1. Introduction to Iran / Evolution of the Iranian State

3. Country Bio: Iran Population: Territory: Year of Independence:
66.3 million
Territory:
636,296 sq. miles
Year of Independence:
550 B.C.
Year of Current Constitution:
1979, amended in 1989
Head of State:
Ali Khamenei
Head of Government:
Mahmoud Ahmadinejad
Language:
Persian, regional languages
Religion:
Twelver Shiite Muslim 90%, Sunni Muslim 10%, non-Muslims less than 1%

5. Historical Turning Points
559 BCE --- Empire of Cyrus the Great
332 BCE --- Conquest by Alexander the Great and the Greeks
250 BCE --- Parthian Dynasty
226 CE Sassanian Dynasty
Arab/Islamic Conquest
Mongol Invasion
Safavid Dynasty establishes Shiism as state religion
Qajar Dynasty

6. Political Turning Points I
Constitutional Revolution
Oil discovered
Reza Khan overthrows Qajar Dynasty
Muhammad Reza Shah Pahlavi becomes shah
1950’s --- Mossadeq nationalizes oil industry; US coup restores shah
1960s-70s – White Revolution/Khomeini in exile
Islamic Revolution

7. Political Turning Points II
War with Iraq
Khomeini dies; Khamenei succeeds him as Supreme Leader after a power struggle in the Assembly of Religious experts
Reformist Khatami elected president
Reformist candidates win control of the Majlis
Conservatives regain control of Majlis
Conservative Ahmadinejad elected president

8. Achemenian Empire (Persia)
Founded by Cyrus (6th century BCE)
Largest empire in the world at that time
Survived for 200 years
Centralized military leadership
Major rival was the Greeks
Both Greeks & Persians ultimately conquered by Alexander the Great
Alexander left Persian political structure relatively intact

9. King Darius - Zoroastrianism
Iranian sovereigns were hereditary military leaders
King’s authority supported by strong military as well as state-sponsored religion: Zoroastrianism
Zoroastrianism did not survive as major religion but continued to be practiced regularly until 7th century CE.

10. Shi’ism Between 7th & 16th centuries religion held Iran together
Numerous invasions by Arabs introduced Islam to the region
Even when Iranian caliphate was defeated by Mongols in 13th century the Mongolians converted to Islam
Shi’ism established as state religion in 16th century

11. Shi’ism II
Shi’ites – after Muhammad’s death they felt that leadership of the Muslims should be hereditary and pass to Muhammad’s son-in-law, Ali.
Sunnis favored choosing a caliph from the accepted Sunni leadership.
When Ali was killed the Shi’ite opinion became a minority one, but they kept their separate identity.
Shi’ites believe the true heirs of Islam are the descendants of Ali.
The heirs (Imams) continued until the 9th century, when the 12th descendant disappeared as a child, to become known as the “Hidden Imam”

12. Twelver Shi’ism “Hidden Imams”
12th Imam disappeared as a child in 874 CE, did not die however, will come forward and show himself to establish just rule at the end of times, when injustice and corruption reign supreme (Messiah-like figure)
Ulema (Muslim scholars) were willing to give the right to rule to the shahs as long as they ruled justly
By end of the 17th century for a shah’s rule to be legitimate he had to have the ulema’s endorsement
Ulema ultimately established themselves as an institution independent of the state, tithes were often paid to the ulema directly giving them both political and economic influence
The center of Twelver Shi’ism is the city of Najaf, in Iraq

13. Safavid Empire (1501-1722) Established Shi’ite identity in Iran
By mid-17th century converted 90% of population to Shi’ism
Tolerated “People of the Book” – monotheistic religions based on holy books similar to the Qur’an
Relied on local rulers to maintain order and collect taxes
Claimed absolute power but lacked a central state
Monarchy became separated from society and lost power by 1722

14. Qajars ( )
Turkish people that reconquered Iran at end of 18th century
Moved capital to Tehran
Could not claim to be descendents of Twelve Imams
Shi’ite clerical leaders could claim more power as interpreters of Islam, separation between government and religion widened
Suffered land loss to European empires of 19th century, sold oil rights to British in the southwest
Shah led country into serious debt
Iranians were upset over shah’s lavish lifestyle and looked for change

15. Constitutional Revolution
Constitution of 1906
Elections
Separation of Powers
Laws made by an elected legislature
Popular sovereignty
Bill of Rights guaranteeing citizen equality, protection of the accused, and freedom of expression
Majlis & Guardian Council created
Shi’ism became official state religion

