Anger against the Shah had been developing for many years leading up to the Islamic Revolution of 1979. Having implemented new ideas and completely taken over control by the aid of his secret police, the Shah had lost popularity with many citizens of Iran. Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini became the face of the revolution with his efforts against the Shah; he was eventually sent into exile, only to return and take over after the Shah had fled from the country. A fact that I was completely oblivious to is that the United States was actually a supporter of the Shah. The CIA had actually been a key factor in getting rid of Iran’s prime minister in order for the Shah to gain his position after his earlier exile. These efforts may be shocking, but they were made in order to ensure that Iran would not be overtaken by the Soviet Union and their plans for the spread of Communism during the Cold War. The efforts of our country earned us a few nicknames from Khomeini and his followers, such as “the Great Satan”. This reputation is still familiar to Islam citizens today. Although Khomeini was a representation of revolution and change within the country, through his reign many acts of torture and a lessening of freedom occurred. The country, therefore, did not make much progress in their efforts.
http://teacher.scholastic.com/scholasticnews/indepth/upfront/features/index.asp?article=f091806_TP_Iran
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