Anti-Americanism and Iran's 1979 Islamic Revolution

Anti Americanism & Iranian Revolution

Anti-Americanism is not a new concept in Iran and has been characterized by increased calls and support for death to America. Anti-Americanism sentiments started in Iran in 1979 following the Islamic Revolution in Iran, which had considerable impacts on the relations between the United States and Iran. When the Islamic Revolution occurred in 1979, Iranian Islamic radicals captured the American Embassy in Tehran and brought widespread anti-Americanism throughout the country. Anti-Americanism in the Iranian Revolution of 1979 was characterized by various factors including statements that the United States was "the Great Satan" and the fall of Mohammad Mossadeqh. There were also other incidents related to this revolution including the Shah's modernization of Iran and human rights violations under the Shah. The evaluation of anti-Americanism and the Iranian Revolution also require examining the significance of Iran in the context of the Cold War.

Importance of Anti-Americanism in the 1979 Iranian Revolution

Prior to the Iranian Revolution of 1979, relations between the United States and Iran were characterized by America's excessive power over the Iranian government. Actually, the United States had obtained widespread control over Iran through forcing Mohammad Reza Shah to a hegemonic control over Mohammad Mossadeqh, the then charismatic Iranian Prime Minister (Wise, p.1). One of the major reasons for America's excessive power over Iran was fear that Iran would fall to communism, which was a major threat to the United States given its continuing Cold war with the Soviet Union.

Together with Britain, the United States staged a successful coup in 1953, which resulted in the fall of Mohammad Mossadeqh. The coup, which was commonly known as Operation Ajax was staged through collaborations between British forces and the American intelligence agency. After the fall of Mohammad Mossadeqh, the United States fostered the power of the Shah and replaced the fallen leader with Fazlollah Zahedi, an America supported general. These initiatives were geared towards ensuring the Britain and the United States established an Iranian government that they could control and prevent from falling to communism.

The aftermath of the coup and establishment of a U.S. supported Iranian government was characterized by flourishing relations between the Unites States and Iran. Notably, these flourishing relations were not brought by Iranian citizens' satisfaction with America but emerged from the relationship between the United States and the Shah. Since Shah's power was controllable by the United States, Britain and America directed Shah's actions and eventually controlled the Iranian government and people. Shah led by Mohammad Reza employed repressive governance tactics that were maintained by the Iranian National Intelligence and Security Organization (SAVAK). Consequently, the Iranian public and government officials became tired and developed disgust toward Shah and the United States.

Anti- Americanism in Iran that led to the 1979 Islamic Revolution was brought by various factors including the United States' overthrow of Mossadeqh (Clawson, p.20). Anti-Americanism in the 1979 Iranian Revolution was important for various reasons including Third Worldism and nativism. Together with anti-imperialism, Third Worldism is an aspect of socialism that considers the West, particularly the United States as the main cause of shortcomings in developing countries. This concept was an important factor in anti-Americanism in the Iranian Revolution of 1979 since it sought to provide a vision of an increasingly equitable and prosperous society once control by the West, especially America, is halted. Nativism was also an important factor in this revolution against the United States since it would focus on ensuring Iranians were not abandoning their traditions in favor of Western culture and traditions. In this case, anti-Americanism was geared towards preventing Shah's political agenda of modernizing Iran through secularization. Generally, anti-Americanism during the Iranian Revolution of 1979 was important to help prevent United States control over the country and its support for a repressive regime.

Importance of the Fall of Mohammad Mossadeqh

The fall of Mohammad Mossadeqh played a crucial role in the establishment of an American controlled Iranian government that culminated in Anti-Americanism and Iranian Revolution. As previously mentioned, Mohammad Mossadeqh was a charismatic Iranian Prime Minister who had maintained control over the country through nationalism. During his tenure, the Iranian government maintained total control of the country through nationalization including the 1991 nationalization of the Anglo-Iranian Oil Company. These nationalization enraged Britain and the United States who colluded to engineer his fall. The fall of Mohammad Mossadeqh provided a significant turning point in the history of Iran's relations with the West, particularly the United States and the eventual emergence of anti-Americanism. Therefore, the significance of the fall of Mohammad Mossadeqh was acting as the definitive point of Iranian relations with the West, especially America.

Importance of Iran in the Context of the Cold War

America's initiatives in Iran before the Iranian Revolution of 1979 was partly brought by fear that Iran would fall to communism and join the Cold War the United States had with Soviet Union. Iran's strategic location in the context of the Cold War contributed to the increased focus on the country by the United States and increased dominance of the Soviet Union in America's policies towards Tehran. The importance of Iran in the context of the Cold War is that it provided an essential contributed to the wider American strategy of containment (Zanchetta, p.22). Actually, the United States regarded Iran as a strategically important partner in the Cold War with regards to international rivalry with the Soviet Union. In essence, America tightened or controlled relations with Iran as part of the general strategy to contain Soviet Union's expansion during the Cold War.

In conclusion, Iran was a strategically important location for America's strategy of containment of the expansion of the Soviet Union during the Cold War. The United States employed various tactics and strategies that were geared towards preventing Iran from joining the Soviet Union including the establishment of an American controlled Iranian government. These measures contributed to the emergence of anti-Americanism and the Iranian Revolution against the repressive regime. Moreover, America's initiatives contributed to the establishment of Shah's repressive regime, which was engaged in violation of human rights to prevent any protests and use forceful means to modernize Iran.