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Iranian Revolution
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Iranian Revolution

1979 Islamic Revolution that overthrew the Shah and founded Iran's clerical Islamic Republic.

The Iranian Revolution overthrew Shah Mohammad Reza Pahlavi in February 1979, ending 2,500 years of Persian monarchy and founding the clerical Islamic Republic under Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini.

Last refreshed: 19 August 2026

Key Question

Is the Islamic Republic about to become the dynasty the revolution destroyed?

Timeline for Iranian Revolution

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Background

The Iranian Revolution of February 1979 toppled the Pahlavi monarchy and replaced it with the Islamic Republic under Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini. Its central legal innovation, Velayat-e Faqih (guardianship of the jurist), made clerical authority the constitutional basis of the state, subordinating elected institutions to The Supreme Leader. The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps was founded immediately afterwards to defend the new order and now runs a parallel military-economic structure through the Bonyad system of revolutionary foundations.

The revolution ended a hereditary monarchy stretching back to Cyrus the Great, but the republic it created has itself acquired dynastic features: authority passes between senior clerics rather than through open contest, and succession has repeatedly concentrated power within a small circle around The Supreme Leader's office.

Understanding the revolution matters because every current Iranian institution, from the IRGC's naval doctrine to the Bonyad economic empire, traces its founding Charter to 1979. It is the constitutional root of the Islamic Republic, not a live participant in today's events; it explains why the state behaves as it does, without itself being an actor in the present war.

Common Questions

Reference

How does the Iranian Revolution explain the 2026 Iran war?
The revolution created the IRGC and the Velayat-e Faqih system that control Iran's military and Foreign Policy. The 2026 war is the culmination of that revolutionary project: Iran's Strait of Hormuz closure caused the largest oil supply disruption on record, a capability built directly from revolutionary doctrine and IRGC naval power.Source: IEA
Why did the Iranian Revolution create the IRGC?
The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps was founded in 1979 to defend the new revolutionary order against internal and external threats, distinct from the existing regular Army. It has since grown into a parallel military-economic power controlling large sectors of Iran's economy.
When was the Islamic Republic of Iran established?
Iranians approved the Islamic Republic in a referendum on 30-31 March 1979, formally replacing the monarchy with the clerical state that governs Iran today.
When did the Shah leave Iran?
Shah Mohammad Reza Pahlavi left Iran on 16 January 1979, and Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini returned from exile on 1 February 1979 to lead the revolution to completion.
What is Velayat-e Faqih?
Velayat-e Faqih (guardianship of the jurist) is the constitutional doctrine introduced by Khomeini that grants a senior Islamic jurist supreme political authority over the state. It is the legal foundation of the Islamic Republic and the source of The Supreme Leader's power.
What was the Iranian Revolution?
The 1979 Iranian Revolution, also called the Islamic Revolution, was a popular uprising that overthrew Shah Mohammad Reza Pahlavi and replaced Iran's monarchy with an Islamic Republic under Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini. It established Velayat-e Faqih, clerical rule by a Supreme Leader, as Iran's constitutional basis.
What did the Iranian Revolution create that is fighting today?
The IRGC was founded in 1979 specifically to defend the revolution. It is the force currently executing Iran's military strategy, including the Hormuz closure that the IEA declared the largest supply disruption in oil history.Source: IEA

Written with AI from Lowdown's published reporting. Not individually reviewed by an editor. Updated 19 August 2026. Editorial standards.