1978–1979 · Middle East · Rights
A broad coalition of religious, secular, student and labour opposition brought down the Pahlavi monarchy. Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini returned from exile and an Islamic Republic was established through a turbulent revolutionary process.
Atlas dossier · Cold War & DecolonizationFree device narration · synchronized English captions · transcript available
Why it matters
A broad coalition of religious, secular, student and labour opposition brought down the Pahlavi monarchy. Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini returned from exile and an Islamic Republic was established through a turbulent revolutionary process.
Iranian protesters · workers · students · Ayatollah Khomeini · Shah Mohammad Reza Pahlavi · women organizers
The revolution transformed Iran, influenced political Islam and altered the strategic relationships linking the Middle East, the United States and global energy markets.
Interpretation note
This dossier distinguishes the event’s basic chronology from later arguments about meaning, responsibility and legacy. When comparing religious, national, Indigenous or scholarly interpretations, consult the primary and institutional sources above alongside peer-reviewed historical work.
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