Islamic Revolution facts for kids

The Islamic Revolution occurred in 1979, in the Muslim majority country of Iran. Islamist revolutionaries opposed the western secular policies of the authoritarian Shah of Iran Mohammed Reza Pahlavi.

Supporters of Ayatollah Khomeini organized protests in opposition to the authoritarian government of the Shah. Khomeini became the new Leader of Iran. 98.2% of the Iranian voters voted "yes" in a referendum for the creation of the Islamic Republic of Iran under the Leadership of Ayatollah Khomeini (also known as Imam Khomeini). It replaced an authoritarian monarchy with a theocratic republic. The West claims the republic is authoritarian.

Shortly after the revolution, Iraq under the dictatorship of Saddam Hussein invaded Iran producing a war that ended in 1988 with neither side getting anything. The war is known as the Iran-Iraq War.

Impact of the revolution

Many Iranians were forced into exile during the revolution

Estimates of the number of Iranians who died during the war with Iraq and the riots with the Shah's forces vary from 3,000 to 60,000. The number executed by order of the Revolutionary Courts is often estimated at 8,000.

During the revolution, 52 Americans were held hostage after being seized at US Embassy

Related pages

• Russian Revolution

Images for kids

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  Mohammad Reza Shah Pahlavi official coronation photo 1967

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  Ayatollah Sayyid Ruhollah Musavi Khomeini (revolutionary leader).

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  People of Tehran in the demonstrations of 5 June 1963 with pictures of Ruhollah Khomeini in their hands

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  The Shah of Iran (left) meeting with members of the U.S. government: Alfred Atherton, William Sullivan, Cyrus Vance, Jimmy Carter, and Zbigniew Brzezinski, 1977

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  Demonstration of 8 September 1978. The placard reads, "We want an Islamic government, led by Imam Khomeini".

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  Demonstration of "Black Friday" (8 September 1978)

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  Ayatollah Khomeini in Neauphle-le-Château surrounded by journalists

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  Mohammad Beheshti in the Tehran Ashura demonstration, 11 December 1978

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  "The Shah is Gone" —headline of Iranian newspaper Ettela'at, 16 January 1979, when the last monarch of Iran left the country.

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  A protester giving flowers to an army officer

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  Shah and his wife, Shahbanu Farah leaving Iran on 16 January 1979

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  Cartoon depicting Shapour Bakhtiar and Mosaddegh on 22 January 1978 issue of Ettela'at, during the revolution

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  Iranian prime minister Mehdi Bazargan was an advocate of democracy and civil rights. He also opposed the cultural revolution and US embassy takeover.

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  Iranian armed rebels during the revolution

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  Khomeini told questioners that "the religious dignitaries do not want to rule."

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  A revolutionary firing squad in 1979

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  Kazem Shariatmadari and Khomeini

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  Banisadr in 1980

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  People celebrating anniversary of the revolution in Mashhad in 2014.

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  An injured revolutionary during protests against Pahlavi regime.

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  Protests in summer 1978.

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  Current Iranian leader, Ali Khamenei in a Revolutionary protest in Mashhad.

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  Shah visiting Bakhtiar cabinet before his exit from Iran.

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  People celebrating Shah's exit from the country.

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  Removal of Shah's statue by the people in University of Tehran.

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  Khomeini at Mehrabad Airport.

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  People accompanying Khomeini from Mehrabad to Behesht Zahra.

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  Khomeini in Behesht Zahra.

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  Khomeini before a speech at Alavi school.

See also

In Spanish: Revolución iraní para niños