culture in iran pre revolution

and "The Shah is the guilty one! The Iranian Revolution changed Iran in many ways, especially in the day-to-day lives of its citizens. Najmabadi, Afsaneh. But the Shah's increasingly authoritarian measures and his eventual dismissal of multiparty rule set the stage for the infamous revolution. More than this is intolerable, either for me or for you or for any other Iranian. The hostage crisis ended with the signing of the Algiers Accords in Algeria on 19 January 1981. This alarmed many of Iran's neighbours, particularly Kuwait, Iraq and Saudi Arabia as well as Western nations dependent on Middle Eastern oil for their energy needs. Leftist and Islamist groups attacked his government (often from outside Iran as they were suppressed within) for violating the Iranian constitution, political corruption, and the political oppression, torture, and killings, by the SAVAK secret police. From early 1979 to either 1982 or 1983 Iran was in a "revolutionary crisis mode. The hostages were formally released to United States custody the following day, just minutes after Ronald Reagan was sworn in as the new American president. Mosaddegh was unmoved by Britain's campaign against him. These revolts began in April 1979 and lasted between several months to over a year, depending on the region. Pre-Revolution Iranian Culture The earliest writings on Islamic music were from the 9th century The earliest songs were the huda,from the huda came nasb, rukbani and many other kinds of music, these all came from the nomadic people In the markets competitions of music and poetry were held frequently. [100][101] Led by the leftist intellectual Saeed Soltanpour, the Iranian Writers Association met at the Goethe Institute in Tehran to read anti-government poetry. Mahmoud ARGHAVAN - A Cultural Bricolage: Local Traditions and Global Styles in Contemporary Tehrani Youth 4. [248] Leaders of the Freedom Movement of Iran were compelled to make and publicly broadcast apologies for supporting the Front's appeal. [citation needed] The Islamic Republic lags some countries in transparency and ease of doing business according to international surveys. Other reforms included the sale of state-owned enterprises to private interests and profit sharing in industry. More recently, Bahs in Iran have been deprived of education and work. [73], This idea of rule by Islamic jurists was spread through his book Islamic Government, mosque sermons, and smuggled cassette speeches by Khomeini[74][75] among his opposition network of students (talabeh), ex-students (able clerics such as Morteza Motahhari, Mohammad Beheshti, Mohammad-Javad Bahonar, Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani, and Mohammad Mofatteh), and traditional businessmen (bazaari) inside Iran. Khomeini was now not only the undisputed leader of the revolution,[5][148] he had become what some called a "semi-divine" figure, greeted as he descended from his airplane with cries of 'Khomeini, O Imam, we salute you, peace be upon you. [139], The telegram touched off a vigorous debate in the American cabinet, with some, such as National Security Advisor Zbigniew Brzezinski,[139] rejecting it outright. [178] The policy enacted by the revolutionary government and its attempts to limit the rights of women were challenged by the mobilization and politicization of women that occurred during and after the revolution. Removal of Shah's statue by the people in University of Tehran. I appoint the government, I appoint the government in support of this nation". [136], After the success of what would become known as a revolution, Ayatollah Khomeini returned to Iran as its religious and political leader for life. '[149] Crowds were now known to chant "Islam, Islam, Khomeini, We Will Follow You," and even "Khomeini for King. [105] 9 January 1978 (19 Dey) is regarded as a bloody day in Qom. [9][101] He decided to appoint Jafar Sharif-Emami to the post of prime minister, himself a veteran prime minister. It wasn't until 1905 that the first public movie theater was opened in Tehran. Operation Ajax was born, in which the only democratic government Iran ever had was deposed. Our opponents do not dare act against us. The shahs dependence on the United States, his close ties with Israelthen engaged in extended hostilities with the overwhelmingly Muslim Arab statesand his regimes ill-considered economic policies served to fuel the potency of dissident rhetoric with the masses. [326], The value of Iran's currency declined precipitously after the revolution. [122], The Shah did not attempt to crack down on strikers,[111] but instead gave them generous wage increases, and allowed strikers who lived in government housing to remain in their homes. Bakhtiar went into hiding, eventually to find exile in France. What the Shah did not expect, however, was that the White Revolution led to new social tensions that helped create many of the problems the Shah had been trying to avoid. Under the shah, Iran had more political, social and cultural life than any of its neighbors. On 4 November 1979 youthful Islamists, calling themselves Muslim Student Followers of the Imam's Line, invaded the US embassy compound in Tehran and seized its staff. [111] In his speech he stated "I have heard the voice of your revolutionthis revolution cannot but be supported by me, the king of Iran". [118], Against the wishes of Khomeini, Shariatmadari called for 17 June mourning protests to be carried out as a one-day stay. The rebels began storming police stations and military bases throughout Tehran. [308] However, the push-back of the Shii clerics made progress difficult, and the government had to contain its promotion of basic women's rights to the norms of the patriarchal social hierarchy in order to accommodate the clerics. [298][299] In the latest HDI, however, Iran has since fallen 8 ranks below Turkey.