thanks Cosmos - I just read the post you highlighted here
Ive had quite alot of good and lasting friendships with Iranian folk -many of them were students in the Uk in the era just before the mullahs stepped -they couldnt get back home once the revolution happened so they stayed in europe the uk - hospitable,generous and kind and with a love of real cultural values - their ancient culture -music, poetry,architecture ,art etc.Incidentally anyone who openly protested against the Shah was would meet with the Savak (secret police intelligence.)
In a way the majority of people have always found themselves in the middle - History and geolocation being a major contributory factor.
they told me about how they as a culture in their entire history people have consistently continually been caught up in external influences more recently around the 1890s a key one being around between two major imperials powers -Russia and UK ( aka The Great Game)***
good context info on this here
The Great Game: Britian and Russia covet Iran
also how the cia and mi5 instigated a coup in 1953 to remove the then prime minister -Mossadegh -A key motive was to protect British oil interests in Iran after Mossadegh nationalized and refused to concede to western oil demands as he had saught an audit into the finances of the anglo/iran oil company toverify that AIOC was paying the contracted royalties to Iran, and to limit the company's control over Iranian oil deposits . the AIOC refused to comply with this and the Iranian government immediately nationalise Iran's oil industry and to expel foreign corporate representatives from the country.Britain instigated a worldwide boycott of Iranian oil to pressure Iran economically. Then after the coup the Shah(pavalavi) was the positioned as Kingof Iran of course heavily backed by USA and Uk-the coup strengthened the Shah's authority, and he continued to rule Iran for the next 26 years as a pro-Western monarch. good link here about this period under his rule
Reza Khan Shah of Iran 1921 to 1941
theres a well known quote in iran that many mention--"He(the Shah) was both admired and hated, often by the same person"
before the coup Iran's Parliament in a near unanimous vote approved the oil nationalization agreement. The bill was widely popular among most Iranians, and generated a huge wave of nationalism, and immediately put Iran at loggerheads with Britain (the handful of MPs that disagreed with it voted for it as well in the face of overwhelming popular support-The nationalization made Mosaddegh instantly popular among millions of Iranians, cementing him as a national hero, and placing him and Iran at the center of worldwide attention.Britain now faced the newly elected nationalist government in Iran where Mosaddegh, with strong backing of the Iranian parliament and people, demanded more favorable concessionary arrangements, which Britain vigorously opposed.Britain saw its position weakened by the rise of nationalism. The US tried to exploit this weakness for its own profit. Both powers made the error of trying to operate through the shah and conservative elements.Mossadeq was arrested, tried by a military court and convicted of treason. His popularity saved him from execution, and, after serving a 3-year sentence in solitary confinement, he was allowed to live out his life under house-arrest until his death in 1967. He became a national hero to Iranians, who blame the CIA and the British for the coup. Throughout his career he consistently supported democratic rule and freedom from all foreign influence.
The plot between the CIA, Princess Ashraf and the US ambassador was hatched in Switzerland in the early summer of 1953. On August 12, the Shah signed a decree replacing Mossadeq with Zahedi, but Mossadeq was tipped off, and the plot failed - loyal elements of the army foiled the attempt to arrest him, and a backlash ensued. The army took control of Tehran, while Tudeh(Iranian Marxist-Leninist communist party) -sponsored anti-monarchist demonstrations and broadcasts persuaded the Shah to flee - to Baghdad and then Rome. Looting and rioting ensued in Tehran and other cities - encouraged and paid for by the CIA, acting on behalf of the British and American governments. Mossadeq was yet to realise that the US was behind the coup - believing himself safe with the Shah gone. Duped by an American promise of aid if he did so, he ordered the army to clear the streets of rioters. On August 19 there was a huge demonstration which ended with an attack on Mossadeq's house. General Zahedi appeared in the afternoon with 35 Sherman tanks. After a nine-hour battle, 300 were dead, Mossadeq had fled and his house was burnt down.
