Islamic revolution

Iranian Revolution
Protesters in Tehran, 1979
Date	7 January 1978 – 11 February 1979
Location	Iran
Causes	Discontent with the Shah's rule Exile of Ayatollah Khomeini Social injustice Western imperialism Religious motives and others
Goals	Overthrow of the Pahlavi dynasty
Methods	Demonstrations Strikes Civil resistance
Result	Overthrow of the Shah and monarchy 1979 energy crisis Establishment of the Islamic Republic of Iran headed by Velayat-e-Faqih with referendum Constitution of the Islamic Republic of Iran replaced Persian Constitution of 1906 with referendum Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini becomes the new Supreme Leader of Iran Iran hostage crisis Iran–Iraq War begins
Parties to the civil conflict
Imperial State of Iran Rastakhiz Party Imperial Iranian Army Imperial Guard SAVAK Shahrbani Gendarmerie Revolution Council Interim Government Opposition groups: Confederation of Iranian Students Islamic Association of Students Combatant Clergy Association Islamic Coalition Societies Fedayeen of Islam Islamist Guerrillas Movement of Militant Muslims JAMA National Front Freedom Movement Nation Party Tudeh Party People's Mujahedin Union of Communist Militants Peykar People's Fedai Guerrillas
Lead figures
Shah Mohammad Reza Pahlavi Prime Ministers: Jamshid Amouzegar Jafar Sharif-Emami Gholam-Reza Azhari Shapour Bakhtiar Directors of SAVAK: Nematollah Nassiri  Nasser Moghadam  Military Commanders: Gholam-Reza Azhari Abbas Gharabaghi Gholam Ali Oveisi Ruhollah Khomeini Mehdi Bazargan PM of Interim Government Morteza Motahari Head of Revolutionary Council
Casualties
532-60,000 killed in demonstrations during 1978–79

Shah Mohammad Reza Pahlavi

Ruhollah Khomeini

The Iranian Revolution (also known as the Islamic Revolution or the 1979 Revolution;) refers to events involving the overthrow of the Pahlavi dynasty under Mohammad Reza Shah Pahlavi, who was supported by the United States, and its eventual replacement with an Islamic Republic under the Grand Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini, the leader of the revolution, supported by various leftist and Islamist organizations and Iranian student movements.

Demonstrations against the Shah commenced in October 1977, developing into a campaign of civil resistance that included both secular and religious elements and which intensified in January 1978. Between August and December 1978 strikes and demonstrations paralyzed the country. The Shah left Iran for exile on 16 January 1979, as the last Persian monarch, leaving his duties to a regency council and an opposition-based prime minister. Ayatollah Khomeini was invited back to Iran by the government, and returned to Tehran to a greeting by several million Iranians. The royal reign collapsed shortly after on 11 February when guerrillas and rebel troops overwhelmed troops loyal to the Shah in armed street fighting, bringing Khomeini to official power. Iran voted by national referendum to become an Islamic Republic on 1 April 1979, and to approve a new theocratic-republican constitution whereby Khomeini became Supreme Leader of the country, in December 1979.