The Iranian Revolution timeline shows key events from 1941-1981 that led to the overthrow of the Pahlavi dynasty and establishment of an Islamic republic in Iran. It began with Reza Shah being exiled in 1941 and the Shah gaining power. Growing unrest occurred throughout the 1960s-1970s over issues like land reform, women's rights, and foreign influence. Khomeini emerged as a prominent opposition leader. Mass protests in 1978-1979 increased pressure on the Shah, who fled in January 1979. Khomeini returned and established an Islamic republic with himself as Supreme Leader.

1. The
Iranian Revolution
timeline

2. Time line of the Iranian Revolution
1963 1975
1961 1981
1965
1979
1941
1953 1970 1980
1964
1962 1978

3. 1941
Reza Shah is exiled to South Africa.
His son Muhammad Reza inherits
rein over Iran.
Iran is invaded by Great Brittan and
Soviet Union in order to obtain
the railway to supply the Soviet
Union in World War 2.
Timeline

4. 1953
The Shah dismisses Mossadegh as prime minister, but
Mossadegh refused to step down and instead arrested the
royal messenger delivering the dismissal order. The Shah flees
to Italy. CIA and British intelligence initiate and execute
"Operation Ajax" with conservative Iranians to overthrow
Mossadegh. Shah returns to Iran.
Timeline

5. 1961
The prominent Marja of all Shi'a, dies. (marjas are the
highest authority on religious laws). Khomeini was
soon accepted as Marja-eTaqlid (source of imitation)
by a large number of Iranian Shi'is. In this year his
students, who were the teachers of
seminary, founded Society of Seminary Teachers of
Qom, to whom acted as a major role during the
establishment of new government after the victory
of the revolution.
Timeline

6. 1962
The Bill introduced by Shah's government allows
women to vote for the first time and non-
Muslims to run for councils. Religious pressure
forces government to back down completely
and abandon the bill.
Timeline

7. 1963
Mohammad Reza Pahlavi presents
a "White Revolution". As
such, the Iranian government
introduces a six-point reform
bill to be put to a nation-wide
referendum vote. Six points
also included Women's right to
vote, as well as other
reforms.Khomeini called for a
meeting of his colleagues in
Qom to persuade them that
they desperately should oppose
Timeline Shah's plans.

8. 1964 Timeline
Khomeini is released from custody and returns to Qom. He then
publically declared that the increasing amount of diplomatic
immunity to the American military personnel is wrong. He calls the
consent of the surrender by Iranian independence and
authority, only to be made in.
exchange for a $200 million loan that would be of aid only to the
Shah and his associates, and describes all those in the Majlis who
voted in favor of it as traitors, concluding that the government is
illegitimate. Khomeini is arrested immediately and taken to
Mehrabad Airport in Tehran, he's exile in November, so he is not
to return to Iran for the following 14 years

9. 1965
The current Prime Minister of
Iran, Hassan-Ali Mansur, who
in the past had passed the
Geneva Convention American
Force Protection
Act, (Capitulation Law), is
assassinated by none other
than Mohammad
Bokharaii, resulting in Amir
AbbasHoveyda being
appointed in his place.
Khomeini leaves Turkey for Najaf
in Iraq, where he was destined
to spend thirteen
years, throughout this time he
teaches in seminary.
Timeline

10. 1970
Khomeini gives a sequence of nineteen lectures to a group of his Talaba
(students) on Islamic Government whilst he was in exile in Iraq with in the
holy city of Najaf.
Notes of the lectures were soon made into a book that appeared under three
different titles:
1. The Islamic Government,
2. Authority of the Jurist,
3. A Letter from Imam MusaviKashef
al-Qita (to deceive Iranian censors).
The small book (fewer than 150 pages) was smuggled into Iran and was
widely allocated to Khomeini supporters before the revolution.
timeline

11. Mohammad Reza Pahlavi founders an Iranian monarchist
resurrection part.
Feyziyehmadreseh students commence a demonstration
within the perimetre of the building. A sympathetic
crowd gathers outsid, both gatherings continue for
three days until they are attacked by military
forces, resulting in deaths.
Khomeini reacts to this with a message in which he
declares the events in Qom and similar disturbances
elsewhere are a sign of hope. He speaks "freedom and
liberation from the bonds of imperialism" is at hand.
1975
timeline

