979 Shah Mohammed to raise our pocket he was overthrown by a revolution that put an end to a monarchy that was more than 2500 years old. Its renewed i didnt believe it was an uprising at 1st. You can hope. Thats 2 or 13 regimes for 1st gradually and then suddenly. The shahs mistake was to want to do too much too fast mohamed raise our pocket he was the last shah of iran and a key figure in World Politics during the 2nd top of the 20th century. His arch opponent was the shiite Ruhollah Khomeini who became a beacon of resistance to the shops rule. To buy food to go to see the 2 of them were. Opposites both in terms of social image and personality. But i think those they became very fierce antagonists absolutely when the shot developed or. Almost of session with. Their rivalry lasted almost a lifetime eventually the shah was defeated and with the ayatollah his victory came islamic fundamentalism a new challenge for World Politics. In september 941 at the height of the 2nd world war the Iranian Parliament swore in 21 year old mohammed to raise our posterity as the countrys new head of state. His father a razor sharp levy had declared iran neutral but make no secret of his sympathies with the nazi regime the allies demanded his abdication. Since hitlers invasion of the soviet union in 1941 the british and americans had been transporting heavy military equipment through iran to aid russians and their fight against the german reich. I say 5 and up to one with a shot abdicated and fled iran he left his son behind president Mohammad Reza stayed in iran raise a shot told him to remain there and take over last year. Mohammed razors father had prepared him for this moment from a young age as. Once hed always had a special role among his siblings his father chose his sons playmates and sent him to an elite Swiss Boarding School to receive a western education. He also dictated who he would marry. The egyptian princess found. A union that ultimately would end in divorce razor sharp wanted this arranged marriage between the 2 ruling families to strengthen the power of the parkland the dentist in iran. And he was of very very powerful charismatic figure who completely dominates the suns life. 300 kilometers southwest of the capital tehran lies the away says city of hama and the youngest of 6 children ruhollah more sabi khomeini was born here in 1902 in a house on the outskirts of the city his father was murdered when he was just 5 years old. The case was officially never solved but khomeini always held praise as shah responsible. Until the end of his days as a love from a new thought that there is a shop a survey have intervened and to say the murder that was the bitterness lived in them because in his writings you know every now and then uses those whose fathers have big killed by a desire shot. Growing up without a father would shape the rest of khomeinis life his mother put him in the camp of a wealthy aunt who made sure he got a good education. Common he started school aged 5 a Village School teacher taught him to read and write and he proved to be a quick learner far more capable than his classmates. While the children played he studied and read the koran. Before razor sharp was forced to abdicate he had launched a comprehensive program of reforms he wanted iran to become a modern country and one of his moves was to ban women from wearing the traditional veil known as the shadow of the clergy accused him of meddling in their affairs and a wave of protests and chewed. Khomeini was now starting islamic law and he also felt that this was a fundamental violation of the principles of islam. It must have come as a relief to form a new when razor sharp was pressured by the allies to abdicate khomeini demanded that iran should return to being governed by islamic law but his demands fell on deaf ears. Razor sharp died in exile in south africa in 1944 war eyes were on his son when he took over. People were intrigued to see how he would solve the conflict with the clergy that he had inherited from his father up until then his public image had always been rather reserved. For the young shah now or showed surprising determination like his father he wanted to modernize the country and its society but he also wanted to end the religious dispute. Khomeini had by now started teaching as law and he found a willing audience among Young Students who are becoming increasingly radicalized one shiite fundamentalist group called itself. Islam the devote of islam it still exists today. Its members came from poor districts have. Tehran and campaign for a theocratic state based on the quran they wanted all western influences banned and to force women to cover up in public. A couple of years they really became very important because the 1st assassinated of intellectual missive. Who campaigned against islam the day proceeded further assassinated the Prime Minister. Was. The cleric who gave the. Cleric or cover the president and. Just kill somebody unless. He writes a fact as for example. 949 unknown attackers tried to kill the shah many believed the devoted behind the attempted assassination although that was never proven the Iranian Parliament accused the pro moscow today party and banned it a move the shah approved of because he wants an issues of communism as he was of radical islam his political path was leading him toward the west. Im looking. At the canter 25th. Here you go. Here and the great of the democracy in the. U. S. President harry s. Truman and the people of america gave sharma had a razor and exuberant welcome when he arrived in november 949 of course this wasnt a purely selfless gesture america was looking to gain access to the immense while reserves in iran. The shah also needed support for his plans to modernize the country and was interested in Technical Innovations like the hoover dam but not everyone shared his enthusiasm for the west. That slammed a page the country was totally dependent on the shar was