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Mgr. Eva Taterová, M.A., Ph.D.
Politics and Society in the Middle East
IRAN: FROM WESTERN ALLY
TO ISLAMIC REPUBLIC
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PERCEPTION OF EXCEPTIONALITY
1.Glorious history (thousands years of the empire) + feeling of cultural supremacy
2.Indo-European origin and language.
3.Shia Islam.
4.
—Significant impact till today on Iranian foreign politics and the political status of Iran in the
Middle East.




POLITICAL DEVELOPMENT TO WW1
—1906-1911 civil war in Persia (attempts to make some constitutional changes).
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—Growing geostrategic significance of Persia due to the oil resources (1908 oil discovered in
Masjed Soleyman).
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—WW1: Persia declared neutrality à 1919 Anglo-Persian treaty – Persia became the protectorate of
Great Britain.
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—Change of the ruling monarchy: 1926 Qajar dynasty replaced by Reza Khan (dynasty Pahlavi).
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PERSIA BETWEEN WORLD WARS
—Change of the ruling monarchy: 1926 Qajar dynasty replaced by Reza Khan (dynasty Pahlavi).
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—Difficult political position between Great Britain and USSR (expansion of communism, dispute over
the division of the Caspian Sea).
—
—Continuing economic problems: oil trade limited by D‘Arcy‘s concession, the oil extraction made by
Anglo-Iranian Oil Company (Great Britain got most of the earnings, Persian government received only
16 % of the profit).
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—Rapid modernization of the country according to the western standards (economy, education,
culture) – partial success.
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—1936: official change of the name from Persia to Iran
(= land of the Aryans).

IRAN DURING WW2
—At the beginning of WW2, Iran declared neutrality.
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—In June 1941 military occupation of Iran by Soviet Union and Great Britain (later replaced by USA)
à Reza Khan was forced to abdicate from throne à his son Mohammad Reza became the new shah.
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—Occupation of Iran during the war very unpopular among the local population à January 1942 Great
Britain and USSR declared that they would withdraw from Iran at latest 6 months since the end of
the war + would provide the financial compensation.
—
—Tehran conference 1943 (Churchill, Roosevelt, Stalin) – discussion of the current events of WW2,
confirmation
of the territorial integrity of Iran.
teheran_conference.jpg

IRAN IN BIPOLAR WORLD
—Strategic position of Iran.
—
—Fears that USSR shall attempt to include Iran among its satellites:
—Significant support of USSR to the Communist Party of Iran (Tudeh).
—Reluctance to withdraw from northern Iran.
—November 1945 the declaration of independent Kurdish People‘s Republic (unsuccessful).
—Pressure from USA and Great Britain on USSR in UN à January 1946 Soviet troops forced to leave
northern territories of Iran.

IRAN IN 1950s – MOSADDEQ‘S CASE
—USA became the guarantor of political sovereignty of Iran (1947 Truman‘s doctrine) – close
relations to shah Mohammad Reza.
—
—Mohammad Mosaddeq was the leader of Iranian nationalists à 1951 prime minister of Iran – the
attempts to nationalize Iranian oil industry that time under control of Great Britain.
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—UK and USA saw Mosaddeq as anti-western politician who might cooperate with USSR à CIA organized
the coup against Mosaddeq à damage of USA image in Iranian society.
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—Mosaddeq became a symbol of US oppression of the country.

IRAN-USA MUTUAL RELATIONS
—USA fully supported the regime of Mohammad Reza even though shah was criticized for his autocratic
government, violation of human rights etc.
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—Iran under shah understood as a close US ally in the Cold War and
the guarantee of stability in the Middle East.
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—USA provided a significant economic aid to Iran as well as supplies of weapons and military
equipment.
—
—Close collaboration of secret services.