12. 1978
A newspaper is released
by the accusing In Qom, commandos "burst into"
Khomeini of the home of Ayatollah Kazem
homosexuality and Shariatmadari, a leading cleric and
quietist. They shoot dead one of
other "misdeeds". A his followers right in front of him.
demonstration of 4,000 Shariatmadari then joins
students and religious opposition to the Shah.
leaders in the city of Head of SAVAK, (National
Qom against the Intelligence and Security
article, and armed Organization), Nematollah
police have to step in to Nassiri, dismissed and Nasser
try top handle the Moghadam is appointed instead.
situation which resulted This is considered the "First
significant concession to the
in death of between 10 unrest.”
to 72 demonstrators. Shah later pledges free elections
Violence all around the by June 1979 in broadcast to the
country brake out and nation.
hundreds are killed.

13. JamshidAmouzegar declares martial (war like) law in response
to the vast demonstrations of Iran.
Regime and opposition blame each other for the nation wide
deaths due to violent demonstrations.
Sharif-Emami replaces JamshidAmouzegarJafar as the prime
minister. Sharif Emami then tries his best to ‘undo’ some of
the Shah's policies closing casinos (owned by Pahlavi
Foundation), abolishing the imperial calendar and declares
all the political parties have the right to be active. Mass
march takes place at Eid al-Fitr consisting of hundreds of
thousands of Tehran by Khomeini supporters.
Also this year, named "Black Friday”, Shah declares the martial
law in response to protests against Pahlavi dynasty. The
military of Iran use force including tanks and helicopters to
break up the largely peaceful demonstrators. About 88
demonstrators (including three women) are killed.
Opposition leaders falsely spread the death count figures as
high as "tens of thousands” corrupting the people.
The Iraqi government bans Khomeini’s political activities.

14. Khomeini leaves Iraq for Kuwait however he is refused entry at the Kuwait border.
He then retreats to Paris. Khomeini takes up residence in the suburb of
Neauphle-le-Château, in a house that had been rented for him by Iranian
exiles in France. He enjoys media attention from journalists across the world
who come to France to interview him. His image and words became a daily
feature in the world's media.
Iran oil miners or other workers in the industry go on strike.
Destructive riots, full of frustrated people by Shah's unsuccessful attempts at
conciliation with his opponents, military hardliners decide to order troops "to
stand aside and allow mobs to burn and destroy till their hearts’ are content."
Thousands of shops, banks, restaurants and other public buildings damaged.
Conciliatory Prime Minister Sharif-Emami resigns. An army raid in Tehran
University, students participating in demonstrations are killed. Mohammad
Reza Shah broadcast on television a promise not to repeat past mistakes and
to make amends saying, "I heard the voice of your revolution... As Shah of Iran
as well as an Iranian citizen, I cannot but approve your revolution.”
Gholam Reza Azhari is appointed as the prime minister. Enforces martial law.
Long-time opposition politician Shapour Bakhtiar chosen as prime minister by
Shah as the Shah prepares to leave the country. Last prime minister of the
Pahlavi dynasty.
Timeline

15. Shapour Bakhtiar of the National
Front (Jabhe-yi Melli) was
appointed prime minister to
replace General Azhari.
Khomeini returns to Iran from
exile.
Regime collapses. Revolution
victorious. Pahlavi dynasty
ends. Royal prime
minister, Bakhtiar, goes into
hiding, eventually finding exile
in Paris.
Islamic republic established.
Hatred for America and western
civilization in general
influenced upon the people of
Iran.
1979 Timetable

16. 1980
The United States breaks
diplomatic relations with Iran. Marks
beginning of a war that will
last eight years.
TimeLine

17. The hostages in the US
embassy were
released, after 444
days, USA conceded to
transfer money, as well as
export military equipment
to Iran.
President Rajai and his prime
minister (Bahonar) were
killed in a bombing
incident.
Ali Khamenei officially
became president.
1981
timeline