dependent on the americans and the british but we wanted to have an independent state. A country that was in control of its own fate. One that made its own decisions soaps and shy that. The postwar Global Economic boom was fueled by one thing in particular boil the largest refinery in the world was being built an up or down not far from the Persian Gulf Oil production had been a predominantly british enterprise since the start of the 20th century the Anglo Persian Oil company in iran was like a state within a state. In march 951 the Iranian Parliament decided to nationalize the oil industry and britain cut off its supply to iran many skilled british workers had to leave the country the state takeover of the Oil Facilities was popular but the oil embargo soon caused an economic slump extreme part is like the communist today party. Exploited the crisis for their own ends. The shah even briefly fled into exile to escape the line of fire. Several camps were now fighting for power in iran including the mourners and their followers and various political groups like the communists who wanted to abolish the monarchy in favor of a peoples republic the shark it only hold on to his power with help from the us the American Intelligence Service the cia gave him money and helped him to set up his own secret Police Called sa back. To. The shah was willing to team up with any ally who would fight against the influence of communism from the soviet union the clerics were traditionally anti communist and promonarchy so he tried to win them over to his side but it didnt work. He certainly thought that that ideological backing was religion. And that again another mistake that he made. Region as particularly as incarnated boyd the sheer clergy could never have because. The ideological framework on which to build modernization and it was an ice age. In december 1959 tehran witnessed huge celebrations press photographers from all over the world fought for the best picture of mohammad a razor park larvae and his new wife. After 2 failed marriages his 3rd wife the new queen would soon give birth to the much awaited heir to the throne and ensure the future of the path of eden estate. With the shah by her side father. Became an influential figure in her own right she accompanied him on his trip to america in 1962 by the couple were warmly received. Together with john f. Kennedy as president bashar intensified iran u. S. Relations the 2 of them agreed that only a Strong Military could fend off the latent threats from the soviet union the u. S. Promised aid to strengthen irans armed forces and in return for weapons america would get oil. It was i think ari. Often the americans gave the shah modern weapons to build up his armed forces. There were countless military advisors in iran who decided what would be done and what wouldnt ask you after. That and the things they did was certainly not a service to democracy that bush diminished a democratic. In the 960 s. Iran was still very much a developing country most people were tenant farmers with most of the land in the hands of feudal lords and big landowners including numerous mourners and religious foundations. Was. On january 8th elevenths 963 the sham put forward a comprehensive Reform Program aimed at significantly improving the peoples Living Conditions he called it the white revolution. And you know this if he can link the white revolution that his majesty decided to undertake was truly his idea and his decision. He wanted his country and his people to develop the vision j. Lo bit at a nationwide referendum was held on the vast majority voted in favor of the Ambitious Program it aimed to abolish the feudal system privatized state owned companies combat illiteracy and give women the right to vote they want allowed to vote in the referendum but were allowed to fill in unofficial ballot papers to register their support of the rakyat he wanted iran to modernize white but pollution was intended to make iran better and it did in many many ways it ended feudalism in iraq thats not an easy thing to do. The starting point of the white revolution was a land reform which met with staunch resistance from the clergy the shan gave more than 500000 hectares an area twice the size of luxembourg to 30000. 00 poor families. Yet that it would affect me yet. There were rumors that the shans reforms were carried out under pressure from america which would have meant they would only have served colonial and imperialist interests and not those of the iranian people. In other words they were being carried out on foreign on american orders because they are. Socalled educational soldiers were sent to Village Schools to teach children how to read write and count. Adult farmers and nomads also had to go to school the shot included people from all social classes in his campaign. The way i. Described i doubt id made sure i voted to see if there was an army for literacy but not for real education. I mean of course its a good thing that people are literate but literacy doesnt equal political education theres a big difference for u. T. Should be little. And segue also into shit and or political education was banned in schools and in universities. For boards and. Comm a name became the spokesman for a group of mourners who rejected this policy as being pro western. And. That was a martial law for many and one of the at the time the Ayatollah Khomeini was someone who represented the people and the opposition that is on the hollow fundal was he bravely articulated their demands which is why we supported him. As i told the khomeini him oh yes we go for many votes of the at that khomeini was now very much in the public eye he was no longer the young clergyman he had been in the city of course complaining about razor sharp and holding back out of respect for his teachers so on and now he was the grand ayatollah he gathered a considerable following and had much more potential to mobilize the people and britains. Khomeini