GROWTH OF OPPOSITION
—1963 Ruhollah Khomeini had a famous speech in Qom where he criticized the shah for his alleged
atheism, corruption, and friendly ties to Israel and USA à arrested and later forced to leave to
exile.
—
—Khomeini‘s popularity had increased in Iran especially in the conservative part of the society but
he also had support of those who disapproved the shah‘s regime (corruption, secret police, limited
civil rights etc.)
—
—Opposition against shah was rather heterogeneous: Communist Party (Tudeh), republicans, Islamic
nationalists, anarchist, etc.
khomeini.jpg
Ruhollah Khomeini

REVOLUTION 1978
—Sometimes titled as Islamic revolution but
this is not precise – the revolution was made by many fractions
of the opposition, the Islamists took power only after few months (“revolution eats her own
children“).
—
—During the whole year 1978 massive demonstrations and strikes all over the country à January 1979
escalation of the situation – shah lead the country while ayatollah Khomeini came back to Iran as
the hero of the revolution.
—
—March 1979: referendum à declaration of Iranian Islamic Republic – Khomeini became the supreme
leader with the support of the Revolutionary Guards.
iranian revolution.jpg

IMPACTS OF IRANIAN REVOLUTION
—Big shock in the western countries.
—
—Disruption of regional stability – increase
of radicalism in the Middle East due to the effort of Iran to export the revolution (support of the
radical groups in Middle East: Lebanon, Palestinians, etc.).
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—Breaking of the mutual relations with USA (hostage crisis in USA embassy in Tehran)
—
—Crucial changes in Iranian society
(Marjane Satrapi: Persepolis).




IRAQ-IRAN WAR 1980-1988
—President of Iraq Saddam Hussain tried to take the benefits from the political situation in Iran à
the decision to attack Iran while the country is weak and unstable.
—
—Iranian leaders were able to use the war for their own interests: consolidation
of their power, setting the new law more easily, elimination of the opposition.
—
—Tanker war – the intention damage of tankers transporting oil to the world markets by both sides à
second oil shock – finally, the intervention of US navy.
—
—No side was able to get the obvious victory, both of them heavily damaged by the long conflict à
roots of the future political issues such as war in Kuwait.
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—1985: Iran-Contras Scandal.

POLITICAL DEVELOPMENT OF IRAN SINCE 1990s
—1990 death of ayatollah Khomeini à new supreme leader ayatollah Ali Khamenei – not as charismatic
as his predecessor à increase of power
of Iranian president.
—
—A certain improvement of mutual relations with USA in late 1990s under president Khatami – only
temporary.
—
—Iran got significantly damaged in the war with Iraq à during the time economic progress and
strengthening of the political power in the region (one of the regional great powers and religious
leaders).
khamenei.jpg
ayatollah Khamenei

IRANIAN NUCLEAR PROGRAM
—Big political issue since 2003.
—
—Iran claim that their nuclear program is intended only
for the civil purposes but this argument is often questioned
by the international community à blaming Iran from non-transparency and no adequate collaboration
with International Atomic Energy Agency.
—
—Increase of tension – fears
from the other war in the Middle East.
—

IRANIAN NUCLEAR PROGRAM
—2015 Lausanne‘s agreement: end of economic sanctions against Iran, decrease of nuclear
centrifuges, regular controls of IAEA in Iran.
—
—In 2018: USA decide to renew the sanctions à growth of tension.
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—January 2020, assassination of general Qassem Soleimani in Bagdad à escalation of tension.
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POSSIBLE REFORMS OF IRANIAN REPUBLIC?
—Since the revolution, there have been the discussions if the Islamic republic can survive.
—
—Demonstrations in Iran in 2009-2010: protests against the results of the elections – suppressed by
the government.
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—Regime still get supported by the Revolutionary Guards: next to the police pressure there are also
the social programs that have got a great impacts on the population.
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—Since 2021 new Iranian president Ebrahim Raisi.
protests_Iran_2009.jpg

CURRENT PROTESTS
—September 2022: death of Mahsa Amini (22) in the detention – beaten to death by Iranian religious
police?
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—Mass protests all around the country – brutal response
of the regime (at least 233 protestors killed, more than 1,500 arrested).
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—Can these protests destabilize the regime?




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—THANK YOU FOR YOUR ATTENTION