[300]. She further explains that the cultural, ideological, social and material factors shaping the social life and class differences in the period just prior to the revolution need to be studied in order to understand how the Iranian women's social consciousness developed and how it led them to take part in public protests. Over 20 people lost their lives in these university confrontations. They tried to reform conditions after the death of the ayatollah. "[304] Fear of SAVAK has been replaced by fear of Revolutionary Guards, and other religious revolutionary enforcers. Mohammad Rezas father, Reza Shah Pahlavi, was an army officer who founded the Pahlavi dynasty in 1925 as he became the ruler of Iran. This gave women the right to divorce on the same grounds as men, and both had to go in court for divorce. Iranian culture is rich in cultural symbolism, much of which derives from prehistoric times. In 1952, Mosaddegh nationalized the Anglo-Iranian Oil Company and became a national hero. [156][157], Some sources (such as Emadeddin Baghi, a researcher at the Martyrs Foundation) claim 2,781 protesters and revolutionaries were killed in 197879 during the Revolution. Will the royal family finally be able to return to their home? Iran is a totalitarian state that has repressed its citizens and held firm against granting liberties especially womens rights. An injured revolutionary during protests against Pahlavi regime. Getty Images/Getty Images News/Getty Images, Iran Chamber Society: History of Iran White Revolution, Countries and Their Cultures: Iranian, Persian, The New York Times: 1979 Irans Islamic Revolution. It increased the power and number of clerics on the Council of Guardians and gave it control over elections[214] as well as laws passed by the legislature. Outwardly, with a swiftly expanding economy and a rapidly modernizing infrastructure, everything was going well in Iran. [231][232] These dissidents were sentenced to death by the Islamic Revolutionary Courts during show trials in more than eighty-five cities across the country on charges of spreading "corruption on Earth" (ifsad-fi-alarz), "espionage", "terrorism", or "enmity against Allah" (Moharebeh). Two major political groups that formed after the fall of the Shah that clashed with and were eventually suppressed by pro-Khomeini groups, were the moderate religious Muslim People's Republican Party (MPRP) which was associated with Grand Ayatollah Mohammad Kazem Shariatmadari, and the secular leftist National Democratic Front (NDF). Students began to take to the streets in protest. [14][100], The chain of events began with the death of Mostafa Khomeini, chief aide and eldest son of Ruhollah Khomeini. It this graphic novel about what she recalls growing up as a child within Iran.Much of what I remember early on, is the fact the progressive values, what would be considered normal to us ( schools of both boys and girls, lack of religious necessities ) were stripped from the people as they were linked to the ideals of Capitalism; from the implementation of religion becoming law, this was the first I had ever heard of a cultural revolution. Under the progressive light, I can see how much more favorable Reza Shah may seem to people than the current Islamic Republic, and to that i can only hope that strong, concrete reform is met with the current day Iran. Supporting the protests from beyond Iran's borders, he proclaimed that "freedom and liberation from the bonds of imperialism" was imminent. [13] Students were screened by committees and those found unfit were not allowed to continue their studies. Following the death of Ayatollah Boroujerdi, some of the scholars like Murtaza Mutahhari, Muhammad Beheshti and Mahmoud Taleghani found new opportunity to change conditions. [2], The Cultural Council continues ensuring that the education and culture of Iran remain "100% Islamic", per Khomeini's mandate. On 16 January 1979, Pahlavi left the country and went into exile as the last Iranian monarch,[13] leaving behind his duties to Iran's Regency Council and Shapour Bakhtiar, the opposition-based Iranian prime minister. Universities were closed to purge them of opponents of theocratic rule as a part of the "Cultural Revolution", and 20,000 teachers and nearly 8,000 military officers deemed too westernized were dismissed. We are not afraid of economic sanctions or military intervention. [24], Much of Iranian society was in euphoria about the coming revolution. He followed in his familys path to become a Shiite scholar and teacher. [162], The songs most closely associated with the revolution are epic ballads, composed during and in support of the Islamic Revolution and in opposition to the Pahlavi dynasty. But in little more than a generation, Iran had changed from a traditional, conservative, and rural society to one that was industrial, modern, and urban. Can a name become a metaphor for civil rights? Popular ayatollah Mahmoud Taleghani supported the left, while perhaps the most senior and influential ayatollah in IranMohammad Kazem Shariatmadarifirst remained aloof from politics and then came out in support of a democratic revolution. In January of 1979, the shah and his family fled Iran on what was officially described as a vacation.5Shortly after this Khomeini returned and took control of the country as the religious leader of the revolution.6 On April 1, he officially declared Iran an Islamic republic.7 The shah and everyone in his regime, met the same fate his father did all those years ago, as they were officially sent into exile. Womens rights were stripped away and, in my opinion, women are seen helpless in that area of the world. Many of these people are not able to return to Iran still, and some of them may never get the opportunity to go back. Censorship is handled by the Ministry of Culture and Islamic Guidance, without whose official permission, "no books or magazines are published, no audiotapes are distributed, no movies are shown and no cultural organization is established. [9][6][111] By the beginning of November, many important officials in the Shah's government were demanding from the Shah forceful measures to bring the strikers back to work. [20][101], On 5 November, demonstrations at University of Tehran became deadly after a fight broke out with armed soldiers. The White Revolution was a far-reaching series of reforms in