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Most people think that the trigger for the Islamic revolution was the relaxation of the political repression that the “Shah” began in 1977. Also due to corruption, inflation,economic inequality, political changes, social discontent, international crisis, religious opposition and a lot of foreign influence

Rodríguez, A. S. (2020, 8 enero). La revolución islámica (1977-1989). Desvelando Oriente. https://desvelandooriente.com/2016/01/23/iran-3/#:~:text=La%20mayor%C3%ADa%20de%20los%20historiadores,del%20r%C3%A9gimen%20de%20los%20Pahlavi.

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Inside the Cinema Rex theater in Abadan after the fire.

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August 19 of 1977

477 Iranians die in a deliberately set fire at Cinema Rex in Abadan. The government blames the rebels

The effects of human population

The revolution was caused by a conservative backlash against the Westernization and secularization efforts of the Shah, as well as a popular reaction to social injustice.

But it made laws like the "Family Protection Act" disappeared, this affected mainly women in deprivation of their rights but also a whole country was in self conflict and trying to migrate to more open minded places.

Around 40% of the population were looking for asylum and around 3,000 people died fighting in the protests.

ON

December 10-11 of 1978

Millions of Iranians protest all over the country demanding the removal of the Shah and return of Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini.

SOURCES:

-Razipour, K., & Maloney, S. (2019, enero 24). The Iranian revolution—A timeline of events. Brookings. https://www.brookings.edu/articles/the-iranian-revolution-a-timeline-of-events/

-Afary, J. (2024). Iranian Revolution. En Encyclopedia Britannica.

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TIMELINE

On December 29, 1978, the Shah appointed Shapour Bakhtiar as prime minister. Bakhtiar was a long-time nationalist politician and an outspoken critic of the Shah.

On January 12, 1979, Bakhtiar was confirmed as prime minister by the Iranian parliament. On the same day, in Paris, Ayatollah Khomeini formed the Revolutionary Council to coordinate the transition of power.

By February 4, 1979, Khomeini appointed Mehdi Bazargan as the prime minister of an interim government, though Bakhtiar insisted that he remained the head of the only legitimate Iranian government.

On February 10, 1979, Bakhtiar announced a nationwide curfew and imposed martial law. In response, Khomeini ordered his followers to ignore the curfew and rise up in a national revolution.

On February 11, 1979, the armed forces declared their neutrality, which led to the collapse of the Shah’s remaining government. Bakhtiar quickly fled to France, where he was assassinated by Iranian agents in 1991.

Consequences

The revolution had significant consequences: the monarchy was abolished, and a new Islamic regime was established. Negative changes occurred in women’s rights, cultural censorship and repression became widespread, large-scale migration and exile followed, and social control and political repression intensified.

History of Iran: Islamic Revolution of 1979. (s. f.). https://www.iranchamber.com/history/islamic_revolution/islamic_revolution.php/revolution_and_iran_after1979_1.php

History of Iran: Islamic Revolution of 1979. (s. f.). https://www.iranchamber.com/history/islamic_revolution/islamic_revolution.php/revolution_and_iran_after1979_1.php

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The provisional government

On March 8, tens of thousands of Iranian women protested in Tehran against mandatory veiling, marking International Women’s Day. Later, on March 30-31, a national referendum was held to determine whether Iran should become an “Islamic Republic,” with the motion receiving overwhelming support despite offering no alternatives.

By August 3, Iranians participated in elections for the Assembly of Experts, a clerical-dominated body tasked with finalizing the draft constitution. However, due to boycotts by leftist, nationalist, and some Islamist factions, voter turnout was notably lower than in the March referendum. On October 14, the Assembly approved the new constitution, enshrining Khomeini’s doctrine of velayat-e faqih, granting ultimate authority to a religious leader.

Just days later, on October 22, the deposed Shah, Mohammed Reza Pahlavi, was admitted to the United States for medical treatment, a move that drew sharp condemnation from Khomeini.

History of Iran: Islamic Revolution of 1979. (s. f.). https://www.iranchamber.com/history/islamic_revolution/islamic_revolution.php/revolution_and_iran_after1979_1.php

History of Iran: Islamic Revolution of 1979. (s. f.). https://www.iranchamber.com/history/islamic_revolution/islamic_revolution.php/revolution_and_iran_after1979_1.php

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Tehransar, District 21, Tehran, Tehran Province, Iran

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Iranian hostages and their family being liberated.

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Last Actions

November 6

The leaders of Iran’s provisional government resign in protest, ceding uncontested authority of the new state to Khomeini and the Revolutionary Council. Many oppositors are taken hostages.

November 14

U.S. freezes all the property and interests of the government of Iran and the Central Bank of Iran.

December 2-3

Iran’s new constitution is approved without 75% of the electorate.

December 4, 1979

The United Nations Security Council passes a resolution calling for Iran to release the hostages.

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CAUSES Political Repression: The Shah's authoritarian rule, enforced by SAVAK (secret police), suppressed political dissent.

Economic Discontent: Despite oil wealth, income inequality, inflation, and unemployment affected the majority of the population​.

