Iranian History

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Iranian History

• 1945-1979

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Reza Shah Pahlavi (r. 1925-1941)
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Mohammad Reza Shah Pahlavi (r. 1941-1979)
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Mohammad Mossadegh (PM, 1951-1953)
Time Man of the Year, 7 Jan. 1952
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Ayatollah Khomeini (Supreme Leader, 1979-1989)
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1951 Iran nationalizes the oil industry
Mossadegh becomes PM

• 1901 Britain gained its oil concession
• 1909 Anglo-Iranian Oil Company formed (BP today)
• 1933 Britain renegotiated concession terms,
  securing rights to oil through 1993 and at a
  fixed rate of royalty payments to Iran. Royalties
  paid only on crude oil Britain alone gained
  from the AIOCs oil refining operation. Iranians
  excluded from skilled jobs at the AIOC and any
  say in running the company.
• late 1940s Iran worlds 4th largest oil
• exporter producer of 90 of Europes oil

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• My countrymen lack the bare necessities of
  existence. Their standard of living is probably
  one of the lowest in the world. Our greatest
  national asset is oil. This should be the source
  of work and food for the population of Iran. Its
  exploitation should properly be our national
  industry, and the revenue from it should go to
  improve our conditions of life. As now
  organized, however, the petroleum industry has
  contributed practically nothing to the well being
  of the people or to the technical progress or
  industrial development of my country.
• - Mossadegh, speech to the UN, Oct. 1951

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• Persian oil is of vital importance to our
  economy and we regard it as essential to do
  everything possible to prevent the Persians from
  getting away with a breach of their contractual
  obligations.
• - British PM Clement Atlee, 1951

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1953 CIA overthrow of Mossadegh

• Why Mossadegh kicked the Brits out of Iran in
  1952. US worried about the Soviets filling the
  vacuum.
• the British are so obstructive and determined
  on a rule-or-ruin policy in Iran that we must
  strike out on an independent policy or run the
  risk of having Iran disappear behind the Iron
  Curtain.
• - Dean Acheson, secretary of state for Truman,
  1951

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• Mohammad Reza returns from Rome in 1953 after the
  coup, and incorrectly thinks that his people love
  him I knew it! I knew it! They love me!
• He then sought to modernize Iran and to
  consolidate his power
• Renegotiated oil concession (Iran got more )
• Disbanded National Front (Mossadeghs group) and
  imprisoned its leaders
• Banned the Tudeh Party
• Est. secret police, SAVAK

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1961 shah imposes White Revolution
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1979 Iranian Revolution

• Protests against the shah begin in 1978
• Jan. 1979 Shah goes into exile
• Feb. Khomeini returns
• March Iranians vote for an Islamic Republic
• Dec. Iranians approve new constitution

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Ayatollah Khamenei(Supreme Leader, 1989-present)
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Mahmoud Ahmadinejad(President, 2005-present)