Revolution+in+Iran

The leadership of Shah Reza **Pahlavi** and money from oil helped Iran to become a rich country. Iran was also the main ally of the US in the Middle East in the 1950s and 1960s.

However, much opposition to the shah in Iran existed. Millions of Muslims looked with distaste at the new Iranian civilization because in their eyes, it was based on greed and materialism which was a reflection of American influence.

Leading the opposition to the shah was the Ayatollah Ruhollah **Khomeini**. He was a member of the Muslim clergy. By the late 1970s, large numbers of Iranians responded to Khomeini's words. In 1979, the shah's government collapsed and replaced by an Islamic republic.

The new government, led by Khomeini, moved to restore Islamic law. Supporters of the shah were executed or fled the country. Then 52 Americans were seized and held hostage in the US embassy in Tehran and were held for over a year. Anti-American sentiment was apparent in Iran at this time.

After the death of Khomeini in 1989, the new government began the loosen control over personal expression and social activities. Rising criticism of official corruption and a high rate of inflation, however, sparked a new wave of government repression in the mid 1990s.