1. Modern
Iran
(1951-today)

2. Constitutional Monarchy
Iran under
Shah Reza Pahlavi
( )
Constitutional Monarchy

3. Shah Reza Pahlavi (r. 1941 – 1979) Constitutional monarchy
Institutes Western reforms & ties with the West .
Tries industrialize, give land to the poor, improve human rights and women’s rights
But, the majority of his people live in poverty.
Brutal suppression of any who opposed him Q5

4. Besties to the Westies!! Shah Pahlavi and wife Farah
Iranian elite/upper- and intellectual classes: very pro-Western.

5. The Shah with Several American Presidents

6. The Shah with President Jimmy Carter

7. The
Iranian
Revolution

8. 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.

9. Anti-Shah Protests

10. Anarchy & Revolution
The Shah leaves Iran on 1/16/79. He received asylum in Egypt where he later died.

11. Ayatollah Khomeini Leads the Revolution
Khomeini returns to Iran on February 11, 1979 after being exiled. Q7

12. 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.
Deported in 1978 & went to France.

13. Triumphant Muslim Clerics & Iranian Soldiers
A theocracy is created! Q8

14. The Fate of the Shah’s Generals

15. The
Islamic
Republic
of Iran

16. Women in Iran
Women’s rights and education became less of a focus.

17. Support for the Palestinian Cause
Funds Hamas and Hezbollah.
The Ayatollah with Yasir Arafat.

18. The
Iran-Iraq
War ( )

19. The Iran-Iraq War (1980-1988) Causes: Ethnic disputes Border disputes
Religious disputes
US chooses to publicly support Iraq while secretly selling weapons to Iran.
Received a lot of backlash when this was made public
Ended in ceasefire
Q10

20. The Iran-Iraq War: Taking Sides

21. Current Supreme Leader
Ayatollah Ali Khamenei is the head of state and ultimate religious and political authority in Iran
1989 to present
Makes final decision on
economy, environment, foreign
policy, education, national
planning, and everything else in Iran

22. President Hassan Rouhani
President since 2013
Was reelected in 2013
Seen as a moderate
Has improved women’s
rights and domestic
freedom (like access to
information) in Iran.

23. Iranian Nuclear Weapons Deal
Between Iran and the 5 permanent UN members (China, France, Russia, United Kingdom, United States)
Signed in 2015
Limited Iran’s enriched uranium and needed to make nuclear weapons while still allowing them to power their country
2018—President Trump announced the US would withdraw from the deal.