The Iranian Revolution Background to Marjane Satrapi s Persepolis
Reza Shah Pahlavi Came to power in 1925 by organizing a coup d etat. He oversaw many modernization projects, including the building of roads and railways, the institution of secular education reforms, and the banning of Islamic dress. This angered Islamists. He relied heavily on the military, contro!ed the press, imprisoned and assassinated dissidents, etc. This angered everyone. He also tried to minimize foreign influence, especia!y British. He sold oil to the Germans and that angered British oil companies. He was forced out of power by British and Soviet forces in 1941.
Mohammad-Reza Shah Pahlavi The British and Soviets occupied Iran and got rid of Reza Shah Pahlavi. They put Reza Shah s inexperienced son, Mohammad- Reza Pahlavi, in power. He was expected to be more compliant to British interests than his dad. They were right.
Mohammad Mossadegh During the new Shah s reign, Mohammad Mossadegh was democratica!y elected by parliament to be Prime Minister. He introduced unemployment compensation, ordered factory owners to pay benefits to sick or injured workers, and $eed peasants $om forced labor in their landlords' estates. He also attempted to nationalize the country s oil industry, since he saw the British making too much money $om it. The British convinced the Shah to let the U.S. CIA organize a coup d etat to remove Mossadegh $om office. It was done in 53.
Lead-Up to the Revolution The British were happy, but the Shah was making enemies at home. Iran was making tons of money off of oil but most of it was going to the Shah himself--like on a $100 mi!ion party for the 2,500th anniversary of the monarchy (at Persepolis). While that made the general population mad, he also continued westernization projects, which made the Islamic clergy mad.
More Lead-Up Furthermore, he started the SAVAK, a secret police force, which censured the media and tortured and ki!ed dissidents. *The U.S. CIA trained the SAVAK to use Nazi torture techniques.
Ayatollah Khomeini An Islamic backlash to the Shah was brewing. At the fore$ont of the backlash was Ayato!ah Khomeini. He preached that revolt and martyrdom against injustice and tyranny were central to Shia Islam, the Islamic sect to which he belonged.
Leftist Opposition Groups In addition to the Ayato!ah s conservative movement, there were other groups that opposed the Shah, some of which were supporters of the now exiled Mossadegh. There were communist political parties. There were armed gueri!as. There were secular Marxists.
Protest!
The Revolution Demonstrations start in 1977, beginning with a few hundred people at early ra!ies and growing to over two mi!ion at a time. The SAVAK and the army arrested and ki!ed protesters. In 78, ~ 400 were massacred by the SAVAK at the Rex Cinema. Security forces ki!ed around 84 demonstrators during one particular ra!y, now ca!ed Black Friday. From ~3,000 to ~60,000 people were ki!ed during the revolution, depending on the source of the figure.
The Shah Leaves The revolution succeeds in 1979. The Shah leaves and the Ayato!ah takes power. This marks the end of over 2,5000 years of monarchy in Iran.
Founding the Islamic Republic The Ayato!ah soon consolidates a! power and creates a new government that is based 100% on Islam.
Under the New Regime The Ayato!ah soon enacts legislation that is line with conservative Islamic code, including strict restrictions on women s rights. Opposition newspapers are shut down, and dissidence is repressed. The leftist and secular groups, the same groups that helped to overthrow the Shah and his authoritarian regime, are banned, disempowered, and attacked. The government actively promotes Islam and seeks to eliminate a! secular and American influences.
Persepolis Marjane Satrapi s story begins in 1979, the pinnacle year of the Iranian Islamic Revolution, and it continues into the years that fo!ow. It s funny and sad. I think you! like it.
The End