Cultural and Religious Opposition: The Shah's Westernization efforts and secular policies, including the White Revolution, angered traditional and religious Iranians​.

Anti-Western Sentiment: The Shah’s close ties with the U.S. and Britain, especially following the CIA-backed 1953 coup, fueled resentment.

SIDES

Pro-Shah Forces: Included the monarchy, military, and elites benefiting from modernization, with support from Western countries.

OPPOSITION

Islamists: Led by Ayatollah Khomeini, they sought an Islamic Republic based on Sharia law​.

Leftists and Secularists: Marxist and socialist groups advocating for a democratic or socialist state​.

Nationalists: Influenced by Mossadegh’s legacy, they opposed foreign influence and the Shah's dependency on the West​.

1978

January 6: Iranian newspaper Ettela’at publishes a front-page editorial disparaging Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini, reportedly written by the royal court at the directive of the Shah.

January 9: The main bazaar in Qom, where Iran’s largest seminaries are based, closes to protest the defamation of Khomeini. Several thousand protestors attacks symbols of the monarchy; security forces kill at least five people.

February 18: Consistent with Shia tradition, mourning ceremonies are held in cities across Iran on the fortieth day following the death of the Qom protestors. A student protestor is killed in Tabriz, provoking riots and further violence.

March – May: The cycle of protests, repression, violence, and mourning continues in three dozen Iranian cities.

Sources:

Katulis, P. (2023). The Iranian Revolution: A timeline of events. Brookings. https://www.brookings.edu/articles/the-iranian-revolution-a-timeline-of-events/

Sawe, B. E. (2019). The Iranian Islamic Revolution (1978-1979). WorldAtlas. https://www.worldatlas.com/articles/the-iranian-islamic-revolution-1978-1979.html

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1979

December 15

The Shah leaves the United States for Panama.
1980
January 25

Abolhassan Bani Sadr is elected as the Islamic Republic’s first president; within 18 months, he would be impeached and flee the country.

March 14

Iranians vote in parliamentary elections, with a second round held in May.

April 7

U.S. formally severs diplomatic relations with Iran.

April 25

Operation Eagle Claw: Embassy hostage rescue mission fails, after sandstorms cause the crash of one of the helicopters and the death of eight U.S. soldiers.

April 28

Secretary of State Cyrus Vance announces his resignation, submitted to President Carter four days before the rescue operation was launched.

July 9

Iranian authorities discover a coup plot and launch a new purge of the military.

July 27

Shah Mohammed Reza Pahlavi dies in Cairo, Egypt.

September 12

In a speech, Ayatollah Khomeini outlines the preconditions for an agreement.

September 22

Iraq invades Iran, setting off an eight-year conflict that resulted in hundreds of thousands of casualties on both sides. CONCLUSION : The Iranian Revolution of 1979 ended with the overthrow of Shah Mohammad Reza Pahlavi and the establishment of an Islamic Republic under Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini. Following the Shah's exile in January 1979, Khomeini returned to Iran and consolidated power, sidelining other revolutionary factions. A national referendum in April 1979 overwhelmingly voted for the creation of the Islamic Republic, which replaced the monarchy with a theocratic government. Khomeini became the Supreme Leader, and a new constitution based on Islamic principles was adopted.

Sources: Sawe, B. E. (2019). The Iranian Islamic Revolution (1978-1979). WorldAtlas. https://www.worldatlas.com/articles/the-iranian-islamic-revolution-1978-1979.html. Katulis, P. (2023). The Iranian Revolution: A timeline of events. Brookings. https://www.brookings.edu/articles/the-iranian-revolution-a-timeline-of-events/

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Timeline: On June 7th, 1978, The Shah replaced General Nematollah Nassiri, the head of SAVAK; one of his successor's first moves was to order the release of 300 detained clerics

Later on July 20th, protests erupted in Mashhad after the death of a cleric in a road accident; people were killed in the disturbance.

From August 9th to August 10th, the arrest of a cleric provoked riots in Isfahan, and they quickly spread to Shiraz, Qazvin, Tabriz, Abadan, and Ahwaz. The Shiraz Art Festival was canceled and approximately 100 persons were killed.

Location: This event occurred in many key locations across Iran, with significant activity in places like Tehran, Qom, Isfahan, and Mashhad. Tehran, the capital, became a center of demonstrations and strikes, particularly against institutions associated with Western influence.

Geographical Factor: Iran’s diverse topography, with urban centers concentrated in flat plains and surrounded by mountains, allowed the spread of revolutionary ideas through religious institutions and student movements. Rural and urban divides were aggravated by the Shah's modernization programs, which disrupted rural economies and caused mass urbanization, particularly in Tehran and other major cities. This concentration of dissatisfied populations in urban areas, along with social inequalities, set the stage for large-scale demonstrations​.

Sources: Afary, J. (2024, September 9). Iranian Revolution | Summary, Causes, Effects, & facts. Encyclopedia Britannica. https://www.britannica.com/event/Iranian-Revolution

Razipour, K., & Maloney, S. (2019, January 24). The Iranian revolution—A timeline of events. Brookings. https://www.brookings.edu/articles/the-iranian-revolution-a-timeline-of-events/