An Understanding of Why We’re Called The Great Satan

 We could go as far back as we want to in Iran, but for our purposes I think the 1920s is where we’re going to start  I’d rather focus more on the present conflicts with Iran and understanding why so much of the Western World is uneasy at Iran’s current politics  As always, we need a base level of understanding though—hopefully this mini-lecture provides it

 Reza Shah Pahlavi was the first of the Pahlavi dynasty to rule in Iran (shah = king)  In 1921, he headed a British coup to oust Russian troops from Tehran, Persia (Name of country changes from Persia to Iran in 1935)  From , Reza Shah was not actually ruling in Iran, but he was “calling the shots” from the background  Reza Khan became prime minister of the new regime in 1923 but still does not have full power in the country Still, he’s able to begin reforms on military and security forces He revamps the police and intelligence units of the country

 In 1925 Parliament declares him as the new Shah and the Pahlavi dynasty is officially established He abolishes opposition political parties He harasses and/or assassinates those who are threats He uses the military to suppress political opposition He does nothing to promote democracy He uses Parliament as a “rubber stamp” to push through any legislation he wants  The shah is interested in a new legal code and judiciary system  He can’t completely abolish the standing religious courts but he limits religious ruling authority  Iran had always been a strong Islamic country, and many of the Muslim clerics in Iran had significant power

 This is the son of the original Reza Shah, who took over after his father was believed to be conspiring with the Germans during WWII  Britain and the USSR invaded Iran and forced Reza Shah to abdicate the throne, but they let his son rule Iran  The new Shah came in amidst social and political problems (obvious, if they were just invaded), economic problems, and food shortages  The new Shah vowed to yield to Parliament, but as time moved forward he became increasingly involved in gov’t affairs  He relied on manipulation more than leadership and was, accurately, accused of having a corrupt gov’t  As the Cold War grew throughout the ‘50s and ‘60s, the Shah became a key ally to the West This is likely because a 1949 assassination attempt on the Shah was attributed to the pro-Soviet Tudah Party

 Though an ally of the U.S., the Shah had a repressive regime where what “he says, goes”  Iran was tied to Israel as well, angering many in the Middle Eastern world (and strong Islamic believers in his country)  The cultural Westernization of Iran was something that the Ayatollah Khomeini and his allies wailed about The Shah allowed dating Men and women could hold hands in public This was taboo in Iranian society before the Shah

 The inconsistency of the Shah’s rule and the expansion of the SAVAK (an FBI-type organization) led to increased distrust through the ‘70s—and to some, hatred—of the government It was understandable since the SAVAK would assassinate and torture people  With increasing oil revenues, the Shah tried to get Iran to become a regional power focused on social reform & econ. development However, he avoided democratic institutions and favored some over others  The Shah saw himself as the heir to the kings of ancient Iran…so what do you think he thought of those who challenged him?  In 1976, he replaced the Islamic calendar with an “imperial” calendar, which began with the foundation of the Persian empire Many in Iran viewed this as anti-Islamic

 Despite U.S. support, the Shah’s reign ended in 1979…we’ll talk about why that happened tomorrow