ASIAN STUDIES 201-A MODERN ASIA THURSDAY • 25 NOVEMBER 2021

Growth of

Nationalism in Iran

Marco C. Cayabyab
Reporter
Overview
Safavid Empire
Qajar State
Constitutional Revolution
Pahlavi Dynasty
Oil Nationalization Crisis
Iranian Revolution
Safavid Iran
Beginnings

Known as "Persia" in the Western world

Situated along two major trade routes—

the Silk Road and the Persian Gulf
Established an uninterrupted political
identity since the 16ᵗʰ century with the
rise of the Safavid state
Described to be a strong cultural entity
due to its geography, ecology,
prevalence of Persian language and
high culture
Safavid Iran
A Shi'i empire

Isma'il I declared that the state religion

would be in the form of Islam called
Shi'ism
The adopted religion had messianic
proclivities and increasingly became a
crusading force with overt political
ambitions
A shift from tribal military regime to
absolutist bureaucratic empire
Isfahan became the imperial capital
Isfahan

Persian cultural center

"Isfahan is half the world"

Safavid Iran
Decline and changes in Shi'ism

Qizilbash tribesmen factiousness and

resistance to state control
Wars have been fought against the
Ottoman Empire and occurrences of
revolts by Georgians, Kurdish, Uzbeks
that weakened its frontiers
Shi'a jurists dominated matters of law
and religious practice
"Ayatollah" meaning "the eye of God"
Qajar Iran
State of "royal despots"

The Qajars conquered Iran piece by

piece and established Tehran as capital
Described as having no military
security, no administrative stability,
and little ideological legitimacy during
the 19ᵗʰ century
Society was divided into tribes and
clans that were considered as
autonomous entities
Qajar Iran
Western interference

The desire to preserve the status quo

helped sustain the Shi'i jurists as a
formidable force
Faced Russia and Britain on its borders
Escaped European domination due to
geography, resistance, and enduring
within shrunken borders
Since neither Russia nor Britain wanted
war over Iran, they tacitly agreed to
allow the country to exist as a buffer
state
The Tobacco

Protest of 1891

Stemmed from the corruption and

inefficiency of Nasir al-Din and his
policy of foreign economic
exploitation

A statewide boycott of tobacco

products encouraged by the Shi'a
jurists
Constitutional Revolution
Coming of a plural modernity

"Qanun" ("the law") should be complied

to by state law and Islamic law
Western-educated elites helped
shaped the parliament ("Majles") and
frame the modern constitution
Fundamental Law, reduced the powers
of the shah; Supplementary
Fundamental Laws, defined the rights
of the Iranian citizens and powers of
the Majles
End of

Constitution

In 1911, Russian and British militaries

occupied parts of Iran

Abruptly ended the constitutional

experiment and dampened
revolutionary aspirations
Pahlavi Iran
Iran under Reza Shah

Led a military coup in 1921 and warned

that martial law was in effect
Persuaded the Majles to depose the
Qajars and reigned as the Pahlavi
dynasty began
Controlled the entire political system;
reforms gradually turned into
secularism
Avoided involvement with Britain and
USSR by refusing concessions
Anglo-Soviet

Invasion

Reza Shah cultivated a diplomatic and

commercial ties with Germany

In order to keep a supply corridor

open to the USSR, the British and
the Soviets invaded Iran in August
1941; the US came into Iranian
politics
Oil Nationalization Crisis
Mohammad Mosaddiq's efforts
Mosaddiq campaigned against
continued foreign interference and
favored democracy over royal
dictatorship, to which several groups
joined together to form the National
Front under his leadership
Majlis passed legislation nationalizing
the oil industry and Mosaddiq assumed
prime ministership

The British called for worldwide

boycott of Iranian oil
Iran in the Cold War
Power scrambles

The US and Britain organized a coup

against Mosaddiq which succeeded in
the second attempt
Royal dictatorship returned and US
interference in the domestic affairs of
Iran intensified
From 1953 to 1979, political freedom did
not exist in Iran, then this repressive
rule was challenged by Ayatollah
Khomeini in 1963
Iranian Revolution
End of the Pahlavi dynasty

Freedom Movement of Iran and the

militant shi'a emerged as opposition
parties
Khomeini called for the overthrow of
the shah through the creation of a
parallel Islamic government
Brutal responses of the shah drove the
masses into Khomeini's camp and
forced the Freedom Movement to
endorse the shah's overthrow
Iranian

Nationalism

Khomeini faced Iran-Iraq conflict in

his return and used the war to unify
Iranians

Nuclear ambitions are also supported

as Iran is surrounded by hostile
powers
Conclusion

Iranian culture, history, and Islam have served to define what Iranians
consider to be nationalism

Iranian attachment to state is intermeshed with Islam, particularly,

Shi'ism

Nationalism played a crucial role regarding foreign encroachment within

the country

Opposition to dictatorial rule and oppression also united Iranian citizens

References

Abrahamian, E. (2008). A History of Modern Iran. Cambridge: Cambridge University

Press. doi.org/10.1017/CBO9780511984402

Ali Farah, A. (2011). The role of nationalism in Iran during the 20th century. E-
International Relations. https://www.e-ir.info/2011/06/30/the-role-of-
nationalism-in-iran-during-the-20th-century/

Amanat, A. (2017). Iran: A Modern History. New Haven & Londons: Yale University
Press.

Cleveland, W. & Bunton, M. (2009). A History of the Modern Middle East (4th ed.)
Boulder: Westview Press.

Farhamy, L. (2007). Iranian Nationalism. The Public Purpose, 5, 19-30.