HISTORY137 - Iran Part 2: The Islamic Republic of Iran

This blog is Part 2 of the history of Iran.  My previous blog, Part 1 of this subject, covered the thousands of years of Iran’s dynastic monarchy history up to 1979, when Iran became the Islamic Republic of Iran.  Part 2 starts in 1979, and covers the history of the Islamic Republic of Iran to the present, including (at the time of this post) the ongoing Iran War with the U.S. and Israel.

I’m going to cover this history of Iran in several sections that I decided were appropriate to tell the whole story:  the 1979 revolution, cultural development, military activities, nuclear development, Iran - U.S. relations, Iran - Israel relations, oil production, and control of the vital   global oil trade chokepoint, the Strait of Hormuz.  These subjects will turn out to be somewhat redundant in places, but I thought it would be worth it to tell a coherent story.

I will list my principal sources at the end.

 

Revolution and Supreme Leaders

In 1979, discontent with the Shah Mohammad Reza Pahlavi's autocratic, Western-aligned, and repressive policies led to a broad-based popular uprising and Pahlavi’s overthrow and exile, replacing the 2,500-year-old Iranian monarchy with an Islamic Republic.  The unique Republic is a blend of parliamentary democracy and clerical rule, where religious clerics oversee all branches of government.  The state is a strict Islamic Republic, predominantly Shia, with a supreme leader (a cleric) wielding ultimate authority over foreign and domestic policy.  Cleric Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini returned from 14 years of exile in France and Iraq to become the republic’s first Supreme Leader.

 Ayatollah Khomeini was the primary architect and face of the 1979 Iranian Revolution, which overthrew the Western-backed monarchy of Shah Mohammad Reza Pahlavi. 

On April 1, 1979, following a national referendum with a reported 98.2% approval, Iran was officially declared an Islamic Republic.  In December 1979, a new theocratic constitution was approved, establishing Khomeini as the Supreme Leader with ultimate authority over the government and military. 

The new regime ruthlessly suppressed rival factions, including liberals, Marxists, and ethnic separatists, through revolutionary tribunals and purges.  Iran quickly transitioned from a key Western ally to a leading opponent of Western influence in the Middle East.

Supreme Leader Ayatollah Komeini died of natural causes in June 1989.  Ayatollah Ali Khamenei succeeded him as Supreme Leader, serving for 37 years, before his death in 2026.  See below.

 

Ali Khamenei succeeded Ayatollah Khomeini in 1989, and consolidated power by aligning with the Revolutionary Guard and maintaining an uncompromising, anti-Western stance.

Culture

Since the 1979 Islamic Revolution, Iran has experienced a profound transformation in its cultural landscape, characterized by the "Islamization" of public spaces, a surge in religious-based cultural activity, and a rapid, state-driven increase in literacy and education.  While the initial years after the revolution brought strict cultural policies and limitations on artistic expression, Iranian culture continued to develop through local adaptations, global recognition of cinema, and scientific advancement. 

Key cultural achievements and transformations include:

Educational and Literacy Expansion

·         The literacy rate grew from around 47% at the time of the revolution to over 90% today.

·         Women's education has increased drastically, with women now comprising nearly half of all university students, up from 6% before the revolution.

·         Higher education institutions grew exponentially, with the number of universities increasing more than 11 times. 

Arts, Cinema, and Literature

·         Post-revolution Iranian cinema gained international fame and critical acclaim for its artistic, realistic, and poetic style, earning numerous awards at festivals such as Cannes, Venice, and the Academy Awards.

·         The industry pivoted towards domestic and religious themes, with a significant rise in local film production, religious theater, and "revolutionary" art forms.

·         The number of books and published works increased, with a focus on literature detailing the eight-year Iran-Iraq war (see below) and Islamic history. 

Religious and Public Life

·         The number of mosques tripled compared to pre-revolution times, and religious ceremonies, such as the 20-million-strong Arbaeen march, are held annually.

Shah Mosque in Isfahan is regarded as one of the masterpieces of Persian architecture in the Islamic era.

The Arbaeen march is the world's largest annual peaceful gathering, where over 20 million pilgrims, mainly Shias, walk to Karbala, Iraq, to mark 40 days after the martyrdom of Imam Hussein (grandson of the Prophet Muhammad) in 680 AD.

·         The establishment of the 'Supreme Council of Cultural Revolution' ensured that arts, media, and education align with Islamic and revolutionary values. 

Scientific and Technological Advances

·         Iran is recognized as a leader in nanotechnology, ranking 4^th globally in 2017.

·         Significant progress has been made in stem cell research, with the Royan Institute making notable advancements.

