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Modern Iranian History. Revolutions The Hostage Crisis The Iran-Contra Scandal “Axis of Evil”?. Middle East Map. Iran’s Geography. Access to two important waterways: The Caspian Sea & The Persian Gulf Mountains: The Elburz & Zagros Population: 63 Million. Reza Shah the Great.
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Modern Iranian History Revolutions The Hostage Crisis The Iran-Contra Scandal “Axis of Evil”?
Iran’s Geography • Access to two important waterways: The Caspian Sea & The Persian Gulf • Mountains: The Elburz & Zagros • Population: 63 Million
Reza Shah the Great • Came to power in 1921 • Promoted Nationalism & Modernization • Changed name from Persia to Iran • Oil Reserves brought both Soviet & British interest (Anglo-Iranian Oil Company) • Built Trans-Iranian RR • Overthrown by Allies
Mohammed Reza Shah Pahlavi • After overthrow of his father, the new Shah is permitted to ascend to the throne by Allies • All Oil in Iran was foreign owned and Iranians began to voice displeasure • Continued reforms
Dr. Mohammad Mosaddeq • Prime Minister Mosaddeq supported Iranians Claim of Nationalization of Oil • Shah fled country after failed removal of Mosaddeq • Got caught in the Cold War labeling, was not communist but took their support against West • CIA backed his overthrow, 1953 • Became icon for anti-imperialism
The Shah Returns (1953-1979) • Returned after Mosaddeq was removed • Instituted 4 years of martial law • Centralized power and became a dictator event though there was a “democratic system” set
White Revolution • Western reforms • Banished Chadors (Veils) • Women gained right to vote • Land Reform • Workers gained rights
Dark Side of the Shah • Crowned himself King of Kings • Repressed all opposition • Instituted the SAVAK, Secret Police • Discontent Grew • Islamic leaders targeted • Economic gap between elite and others
The U.S. Supports the Shah • The U.S. & Iran under the Shah had a great relationship • Iranian Oil was sold to the U.S. & Iran bought military items from the U.S. • The Iranian public received next to nothing from the wealth flowing into Iran
The public makes its feelings known • A common sight during the revolution was images of the Shah burned by protestors • This discontent continued to grow with repressive responses by the military
Black Friday • The military shoots its own citizens in what became known as Black Friday and doomed the Shah • Hundreds are killed on this day as a turning point in the revolution
Statues of the Shah are taken down • Reminiscent of other dictatorial statues which have come down, all types of public depictions of the Shah were removed
The Coverage of the Events • In the Iranian News their was a celebratory tone • In the U.S. media there was uncertainty over the direction of the revolution
Former Oppressors are Targeted • SAVAK Members are arrested • Former Generals under the Shah face charges and are executed • Radical Stage of Revolution
Ayatollah Khomeini leads the Islamic Revolution (1979) • An Islamic Cleric who had been banished by the Shah years earlier returns to lead Iran • Viewed as “Supreme Leader” above the secular government • Establishes a theocracy (religious government)
Iranians demand return of the Shah • Shah goes into exile in January 1979 spending time in NY and in Egypt • Iranians demand that he be returned to face charges for his years of autocratic rule
Iranian Students Storm the U.S. Embassy • The U.S. Embassy in Tehran was taken with the approval of Ayatollah Khomeini in November 1979 • The students demanded that the Shah return • The 52 hostages were held for 444 days • This crisis led to late night news with the creation of Nightline with Ted Koppel
The Crisis affects the 1980 Election • The Nation was severely affected by the hostage crisis. • Carter was defeated in 1980 by Ronald Reagan, who truly began the current Conservative movement in the government. • The hostages were released on the day Reagan was inaugurated.
The Iran-Iraq War • Iraq invades Iran in September of 1980 • The U.S. sells arms to both sides during this bloody conflict. • Iran has three times Iraq’s population. • It is estimated that 400,000-700,000 were killed. An estimated 800 billion was the eco. cost.
Iraq uses Chemical Warfare • Used Mustard Gas and Tabun against Iran’s human waves in 1985 • Saddam Hussein ordered chemical attacks against Kurds within Iraq in the village of Halabja in 1988
The U.S supports Iraq in the War • In December of 1983 presidential envoy Donald Rumsfeld, visited Iraq. • The U.S. supported Iraq as it feared an Iranian victory in the region.
Iran-Contra Affair • In 1985 a secret arms deal between the U.S. and Iran took place through Israel. • Monies from the arms sales was then used to support a counter-revolutionary group in Nicaragua • Oliver North an NSC official is at the core of the scandal • Congress investigates looking to find out how high the scandal reaches.
Iran Today • Cleric Mohammad Khatami is currently the 5th President of Iran, elected in 1997 with 70%. • Has great support from the youth of Iran, re-elected in 2001 with 78%. • Is considered more moderate than previous leadership.
State of the Union Speech 2002 • “Iran aggressively pursues these weapons and exports terror, while an unelected few repress the Iranian people's hope for freedom.” • “States like these, and their terrorist allies, constitute an axis of evil”
Nuclear Threat? • This is a nuclear facility in Natanz, Iran. • Is Iran looking to build a nuclear weapon or is it trying to harness nuclear power? • Will there be an escalation in the conflict?
