Islamic Fundamentalism---Theocracy Iran Islamic Fundamentalism---Theocracy

Iran under Shah Reza Pahlavi (1953-1979)

Shah Reza Pahlavi (r. 1941 – 1977) Institutes Western reforms & ties with the West The majority of his people live in poverty. Brutal suppression of dissidents SAVAK (secret police)

The “White Revolution” - 1963 The Shah’s attempted reforms Divested the clergy of their vast landholdings Declared new rights for women Right to vote Right to attend university Dramatically increased urbanization and industrialization Many saw this as Iran becoming too Westernized and abandoning Iranian/Islamic traditions Exiles the Ayatollah Khomeini after he criticizes the Shah

Ayatollah Khomeini (r. 1979-1989) 1902 – 1989. Became an Islamic scholar Began to speak out against the Shah in the 1960s. Arrested and imprisoned several times by the Shah. Exiled in 1978 & went to France.

The Iranian Revolution

Reasons for the Fall of the Shah The Shah spent the oil profits for top of the line American military hardware. Little money to reinvest back into the Iranian economy. Religious leaders angry with the Shah for too much “Westernization.” Government corruption. The Shah’s constitutional violations of the basic human rights of his citizens.

Why it happened? Opposition to the Shah (Sunni) was wide spread Many Shiites wanted the Iran governed by Islamic law The Islamic clergy became the voice of opposition The revolution was governed by Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini (Shiite)

Anti-Shah Protests

On your Left Side, answer: What cause of the Iranian Revolution does this political button address?

Anarchy & Revolution The Shah leaves Iran on 1/16/79. Facing likely execution should he return to Iran, he died in exile in Egypt

Ayatollah Khomeini Leads the Revolution Khomeini returns to Iran on February 11, 1979 as Supreme Leader

Islamic Fundamentalism and Theocracy in Iran

Iran After Revolution Government Change Theocracy Iran goes from a Shah (king) to an Islamic Republic with a theocratic constitution Theocracy Religious government God is seen as head of state All laws must be in line with religion (in this case Islam)

Islamic State Returns Enemies of the Islamic Revolution are tried and executed All political parties and organizations are banned Independent and non-Islamic newspapers are closed. Banks and Industries are Nationalized.

Iranian Revolution Escalates US interests in the Persian Gulf are threatened. No access to Iranian Oil Cancellation of $7 billion of uncompleted arms contracts Anti American sentiment runs high – US was “The Great Satan”

SAVAK Suspects Taken

Pros and Cons of Theocracy 1. Likely totalitarian: bills easily passed and imposed 2. Strict discipline, so less crime 3. Very adherent to religious principles 4. High patriotism and morale in the case of economic/natural disaster 5. Organized, orderly and effective government 1. Powers of leader are likely to be used for corrupt practices 2. Conservative; limited change 3. Radical, easy to swing to fanatical state 4. Indoctrination, propaganda, no freedom of the press 5. Hard for non-clerics to create sweeping change or initiate new ideas

Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei Replaced Ayatollah Khomeini – June 1989

Iranian Presidents since Khomeini’s Death Hashemi Rafsanjani 1989-1997 Mohammad Khatami 1997-2005 Mahmoud Ahmadinejad 2005-2013 Hassan Rouhani 2013-

Hassan Rouhani An Islamic cleric and a former member of the Majlis & the Assembly of Experts Described as a centrist - supports personal freedom & free access to information Appointed women to government positions Seen as a reformist who has improved Iran's diplomatic relations with other countries through exchanging letters Sept. 27, 2013 - Speaks with President Barack Obama by telephone, the first direct conversation between leaders of Iran and the United States since 1979

Iranian Nuclear Program Since 2003 the US has alleged that Iran has a program to develop nuclear weapons Iran says that its nuclear program is only to generate electricity US and Iran signed the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty US and other countries in violation for not disarming Iran in violation for not reporting nuclear material to IAEA March 8 2006 – US and European countries call on Security Council of UN to act against Iran Mahmoud Ahmadinejad continued to escalate this issue by restricting UN inspectors’ access to Iranian facilities

(c) Copyright 2005 Daniel Heradstveit & G. Matthew Bonham President G. W. Bush State of the Union Address 29 January 2002 “States like these [North Korea, Iran, and Iraq] and their terrorist allies, constitute an axis of evil, arming to threaten the peace of the world.  By seeking weapons of mass destruction, these regimes pose a grave and growing danger.  They could provide these arms to terrorists, giving them the means to match their hatred.  They could attack our allies or attempt to blackmail the United States.  In any of these cases, the price of indifference would be catastrophic.” The “Axis of Evil” is a “creative metaphor”—a metaphor that is capable of giving us a new understanding of the world. In this respect, it is a kind of cognitive breakthrough—an attempt to restructure the international system as it was in the 1930’s—an attempt to see the world through the eyes of the 1930’s.

Iran’s Nuclear Program There have been multiple rounds of negotiations between Iran and the so-called P5+1, which comprises the five permanent members of the UN Security Council - the US, UK, France, China, Russia - and Germany. For years they failed to make headway. But the mood changed after the election of Hassan Rouhani as president in June 2013. Five months later, following secret bilateral talks between the US and Iran, negotiators agreed an interim deal.

Summary of Treaty What Iran will do: Halt enrichment of uranium above 5% purity "Neutralise" its stockpile of near-20%-enriched uranium Not install any more centrifuges (the machines used to enrich uranium)  What world powers will do: Not impose further nuclear-related sanctions Suspend certain sanctions on trade Transfer $4.2bn (£2.6bn) to Iran in installments from sales of its oil