Talk:Reza Shah II
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(Created page with 'The current Shah of Iran actually is Ayatollah Seyed Ali Khamenei. Although he does not use the term Shah (preferring Supreme Leader), that's what he is. Iran is officially calle…')
Current revision as of 00:35, 29 April 2011
The current Shah of Iran actually is Ayatollah Seyed Ali Khamenei. Although he does not use the term Shah (preferring Supreme Leader), that's what he is. Iran is officially called a republic but continues to be reigned by what is to all intents and purposes a monarch. Originally, this monarch was head of religious affairs but Khamenei's power goes well beyond that of of the head Ayatollah and indeed is head of state and of the army as well as of religion.
Iran's real history unfortunately is not as progressive as described. Its development as a nation was interrupted by a 1979 revolution, a brief 1979-80 civil war, then a Kurdish uprising. Secular v Islamic codes of law and the role of religion in society also has lead to division.
Iran officially became a Republic yet it held the traits of theocratic monarchy with Ayatollah Khomeini becoming spiritual supreme leader. Early presidents of the new Iran tended to end up dead or impeached, or if not they resigned in disgust. Gunmen tended to have large sway over the new and weak government and relations with other countries deteriorated or became complicated.
Aside: I still cannot figure out what exactly Iran's relationship with the US is!!! This is a devious one and not at all obvious. US never has attacked the 32 year old regime but has done away with all its real enemies like Saddam's Iraq. Strange ..
The said Saddam invaded in 1980 and Iran suffered an 8 year imposed war. Poverty, recession, depression, terrorism, war, dictatorship, devious arms deals with the US and corruption characterise 1980s Iran. By 1989, Iran was a militarised state with people in awe of organisations like Sepah and Basiji who "saved" them from Saddam. Of course, Sepah and Basiji took advantage and started building their own empires with a view to overtaking the now 100% Ayatollah/cleric based regime.
In 1989, Ayatollah Khomeini - long a sick and old man - died. Ayatollah KHAMENEI becomes the new Supreme Leader and takes the presidency and prime minister powers with him. PM is abolished and Rafsanjani becomes President, now a largely ceremonial role. Relations with some countries improve. Saddam Hussein's Iraq invades Kuwait and Iran is ignored in much media.
In 1997, Khatami becomes President and wants more relations with other countries. 9/11 happens and Iraq war and relations between the US and Iran seem to "go bad" or so we are to believe. Ahmadinejad becomes president in 2005 and promises an end to state corruption and inequality. He writes letters to the US and EU for dialog which is "ignored". War threats come at Iran from Bush's US from 2003-2007 but nothing really happens. Ahmadinejad, Khatami and Rafsanjani all achieve little as president. However, less and less clergy are seen in government, in elections and in power. More of Sepah and Basiji on one side and various nationalists on the other and in the middle. We see Ahmadinejad and his rival (former 1980s hardline prime minister Mousavi) do political makeovers all the time to achieve power. A disputed 2009 election re-elects Ahmadinejad to the anger of Mousavi supporters. The clerical candidate (Karroubi) and the former Sepah and Basiji candidate (Rezaei) do less well.
Iran is less repressive and wartorn than it was in the 1980s. Economic and social problems remain. Repressive legal systems still do remain although are not as brutal as in the 1980s war years. The state remains militarised and corruption and inequality remain. Khamenei remains Supreme Leader but Sepah and Basiji seem to want to take over 100%. Democracy movements want more social freedoms. Ahmadinejad has distanced himself from repressive laws and wants to give people social freedoms as does Ahmadinejad's favored successor Esfandiar Rahim Mashae.
Like most countries, Iran has suffered from so-called "Islamic" terrorism. Although an Islamic nation, Iran's Shia is not accepted by Sunni extremists and the Jundullah (Iranian/Pakistani Sunni rebel group linked to al Qaeda) have planted many bombs and killed politicians and army personnel. The MKO also have committed terrorist acts in Iran.
Human rights abuses have happened in Iran prior to and after the revolution. Khamenei treats political prisoners and terrorist prisoners much like Pahlavi did. As in Iraq, hanging is the favored method of execution of political prisoners.
Iran's future remains unclear. The regime could be overthrown or could reinvent itself much like China did. If this or any fledgling new regime is to survive longterm, Iran's economy (which like most has been affected by the current climate of recession and Middle East instability) will have to strengthen and provide jobs for people. Inflation and unemployment in the country are among the highest in the industrialised world. Iran has huge oil and gas reserves and should be a far richer country. Waste, war and corruption are often blamed and each political faction blame each other for this.
