Mohammad Reza Pahlavi The Shah of Iran Shah

Mohammad Reza Pahlavi The Shah of Iran § Shah – former title of the monarch in Iran § Mohammad Reza Pahlavi, also known as Mohammad Reza Shah, was the last King of Iran from September 16 1941, until his overthrow by the Iranian Revolution on February 11, 1979. § While in power, the Shah lived a life of lavish luxury which distanced him from the common Iranian. § He was described as being arrogant, cold, and distant § It was believed he lacked any common touch with

The Shah of Iran § Reza Shah was the first leader in the region to abolish the veil § Many Persian women thought that abandoning the veil was a sin, and many Persian men did not like the idea of their wives engaging in "unchaste" behavior at the decree of a man other than themselves. § Clothing was not only political; it also served a symbol for power and wealth. As Iran became closer with the West and oil ushered in a period of prosperity, men and women spent more money on Western fashions in an attempt to identify with the world's most powerful and wealthy nations. § In the 70 s, the veil became political again, especially among female university students. Many adopted it again as a sign of their opposition to the Shah's secular tyranny. § After the revolution, the Ayatollah mandated women–whose veil use represented deviation from the dictates of the Shah– wear "Islamic" dress in public.

The Shah of Iran § Under the Shah, the middle class comprised the majority population. Today, most are lower income. § Women's formal education remained limited, which meant that they were still dependent on men for financial stability. § After the Revolution, many of the modern cultural norms that the Shah had established were done away with. (Soccer, however, was not one of those. ) § However, since these reforms were forced through by a power-lusting Shah, Iranian modernity also produced a wave of anti-government, anti-secular revolutionaries. § After the Shah's fled from Iran in January 1979, revolutionaries overwhelmed his loyal troops and ushered in the age of the Ayatollah Khomeini. § In April 1979, Iran became an Islamic Republic.

Ayatollah Khomeini • He became a religious scholar and in the early 1920 s rose to become an 'ayatollah', a term for a leading Shia scholar. • As a young boy, he excelled at his studies at a school dedicated to teaching the Qu'ran. • Ayatollah Khomeini became the supreme religious leader of the Islamic Republic of Iran in 1979. • Following his appointment as Ayatollah, Khomeini worked to remove the Shah from power for his associations with the West. • Upon the success of the revolution Ayatollah Khomeini was named religious and political leader

American Hostage Crisis in Iran § This conflict is often described as the United States' first brush with political Islam. § Fifty-two Americans were held hostage for 444 days from November 4, 1979 to January 20, 1981 § Iranian college students who supported the Iranian Revolution took over the U. S. Embassy in Tehran. § In 1979, the Ayatollah Khomeini installed an anti-Western Islamic theocracy, which replaced the pro-Western monarchy of the Shah of Iran. § The U. S. was referred to as "the Great Satan" by the new Iranian government, and Iranians looked at the United States with suspicion because of its role in keeping the Shah in power. § Iranians felt the United States meddled too much in Iran's internal affairs, and were afraid the CIA was plotting to return the Shah to power. § The Ayatollah himself blessed the hostage-taking at the embassy, further fueling the government's hard line against the United States.