“Divine governments … set themselves the task of making man into what he should be. To juxtapose ‘democratic’ and ‘Islamic’ is an insult to Islam. Because [sic] … Islam is, in fact, superior to all forms of democracy.” - Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini 1979 [Source: The Iran Threat: President Ahmadinejad and the Coming Nuclear Crisis - Alireza Jafarzadeh
I stumbled across this book the other day at borders and decided to buy it after seeing the title. I have recently had a lot of interest in Iran and their government as well as their people. It is really interesting to see how the government has shifted since the time of the Shah.
In the late 1970's there was an increase in sentiment that opposed the Shah. The Shah was a moanrch by the name Shah Mohammad Reza Pahlavi. Pahlavi and SAVAK brought terror to the Irani people. They had very little to know freedom.
The exiled Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini who spent time in Turkey, Iraq, and later France truely lead this revolution. While in France at the end of his exile, he made statements about a need to bring democracy to Iran and to bring freedom to the people of Iran.
On January 16, 1979, the Shah and empress leave Iran under the direction of PM Dr. Shapour Bakhitar who was an opposition leader. Bakhitar freed political prisoners, dissolved SAVAK, made the army allow demenstration, and invited Ayatollah Khomeini to return.
Khomeini returned to Tehran February 1, 1979. Shortly after this, Khomeini refuses to recogonize Bakhitar as te PM and appoints interim PM Mehdi Bazargan.
Eventually, Khomeini writes a constitution that denies human rights to many. He insists that the nation become an "Islamic Republic" and holds election which are fixed. He eventually allow a Prime Mininister and later a president to hold some power, but holds final say over all decisions.
After Khomeini's death, he is replaced by Ali Khamenei who follows in the same role but with laws made to be more stringent. Even after the revolution spoke poorly of SAVAK they ended up creating a similar if not worse organization in the IRGC as well as other government organizations that deny rights to fair trial as well as most if any rights to women. This government is also non-USA supported.
Based on prior or new knowledge of the Shah versus the current Irani government, which would be the most beneficial to live in for the Irani people?
From an American standpoint, which government would be more beneficial for use in foreign affairs in the Middle East?
Do you think that the war in Iraq might be over if the Shah or a new Shah was in power or do you think that the Shah would have little to no impact on the war in Iraq?
Do you think that nuclear proliferation would occur in Iran under either of the two governments?
Do you think the shah posed as much a threat to the state of Israel and Zionism as the current government does?
feelings and relationships, I find your commentary to be very significant and am glad someone actually reads! It is so hard sometimes, to find people who read and think deeply about issues, and I really enjoyed your questions and your ideas on the matter. Iran is so complex that it is nice to see someone acknowledge it
I really appreciate your comment. I think the best way to learn about something is to try and describe it and ask people what they think so you can get a variety of different views on an issue.
"Religion is the sigh of the oppressed creature, the heart of a heartless world, just as it is the spirit of a spiritless situation. It is the opium of the people."
Karl Marx