·         The country has achieved breakthroughs in aerospace engineering, becoming the 11^th country to achieve technology for launching satellites. 

Women's Roles in Culture and Sports

·         Women's role status has fluctuated significantly, from modernizing efforts under the Pahlavi Shahs to stricter, religiously based legal restrictions after 1979.

·         Despite limitations in clothing regulations, Iranian women have gained achievements in international sports competitions.

·         Women now constitute 20% of university professors, compared to 6% before the revolution. 

Tourism and Cultural Heritage

·         Iran has successfully registered numerous historical sites on UNESCO's World Heritage List.

·         Tourism has grown with a focus on both historical Persian sites and religious pilgrimages, despite geopolitical challenges. 

Iran has also faced recurring mass protests over economic grievances and social restrictions, most notably the 2009 “Green Movement,” the 2019 "Bloody November" protests, and the 2022 "Woman, Life, Freedom" movement following the death of Mahsa Amini, a 22-year-old Iranian woman in police custody. 

 

Military Activities

Since 1979, Iran has transformed its military from a fractured force into a unique structure consisting of the traditional army and the powerful Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC).  Iran's military strategy heavily features the IRGC’s Quds Force, which manages regional proxy militias - including Hezbollah, Hamas, and groups in Iraq and Yemen - to project power.  Iran has also developed a robust domestic defense industry, focusing on ballistic missiles and drones, while forming defense partnerships with Russia and China.

Key military activities and developments since 1979 include: 

·         Revolutionary Guard Corps (1979 - Present): The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps was established in 1979 by Ayatollah Khomeini as an ideological, parallel military force to protect the new Islamic regime and counter the distrusted regular army.   It grew into an elite, multifaceted powerhouse with 125,000-150,000 personnel, controlling major economic sectors, foreign operations, and internal security.

·         Hostage Crisis (1979 - 1981): Revolutionary Iranian students seized the U.S. Embassy in Tehran in November 1979, holding 52 Americans for 444 days.  This event fundamentally ended the U.S.-Iran alliance.

Iran finally released the 52 American hostages on January 20, 1981, minutes after Ronald Reagan’s inauguration, ending a 444-day crisis. 

·         Iran-Iraq War (1980 - 1988): A brutal eight-year conflict; the deadliest conventional war in Iran's modern history, sparked by Iraq's invasion of Iran.  It lasted eight years and resulted in approximately 500,000 to over 1 million total deaths and massive economic destruction, ending in a UN-brokered stalemate.

·         Proxy Warfare & Regional Influence: Iran established Hezbollah in Lebanon in the early 1980s, and has since expanded its "Axis of Resistance" to include militias in Iraq, Syria, and Yemen (Houthis), targeting U.S. and Israeli interests.

·         Targeting the United States: A consistent, decades-long campaign, including the 1979-1981 embassy hostage crisis, the 1983 Beirut Marine barracks bombing, and backing militias that killed over 600 U.S. service members in Iraq between 2003 and 2011.

 

Iran is a current and long-standing state sponsor of terrorism, a formal designation applied by the United States since 1984.  This status is based on Iran's provision of funding, weapons, training, and direction to numerous proxy groups, and its direct involvement in terrorist plots across the globe.

 

·         Iran-Israel Proxy Conflicts (1985 - Present): A decades-long "shadow war" involving assassinations, cyberattacks, and support for groups like Hezbollah and Hamas.

·         Twelve-Day War (June 13-24, 2025): A high-intensity armed conflict between Israel and Iran, marking their first large-scale direct military confrontation.  Israel launched a massive surprise wave of airstrikes targeting over 100 military and nuclear sites across Iran, including the Natanz Nuclear Facility.  Iran responded, launching an unprecedented barrage of over 550 ballistic missiles and 1,000 suicide drones at Israeli population centers and military bases.  The U.S. used B-2 stealth bombers to drop "bunker buster" bombs on three major Iranian nuclear facilities.  A U.S.-brokered ceasefire took effect after 12 days of fighting.  The war significantly degraded Iran's military and nuclear capabilities but failed to fully dismantle its nuclear program or topple the regime. 

·         2026 Iran War (February 28, 2026 - Present): The conflict started when Israel and the U.S. launched joint airstrikes on multiple Iranian leadership, military, and nuclear program sites. The strikes resulted in significant damage and the death of Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, leading to retaliatory Iranian missile and drone strikes across the region.

 

On March 8, 2026, during continuing U.S. and Israel airstrikes, Mojtaba Hosseini Khamenei, son of Ali Khamenei, became Supreme Leader. 

