Chronology of Iranian Revolution
The Iranian Revolution has also been known as the Islamic Revolution. It began in 1978 when the first major demonstrations were held by the Iranian people to show their discontent with the Shah. After several strikes and demonstrations began to paralyze Iran and its economy, the Shah fled the country in January 1979 and when Ayatollah Khomeini returned to Iran from exile, he was greeted by millions of Iranian people.
The Pahlavi Dynasty collapsed on February 11th when Iran’s military declared that it would remain neutral after guerrillas and rebel troops overwhelmed the military who swore loyalty to the Shah. Iran officially became an Islamic Republic on April 1, 1979.
The country then approved a theocratic constitution which named Khomeini as Supreme Leader of Iran. The speed and success of the revolution came as a surprise to other countries in the world. It had not been precipitated by a military defeat, financial crisis or peasant rebellion and although both nationalists and Marxists joined with the Islamic traditionalists to overthrow the Shah, the revolution resulted in an Islamic Republic under Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini.
While some believe that the rise to revolution status began in 1963, it ultimately set the stage for the government that Iran follows today. During January 1963 the Shah embarked on a campaign to begin modernization and westernization of Iran.
By launching the White Revolution, he started a program of land reform as well as social and economic modernization. During the late 1960s, he became very dependent on the secret police in controlling opposition movements that were the result of his reforms.
Martial law was imposed by the Shah when his authoritarian rule led to the first riots, strikes and mass demonstrations in 1978. During January 1979, the Shah and his family were forced into exile as the political situation of Iran quickly continued to deteriorate.
Just one month later Ayatollah Khomeini returned to his home country of Iran after 14 years of exile in Iraq and France for opposing the Shah’s regime.
The chronological events that led up to the ultimate result of Iran becoming an Islamic Republic were drawn out and violent.
From the mass murders of students during protests to the several hundred Iranian people who were killed while performing a martyrdom tradition, the Shah forced the Iranian people to overthrow their former beliefs and put their trust into Khomeini to lead Iran back to peacefulness.