1. History of Iran

2. Persian Empire

3. History Persia—Historical name
for Iran (Name changed to Iran in 1935 at the request of the Shah)
Persians are an Ethnic Group descended from the Aryans
Ruled by dynasties; ruler is Shah
Spoke Persian (Farsi) dialect

4. Persia and Islam 650 A.D. Conquered by Islamic Arabs
Entirely new language, religion and culture was imposed on the Persians
Under the Safavid dynasty (1500s), Iran became the largest Shi'ite country in the Muslim world, which it still is today.

5. Persia and Europe
1722—Beginning of European invasion and influence in the region
Persia sandwiched between a growing Russian Empire in Central Asia and the expanding British Empire in India

6. Never directly invaded, both Great Britain and Russia created a “sphere of influence” over Persia
Sphere of Influence: when a country falls under the political influence of another country; becomes almost like a subsidiary of the more powerful country.

7. Persia and Great Britain
After WWI, claimed as a British protectorate
Protectorate: a state or territory controlled by a more powerful state. It is not a possession of the controlling state. The controlling state typically directs foreign relations and defense. The relationship is established by treaty.

8. 1921: Reza Shah Pahlavi installed as the ruler of the Pahlavi dynasty
Ruled for 16 years
Pushed out British attempt at control
Began to modernize and secularize politics
Central government reasserted power over the indigenous people.

9. Post War Iran
1941 new Shah Reza Shah Pahlavi who ruled until 1979
International hope that Iran would be a constitutional monarchy with Parliament maintaining most of the power.
Shah had a “hands off” style of managing.

10. Oil in Iran
Oil discovered in 1908
British exerted influence through British Petroleum Company
1951 the Prime Minister forced Parliament to nationalize the British owned/run oil industry

11. In return for US support, the Shah agreed to allow a consortium of countries: British (40%), US (40%), Dutch (14%) and French (6%) to run Iranian oil facilities for 25 years.
This left 0% of the control and profits to Iran.

12. Islamic Revolution 1979 Protests forced the Shah to flee
Transformed Iran from a pro-west monarchy to an Islamic theocracy
Control won by Ayatollah Khomeini
New government is extremely conservative

13. Former Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Khomeini

14. Significant Events
1979—Militant Iranian Students seized the US Embassy in Tehran and held hostages for 444 days. Failed US rescue mission
—Iran/Iraq War: Known as the First Persian Gulf War.

15. Significant Events
—Iran/Iraq War: Known as the First Persian Gulf War (until the 1990 Persian Gulf War).
Sparked by a territorial disputes primarily related to the Shatt-al-Arab waterway at the head of the Persian Gulf.

16. Shatt-al-Arab waterway

17. Significant Events
The war was disastrous for both countries—
stalling economic development
disrupting oil exports
costing an estimated 1.5 million lives.

18. Iraq was left with serious debts to its former Arab backers
including $14 billion US dollars loaned by Kuwait, a debt which contributed to Saddam's 1990 decision to invade Kuwait.

19. Significant Events Much of both sides' oil industry was damaged.
The end of the war left the borders unchanged.
1990 as war with the western powers loomed, Saddam recognized Iranian rights over the eastern half of the Shatt al-Arab, reverting to the status quo which he had repudiated a decade earlier.

20. A satellite image showing the Persian Gulf

22. Now, what about their nuclear capabilities?????