 

Nuclear Development

Iran's nuclear program was officially launched in 1957 during the reign of Shah Mohammad Reza Pahlavi. It began as a civilian effort under the United States' Atoms for Peace program, which aimed to share nuclear technology for peaceful purposes like energy and research.  In 1967, Iran's first nuclear facility, the Tehran Research Reactor, became operational with fuel supplied by the U.S.

The 1979 Islamic Revolution initially halted the program, as the new leadership viewed nuclear technology with suspicion.  However, it was reinstated in the mid-1980s during the Iran-Iraq War, leading to decades of international scrutiny and economic sanctions on Iran, due to its perceived nuclear weaponization efforts.

Since 1979, the United States has led economic sanctions against Iran, joined significantly by the European Union, the United Nations, the UK, Canada, Australia, Japan, and South Korea. These measures, initiated after the 1979 hostage crisis, and continuing in response to Iran’s nuclear program, have included financial, trade, energy, and banking restrictions.

The U.S. intelligence community assessed Iran had pursued a structured nuclear weapons program until 2003, when it was halted due to international pressure.  Iran subsequently shifted to a focus on enriching uranium.

In 2015-2018, Iran signed the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), limiting its enrichment and capping its stockpile in exchange for sanctions relief.  U.S. President Trump withdrew the U.S. from the agreement in 2018, citing the deal expired after 10-15 years, and failed to address ballistic missiles.  Following the U.S. withdrawal and the reimposition of sanctions, Iran began violating the deal's limits on uranium enrichment and stockpiles.

By 2024, reports indicated substantial enrichment capacity, with some experts warning of "nuclear [weapon] threshold" status.  As of 2025-2026, Iran produces highly enriched uranium (up to 60%), far exceeding the 3-5% needed for civilian electric power.  According to a March 2025 U.S. report, Iran has not resumed a formal, centralized nuclear weapons program, though its high-level enrichment activities cause international concern.

With an ample supply of 60% enriched uranium, the potential timeline for producing weapons-grade uranium (90%) and developing a nuclear device is measured in weeks or a few months, rather than years. 

Iran’s relentless production of 60% enriched uranium positions them well for rapid nuclear weapons development.

 

Iran - U.S. Relations

Iran-U.S. relations since 1979 have been defined by profound hostility, characterized by the 1980 severance of diplomatic ties (due to the 444-day hostage crisis), and decades of proxy conflicts, sanctions, and nuclear disputes.  The U.S. often cites Iran as a state sponsor of terrorism, while Tehran views Washington as an oppressive "Great Satan.”

Key Moments and Eras (1979 - Present):

·         1979-1981: Revolution and Hostage Crisis: The overthrow of the U.S.-backed Shah and the storming of the U.S. embassy in Tehran destroyed diplomatic relations.

·         1980s: Iran-Iraq War: The U.S. supported Iraq, while Iran was accused of backing attacks on U.S. forces in Lebanon (1983 Beirut barracks bombing).

·         1990s - 2000s: Sanctions and "Axis of Evil:" The U.S. intensified sanctions over Iran's nuclear ambitions and alleged terrorist ties, with President Bush naming Iran the "axis of evil."

·         2015: JCPOA (Nuclear Deal): The Obama administration signed a deal reducing sanctions in exchange for limits on Iran's nuclear program.

·         2018: Trump Withdrawal: President Trump withdrew from the deal, reimposing severe "maximum pressure" sanctions.

·         2020 - January March 2026: Escalation: The 2020 assassination of Iranian Gen. Qasem Soleimani (in a targeted U.S. drone strike near Baghdad International Airport in Iraq) and ongoing nuclear development brought the countries to the brink of direct conflict. 

·         Twelve-Day War (June 13-24, 2025):  In support of Israel’s airstrikes targeting over 100 military and nuclear sites across Iran, the U.S. used B-2 stealth bombers to drop "bunker buster" bombs on three major Iranian nuclear facilities. 

·         2026 Iran War (February 28, 2026 - Present): The U.S. and Israel started the conflict with joint airstrikes on multiple Iranian military and nuclear program sites.

 

Iran - Israel Relations

Before 1979, Iran and Israel were strategic allies.  Following the 1979 Islamic Revolution, relations completely shifted from cooperation to deep hostility.  Iran's new leadership severed all diplomatic ties with Israel, rebranded Israel as the "Little Satan," and made its elimination a core foreign policy goal.  Iran handed over the former Israeli embassy in Tehran to the Palestine Liberation Organization.

Here are some examples of how relations shifted from positive to negative:

·         During the Iran-Iraq War (1980s), Israel secretly sold weapons and provided military equipment to Iran, viewing Iraq as a greater immediate threat than Iran.