Iran launched in 1963 by Shah Mohammad Reza Pahlavi and lasted until 1978. The prospect of a fall into communism and a "second China" (after Mao Zedong won the Chinese Civil War) terrified the Dulles brothers. Reza Pahlavi currently lives with his wife and three daughters in Washington, D.C. Revolutionary leaders in Iran gave and sought support from non-Muslim activists such as the Sandinistas in Nicaragua, IRA in Ireland and anti-apartheid struggle in South Africa, even so far as favoring leftist revolutionaries over Islamist, but ideologically different and strategically harmful causes, such as the neighboring Afghan Mujahideen. The military leadership was increasingly paralyzed by indecision, and rank-and-file soldiers were demoralized, having been forced to confront demonstrators while prohibited from using their own weapons (and being condemned by the Shah if they did). Corrections? Therefore, in the decades following the establishment of the new parliament, a number of critical events took place. [234][235][236] When protests were organized by the National Democratic Front (NDF), Khomeini angrily denounced them saying, "we thought we were dealing with human beings. In addition to the president, the new constitution included a more powerful post of guardian jurist ruler intended for Khomeini,[213] with control of the military and security services, and power to appoint several top government and judicial officials. Block after block of Western symbols such as movie theaters and department stores, as well as government and police buildings, were seized, looted, and burned. Supporters of the revolution both within and outside of Iran began calling for the overthrow of monarchies in the region and for them to be replaced by Islamic republics. [49] Within 2 years, Nasir al-Din Shah found himself powerless to stop the popular movement and cancelled the concession. They started producing TV programs that came to Iran secretly on videotapes with a delay of several months. [17] While the revolution achieved its goal of ridding the universities of Western influence, it also greatly weakened Iran in the fields of science and technology needed for development. [256] In terms of future relevance, the conflicts that originated from the Iranian Revolution continued to define geo-politics for the last three decades, continuing to do so today.[257]. . Well written article. In more traditional villages, however, the new laws were rarely enforced. Some left easily with their families on vacations, but others had to leave on foot through mountains hoping to survive the journey to safety, praying to be reunited with their families one day. In addition to interrupting the freedom, education and professional livelihood of many, and striking "a major blow to Iran's cultural and intellectual life and achievement,"[5] it contributed to the emigration of many teachers and technocrats. On September 8 the regime imposed martial law, and troops opened fire against demonstrators in Tehrn, killing dozens or hundreds. Popular dishes in Iranian culture were turkey, khoresht (stew served with white rice), ash (a thick soup), and polo (white rice with additional meat and vegetables. Consequently, to the Iranian public, Bakhtiar was seen as the Shah's last prime minister, undermining his support. [115] In addition, it was the Islamic holy month of Ramadan, bringing a sense of increased religiosity among many people.[109]. [113][101] Revolutionaries gave flowers and civilian clothes to deserters, while threatening retribution to those who stayed. The program was economically successful, but the benefits were not distributed evenly, though the transformative effects on social norms and institutions were widely felt. [109][135] He and the protest organizers planned a series of escalating protests during the holy Islamic month of Muharram, to culminate with massive protests on the days of Tasu'a and Ashura, the latter commemorating the martyrdom of Imam Hussein ibn Ali, the third Shia Muslim imam. [245], By mid-1981 matters came to a head. Its unfortunate that religion and government seem to be in such opposition in many countries, however, specifically in Iran. The final collapse of the provisional non-Islamist government came at 2pm on 11 February when the Supreme Military Council declared itself "neutral in the current political disputes in order to prevent further disorder and bloodshed. The occupation was also intended as leverage to demand the return of the Shah to stand trial in exchange for the hostages, and depose Prime Minister Mehdi Bazargan, who they believed was plotting to normalize relations with the U.S. Although it is one thing in the USA that we believe in the freedom of religion we shouldnt judge this country either. The deaths shocked the country and damaged any attempt at reconciliation between the Shah and the opposition. [109][111] Due to his failure to stop the protests, Prime Minister Amuzegar offered his resignation. [116][133] He stated he would begin to work with the opposition to bring democracy, and would form a coalition government. This was a very enlightening article about the Islamic Republic and the Iranian monarchy. [228], Between June 1981 and March 1982, the theocratic regime carried out the largest political massacre in Iranian history, targeting communists, socialists, social democrats, liberals, monarchists, moderate Islamists, and members of the Baha'i faith as part of the Iranian Cultural Revolution decreed by Khomeini on 14 June 1980 with the intent of "purifying" Iranian society of non-Islamic elements. Iran remained a deeply religious nation of predominantly Shiite Muslims but the shahs reforms encouraged an increasingly secular society. [297] Overall, Iran's Human development Index rating has climbed significantly from 0.569 in 1980 to 0.732 in 2002, on a par with neighbouring Turkey. [113] The largest was in Tabriz, which descended into a full-scale riot. Along with Russia, the U.K. then pushed Reza Shah into exile in 1941, and his son Mohammad Reza Pahlavi took the throne. 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