16. Pahlavis ( )
By early 1920’s Iran in political and economic disarray
Majlis divided by quarreling factions
Iran divided into three parts after WWI with Russia and Great Britain each occupying a third of the country
Cossack Brigade of the Qajar’s led by Colonel Reza Khan carries out coup d’etat in 1921 and claims himself shah in 1925 establishing the Pahlavi dynasty

17. Pahlavi’s continued Authoritarian rule reestablished in Iran
Majlis loses its power
Reza Shah passes power to his son, Muhammad Reza Shah in 1941
Democratic experiment of 1906 constitution not forgotten, shah challenged domestically
Tudeh Party (communists)
National Front (nationalists) - Muhammad Mossadeq
Mossadeq overthrown by CIA in 1953, Shah reinstated

18. Pahlavi - OIL & the Rent-seeking state
Iran transformed into rent-seeking state under Pahlavi’s rule because of increasing income from oil
Rentier Economy: heavily supported by state expenditure, while the state receives “rents” from other countries*
Iran received increasing revenue from exporting oil and leasing oil fields to foreign countries
By 1979, oil & associated industries provided 97% of foreign exchange and majority of Iran’s GNP
Oil revenue became so great that the government did not have to rely on internal taxes to generate income, paid expenses from oil profits
**The people become unnecessary to the government in this rentier state

19. Pahlavi Influence Centralized State State banks
National radio/TV networks
National Iranian Oil Company (NIOC)
Central Bureaucracy controlled local governments
Majlis became “rubber-stamp” legislature
Secularization in judicial branch (European-style judicial system)
“White Revolution”
Armed forces 5th largest in world by 1979
Patronage – shahs boost personal wealth by seizing property and establishing tax-exempt Pahlavi Foundation that controlled large companies and fed their wealth
Muhammad Reza Shah formed Resurgence Party, claimed Iran was one-party state, named himself head

20. Pahlavi – “White Revolution”
“White” to counter influence of “red” communists
Land reform – government bought land from large absentee owners and clerics and sold it to farmers at affordable prices
Women’s rights (secularization)
Suffrage
Restricted Polygamy
Women allowed to work outside the home

21. Islamic Revolution & the Republic (1979-present)
Dominant ideology of Iranian revolution: Religion
Leader a cleric (Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini)
Theocracy established
Fundamental Islam
Causes
Shah perceived as being totalitarian
Balance between secular and religious state ruptured
Ties with US and the Western world strained/resented

22. Khomeini, Fundamentalism, & Revolution
Islamic Fundamentalism
Literal interpretation of Islamic texts
Social conservatism
Political traditionalism
Resentment toward elites, US, and the Western world
US was the “Great Satan”
Velayat-e faqih (jurist’s guardianship)
Senior clergy given authority over entire Shi’ia community

23. Revolution Oil prices decrease about 10% in late 70s
Consumer prices in Iran increase about 20% at the same time
“Revolution of Rising Expectations” – revolutions occur when people are doing better than they once were and a set back occurs
US puts pressure on shah to loosen restrictions on civil society, in particular restraints on political opposition
Once restrictions were eased many groups join the revolt (students, teachers, labor groups, oil workers, merchants, and professional associations)

24. Revolution II 1978 Rallies organized and led by clerics
Unarmed demonstrators killed in central square in Tehran
Oil workers go on strike
Anti-regime rallies attract 2 million participants
Rallies organized and led by clerics
Shah flees the country in February 1979
Khomeini returns to Iran from exile in Paris

25. Islamic Republic
April 1979 referendum held, Iranians officially vote out the shah, Islamic Republic established
Assembly of Religious Experts – 73 clerics elected by the people draft a new constitution in 1979
US-Iranian hostage crisis on-going during vote to ratify constitution
99% of electorate votes to endorse constitution, although only 75% of eligible voters cast votes

26. Khomeini & the Islamic Republic
Clerics consolidate power
Popular support for regime high
World oil prices rise again, allowing for social programs, improvements in medicine & housing
Iraq invades Iran, people rally around the government
Charisma of Khomeini inspired faith in the government
Khomeini dies in 1989, constitution amended
Ali Khamenei succeeds Khomeini, does not have the same political charisma as the Ayatollah
Iran-Iraq war ends in 1988, country war-torn
Oil prices drop in 1990’s
Population begins to question authoritarian rule of the clerics

27. Constitution of 1979 Mixture of theocracy and democracy
Preamble reflects importance of religion
Velayat-e faqih (Jurist’s guardianship)
Gave broad authority to Khomeini and the clerics