·         Relations evolved into a "shadow war" through proxy groups.  Iran began funding and training militant groups hostile to Israel, most notably Hezbollah in Lebanon and later Hamas in Gaza.

Israel views Iran's nuclear program as an existential threat.  It has allegedly conducted numerous sabotage operations, cyberattacks, and assassinations of Iranian nuclear scientists.

Recent Escalations of Israel activities (2024–2026):

·         In 2024, tensions shifted from a shadow war to direct military strikes, including missile barrages and assassinations.

·         In 2025, a 12-day direct war occurred following Israeli strikes on Iranian nuclear and military infrastructure.

·         In early 2026, Israel and the United States launched a joint bombing campaign in Iran.   

 

Oil Development

Since the 1979 revolution, Iran's oil development has been shaped by state nationalization under the National Iranian Oil Company, battling significant disruptions from the 1980-1988 Iran - Iraq War, international sanctions, and fluctuating investment.  Production has not consistently met pre-1979 levels, peaking near 3.8 million barrels per day (bpd) before 2018 sanctions, with substantial production declines during intense sanction periods, such as in 2020, followed by production and exports to countries like China, recovering to around 4 million bpd in 2024. 

Key developments include:

·         After 1979, foreign oil agreements were cancelled, and Iran’s Ministry of Petroleum was delegated control, focusing on state-run development.

·         The 1980-1988 Iraq war destroyed infrastructure, and subsequent, repeated U.S./EU sanctions (notably in 2012, 2018) hampered investment, technological upgrades, and exports.

·         Despite challenges, Iran increased its petrochemical capacity from 2.5 million tonnes (mt) in 1979 to over 96 mt.  Following the 2015 nuclear deal (JCPOA), production rebounded, and despite the U.S. withdrawal from the agreement in 2018, Iran has recently utilized "ghost fleets" to boost exports, with 2024 output reaching a post-sanctions high.

Iran also drastically expanded its natural gas production to over 8 trillion cubic feet by 2019, shifting focus from pure oil dependence.

An oil terminal at Kharg Island, Iran, February 25, 2026.  This island is the hub for 90% of Iran’s oil exports.  The U.S. has attacked military targets on the island.

 

Strait of Hormuz

The Strait of Hormuz is defined by its role as a strategic "chokepoint" for global trade, especially oil.

During the Iran-Iraq War (1980 - 1988), both nations attacked commercial oil tankers in the strait to exert economic pressure.  This led to U.S. intervention, where the U.S. Navy destroyed much of Iran's naval fleet after a U.S. frigate was damaged by an Iranian mine.

In response to Western sanctions over its nuclear program (2011-2012), Iran repeatedly threatened to close the strait, prompting the U.S. and its allies to deploy aircraft carriers to the region.

In March 2026, following large-scale U.S. and Israeli air attacks, Iran officially announced the closure of the Strait of Hormuz. 

The Strait of Hormuz is approximately 21 miles wide at its narrowest point.  However, the navigable shipping channel is much narrower, consisting of two 2-mile-wide lanes (one for inbound and one for outbound traffic) separated by a 2-mile buffer zone.

The Strait of Hormuz is a critical global chokepoint, with approximately 20% to 30% of the world's total oil consumption, roughly 20-21 million barrels per day passing through it.  The Strait is the only waterway to the open ocean for many Gulf oil and gas producers, acting as the primary route for exports from Iran, Iraq, Kuwait, Qatar, and the UAE.  Currently, China is the primary customer for that oil, receiving over 90% of it.

In March 2026, following large-scale U.S. and Israeli air attacks, Iran officially announced the closure of the strait.  Iranian forces targeted merchant vessels with drones and missiles, causing global oil prices to surge.

 

How does the current war with Iran end?

It is certainly not clear how the current conflict will end, nor how/if Iran’s history will enfold afterwards.

From the point of view of the U.S. and Israel, ending the war with Iran requires permanently limiting Iran's nuclear program, reopening the Strait of Hormuz, and stopping regional proxy attacks and terrorism. 

Iran has stated three terms to end the war: 

·         Formal acknowledgment of Iran's "legitimate rights" under international law, specifically regarding its sovereignty and nuclear program.

·         Full financial compensation from the U.S. and Israel for the extensive damage to Iranian infrastructure and civilian areas caused during the conflict.

·         Firm, internationally backed guarantees that the U.S. and Israel will not launch future military aggressions against Iran. 

 

 

NOT A WORKABLE SOLUTION IN VIEW

 

Sources

My principal sources include: “Iran,” “History of Iran,” and “Greater Iran,” Wikipedia.com; plus, numerous other online sources, including answers to many queries using Google in AI-Mode.