took advantage of this enhanced power imagine from the shadows and adopting an. Gress if stance towards the shahs policy is for the 1st time he publicly want him against continuing in the ways of his found. Coming he send a couple of letters directly addressed to the shah and the shark gave a couple of lectures speeches directly responded. Ive quoted those at length in the shop and theyre remarkable kamini for his defiance. Telling the shop boy. Dont do something so that i throw you out of the country like your father and the shah say these little. The world is like ants like. Who survived in feces we are not going to let them rule this country. A key element of the white revolution was to strengthen the role of women in Iranian Society. Iranian women enjoyed their newly acquired rights under selfconfidence that came with them not only could women vote they could even run for political office. It was a milestone on the Journey Towards female emancipation. Khomeini and his followers believed the foundations of their faith while under threat from the new role of women in politics and society and head back how many denounced corruption state violence and the torture employed by the assad back secret police threatening what he called the tyrants of our time with a black reaction to the white revolution. Calling anyone die. Ziad the car back then khomeini was the only one who spoke out against the shah. To go out. He threatened to portray him as a sinful person and. A religiously sinful person to mention and to organize a revolt against him. And i stand here you mean sure that is your. Demonstrations and counterdemonstrations swept the country the shah sent the army into the holy city of qum and khomeini was arrested and sentenced. Debt. The sentence was mitigated after intervention from the clergy but khomeini was forced into exile in a jaf in iraq. Meanwhile the white revolution was running into problems in the country signed. The farmers now had their own fields to cultivate but they often lacked seeds water and modern farming equipment. To him. That he usually is that as the 7 for. The land reform resulted in people having to move out of their villages and into the cities such as terror. But they couldnt live in the city centers so they settled on the outskirts. It was these marginalized communities that became the soldiers of the revolution was decided was an analog for them. When khomeini arrived in one joffe the stronghold of shiite islam in iraq he initially withdrew from public life now aged 60 he was isolated and believed that his time was coming to an end many Iranian Clerics wanted nothing to do with his Political Activities he started taking a renewed interest in the study of the holy scriptures and talked with just a few of his students to keep up to date with the situation in iran. Family members who had accompanied him into exile were amongst his few supporters. It was this distant figure very little interest in anything other than his mosque and his books in never went once 2 blocks from his house the other side to see a river. Went to his mosque and came home for 14 years. Back in iran the shah had always maintained that he wanted to achieve something phase country before he finally ascended the Peacock Throne now he finally allowed himself to be crowned in a lavish coronation in october 19th 67. He knew how important it was to display the dentist his religious foundations and always involve the clergy and his public appearances so he had their support as he took up his rightful place as the new shon shock the king of kings. He also had his wife crowned empress and elevation unprecedented in irans long history i mean she medium only can is that good to be said remembered as the when his majesty placed the crown on my head it was as if he put it on the heads of all women. It was a very important moment in the history of our country. I didnt think that i had become important in my own right. I saw it as a sign of progress and respect for women. Earlier in 1987 the glamorous couple had been on a state visit to the federal republic of germany where they were greeted by president col hina luca and Chancellor Court kissing up to visit focus primarily on Economic Times between the 2 countries the shop visited the Big Steel Companies along the rhine and he needed help to industrialize his country for example building new dams for agricultural irrigation it was a lucrative opportunity for german businesses. But the ugly side of the shahs regime was revealed during the couples visit to the opera and ballet and when members of savak attacked demonstrators protesting against oppression and torture in iran the situation escalated in the shahs visit and the protests against his policies became a turning point in the history of west germany. I. I to drive his white revolution forward the shah used capital from abroad to upgrade his countrys technology he invested billions in electrification and in various industries. He wanted iran to catch up with the modern world and become the global power it once was. I think that our country in the next 10 years will be what you are today. In the next 25 years according to other people im not saying that would be among the 5 most prosperous countries of the world. The iranian capital in particular had started opening up to western culture and was quickly becoming a modern metropolis very few women still covered up in public and young people could travel freely and get an education abroad terence people enjoyed all the advantages of a cosmopolitan city where they were free to express themselves. But as far as the political structures were concerned nothing had changed embodied by the shah himself the monarchy remained an all powerful and unaccountable avoid to chime in does who are here feel that he wanted to decide everything all by himself for good that was the mistake behind all his failures. And what ultimately led to his demise and the if you