Iran joined the Baghdad pact (with US, UK, Turkey, Pakistan and Iraq) - an important Cold War alliance against the USSR's potential influence in the region. Iran spent most of its extra revenue, as well as much of the generous US aid, on defence, or prestige projects of dubious value. The CIA, assisted by Mossad, the Israeli secret service, used their experience to help develop the intelligence service SAVAK - soon to become the detested enforcers of the shah's repressive domestic policies, with 5,300 full-time agents.
Intellectual life was stifled - writers reflected the country's mood of depression and despair, for which some were imprisoned. The Majlis was dominated by land-owning conservatives, so that land reform went into reverse - instead of being redistributed to the poor in the countryside, it was repossessed by the shah and his family. The small emerging middle-class was distracted by its thirst for westernization - reflected in rampant consumerism and new projects - badly-built high-rise offices and apartment blocks, motorways, hotels, department stores. Though Iran was politically stagnant in the 1950s, elsewhere things were changing fast: the overthrow of the monarchies in Egypt (1956) and Iraq (1958) sent a warning. Inflation, falling wages, strikes, corruption were preparing the way for a second US-backed coup - this time against the shah himself.
In 1963, the shah's reforms (as drafted by Amini,finance minister ) were approved in a near-unanimous referendum, despite demonstrations, and a boycott by the National Front and the Islamists. The opposition didn't object to the reforms, as much as to the way the shah was exploiting them to legitimise his rule. For the first time religious leaders played a part in the protests, alongside the thousands of shopkeepers, office workers, teachers, students and unemployed who took to the streets. Resistance was savagely stamped out - protesters were killed, tortured and imprisoned.
Ruholla Khomeini had recently become an Ayatollah after the death of the Grand Ayatollah Borujerdi - who, along with Ayatollah Kashani, had led the clerical establishment in unwavering support for the shah. In Qom, Khomeini began preaching against the phony referendum, denouncing the reforms as a ruse to bring Iran even more tightly under the thumb of the USA and of selling out to Israel, whose economy Iran was boosting by supplying oil.In June 1963 he was arrested after an emotional attack on the shah in a sermon: several days of rioting followed in which at least 125 people were killed when heavily armed troops were sent in with tanks. Martial law was declared, and machine guns opened fire on the crowds.
His main supporters were the small bazaar traders, traditionally fiercely religious. The uprising was on a local scale, however, and was no serious threat to the shah. Khomeini was spared the death sentence and released in March 1964. He returned to Qom, where, undaunted, he continued his attacks. He was particularly incensed by what he saw as rampant colonialism, when the shah accepted a loan of $200,000,000 from the west to build up his army:
They have reduced the Iranian people to a level lower than that of an American dog. If someone runs over a dog belonging to an American he will be prosecuted. Even if the shah himself were to run over an American dog… Iran has sold itself to obtain these dollars.
On the same day as the Majlis ratified the loan, Khomeini's house was surrounded by special forces, who put him on a plane to Turkey. Later he moved to Najaf in Iraq, and in 1978 to Paris***, where he continued to be a focus for the opposition. But as yet he was not its leader. And the shah now believed he could easily crush dissent with a bit of ruthless suppression. He was wrong.
The fall-out from the economic boom and stampede towards the cities had by now led to unemployment, shortages - housing, social services, electricity; and disillusionment, frustration and anger. The scheme of regional dominance proved over-ambitious and short-sighted. He was completely reliant on US resources. His neighbours did not appreciate his initiatives - seeing them for what they were: designed solely to enhance the shah's prestige and influence. President Nixon's unconditional support was replaced by President Carter's caution, in the aftermath of Viet Nam. With the shah less confident in US backing, the suppressed opposition began to assert itself again. The shah belatedly tried to show America he was willing to relax his oppressive regime - a bit. Some political prisoners were released, a meeting with Amnesty International took place, the National Front dared to raise the idea of return to constitutional rule, the Writers' Association pressed for an end to censorship
there was an economic boom Between 1963 and 1979
GDP per capita rose from $200 to $2000.
