Friday, June 23, 2017

Iranian Revolution and the Islamic Republic

Danilo Anton
The Iranian revolution, also known as the Islamic Revolution, was the revolution that transformed Iran from an absolute monarchy under Shah Mohammad Reza Pahlavi, into an Islamic republic under Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini
Shah Mohammad Reza Pahlavi was due to go into exile in January 1979, after strikes and demonstrations paralyzed the country, and on 1 February 1979 Ayatollah Khomeini returned to Tehran and was received by millions.
The final collapse of the Pahlavi dynasty came shortly afterwards, on February 11, when Iran's army declared itself "neutral" after guerrillas and rebel troops overtook troops loyal to the Shah in the armed street fighting. Iran officially became an Islamic Republic on April 1, 1979, when the Iranians overwhelmingly approved a national referendum to do so.

The ideology of the 1979 Iranian revolution

The ideology of the revolutionary government is populist and nationalist Shi'ite Islam.
Its constitution is based on the concept of velayats-e faqih the idea advanced by Khomeini that Muslims require "guardianship", in the form of rules issued by recognized Islamic jurists. Khomeini served as supreme leader until his death in 1989.
The capitalist economy was replaced by Islamist and populist policies. Much of the industry was nationalized, laws and schools islamized, and Western influences restricted or prohibited.
Following the events of the revolution, marxist guerrillas and federalist parties rebelled in some regions (Kuzistán, Kurdistán and Gonbad-e Qabus), resulting in serious clashes between the rebels and the Islamist revolutionary forces. These revolts began in April 1979 and lasted between several months. The Kurdish uprising, led by the PDKI, was the most violent, lasting until 1983 and causing about 10,000 deaths.
From; "Lands of little rain and much blood", Danilo Anton, Piriguazú Ediciones.

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