hoseyni Khamenei
Khomeini died in 1989 and left behind a society reshaped by conservative Islamic ideals and principles
Council of (Constitutional) Guardians made up of conservative clergy
struggles for open society & reforms by Khatami ( )

6. over the years Iran has emerged in the headlines because of issues like:
conferences it organized at which the Holocaust was denied;
its potential threat to the State of Israel
its possibility to close the Strait of Hormuz if the situation escalates in regard to embargoes & geopolitics
the question of its nuclear program and whether or not it is peaceful (note that until the Iraq-Iran war of the Islamic clergy in Iran opposed nuclear weapons, considering them as “sinful”); the recent nuclear deal with Iran and the lifting of economic sanctions are positive developments
continued push for more democracy by its citizens despite the failed Green Revolution of 2009
complicated mosaic: confusing alliances and proxy wars in the context of ISIS, Syria, Iraq and Yemen
What’s next for Iran? Upcoming elections in May 2017?