New industries flourished to absorb workers from the countryside - coal, textiles, vehicles, though wages stayed low.
Women's rights in the home and in employment were recognised.
Expansion of schools and universities: numbers in education increased by around 400%.
Health: hospital provision grew, and improved health and lower infant mortality fuelled a population boom.
in regard to oil The shah now had more say in production levels, and received more of the profits. In 1973, the price of oil doubled twice - thanks to the Yom Kippur war and the formation of OPEC (of which the shah was a leader). This meant he had even more to spend on weapons - he had more Chieftain tanks than the British Army. By 1974 the shah had achieved Mossadeq's ambition of Iranian control - which now gave him unprecedented wealth, and diplomatic influence
Iran was in love with American products - cars, Coca-cola - but hated the Americans; the 50,000 who now lived there (by 1979), and their colonial attitudes towards them. Americans lived in their own communities, with their own shops, schools and even hospitals 'Incidents' between Iranian citizens and Americans became frequent
Clash of lifestyles country people now living in south Tehran had little in common with the westernised middle classes of the north. They resented the presence of unveiled women in the latest fashions, and the adverts for a consumerist society they could never be part of (even if they wanted to).
in1975 the Rastakhiz party was inaugurated-
party recognised the Shah partly as spiritual as well as political head of a new Iranian era. He abandoned the Islamic calendar, he told Iran to look forward to being one of the world's five foremost powers. He controlled prices in the bazaars and markets. He began exercising control over the
ulama - arresting and imprisoning any who challenged his regime.
Having survived assassination attempts, he began to imagine that like Cyrus and Darius he was protected by the Divine
to make sure, though, he avoided meeting his subjects as much as possible, and his public appearances were usually behind bullet-proof glass. Intellectuals were meanwhile tasked with devising a specifically Iranian philosophy of monarchy - "neither Eastern nor Western".
By 1978 the shah's dreams collapsed finally: he was seen now as an American stooge, rather than as the regional champion against communism. A people's uprising couldn't (or rather wouldn't) be suppressed by his army. Abandoned by the US, his belated and half-hearted moves to meet demands roundly rejected, he left Tehran on 16 January 1979. Ayatollah Khomeini returned after 14 years to a hero's welcome. The fabled 2,500 years of Persian monarchy was over - the Islamic Republic was created.
So theres a little context here that explains quite alot of things about the experiences and mindsets that Persian/Iranian people have experienced -
something I witnessed with most of my Iranian Freinds was their deep love of their longterm history and values and imoe I feel they turn to that and connect with that as an anchor - clearly an ancient culture with much heart energy and wisdom/knowledge...
so sad that this has been continually usurped and overwhelmed by STS consortiums .
here's a link to timelines of the Islamic Republic (1979 to 2024)
The Islamic Republic of Iran (IRI) 1979 to 1981 with some rreally good info and background.
I feel personally as within alot of matters the context is always crucial !! pertinent questions such as whats the background - who is involved ,whats the history etc etc - this avoids alot of the delusional postings and news clips (most with no context or research )I see regarding the current situation in Iran-
anyway the iranian people are much in my thoughts and prayers for the very best - they deserve it -as we all do !
I personally realize that I know very little (if anything) about Iran, the history of that country and its people and that most of what “I know“ about them has been what I heard for decades from german/english mainstream sources.
On the other hand, from what I have seen, it seems like Iran has and continues to produce quite capable and smart people. I also know that it has been meddled with heavily not so long ago by the CIA/MOSSAD. I also think it is probably the only big and important country in the world that for decades has called Israel/America out very directly and openly for what they are doing not only towards Palestinians. It is basically the only country that dared to stand up so strongly and openly about all the BS that has come from the US/Israel/west empire.
I also heard from a source I would tend to trust (who happens to have direct and high level personal connections to Iran) that how the west has portrayed that country seems to be almost directly the opposite of what is actually the case. See
here:
