Islamic Revolution in 1979 disturbed all global equations and international discipline made by the United States in the Middle East. The initial sparks of the Islamic Revolution revived hopes to reach a new global discipline and to undermine the old bipolar tradition developed following Cold War Era.

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Reasons for Islamic Revolution Victory in Iran

Sajjad Rafiyan

Islamic Revolution in 1979 disturbed all global equations and international discipline made by the United States in the Middle East. The initial sparks of the Islamic Revolution revived hopes to reach a new global discipline and to undermine the old bipolar tradition developed following Cold War Era. Iran, which already was one of the main power bases of the US in the region, now is in its way to become a new power threatening hegemony and domination of the United States in the region.

On the other hand, the Islamic Revolution changed equations theorized by the political sociologists. Upon observing the Islamic Revolution in Iran, Ted Skocpol was forced to change his theory drastically, because Islamic Revolution challenged all components of his theory; however, he revised his original opinions through his Rentier State and Shiite Revolution in Iran.

Here, we will point to the most important components of the Islamic Revolution of Iran, which according to great analyzers can be considered as the most important revolutions in the world along with France, Britain and Russia’s revolutions.

1. Imam Khomeini’s Exemplary Leadership

There is no doubt that management and leadership of any revolution is its management and leadership. Without a wise leader, after a while a revolution may forget its ideals and objectives or deviate from the main goal and purpose based on which it has been formed.

For instance, Egypt’s revolution, where the Muslim Brotherhood led the revolution, although had all elements necessary for victory, but because of lack of a single and cohesive leadership it collapsed by a military coup d’état.

No one may deny the fact that the lion’s share of the Islamic Revolution is due to efforts and high capability of Imam Khomeini in this process. The significance of Imam’s role in directing the revolution becomes clear where the main theorist of the Islamic Revolution took the stand of enforcer of the theories. Furthermore, given his great position as the Shiites authority of imitation (Marji Taqlid), Imam Khomeini succeeded to manage the inflamed situation of early days of the revolution. It is necessary to consider that Imam Khomeini had all features and characteristics which are necessary for a qualified leader: an exceptional personal honesty and lack of pride in his lifestyle, determination and capability of a powerful leader, an unbelievable courage and resistance against enormous problems, extraordinary capacity to resist and sympathize with the needy and the oppressed classes of the society and excellent and attractive relations as well as speaking skills were among his features.

2. People’s presence and following their Leader’s orders

Popularity of the Islamic Revolution was what has been considered by the foreign observers since beginning. Always and everywhere, revolution would be meaningful when people start to participate. However, all world’s revolutions have not been participated by their people like Iran’s revolution in 1979. For instance, France Revolution, despite its significant influence on Europe’s Liberalism surge was a bourgeois revolution. It was launched and directed by the bourgeois class of the society, while in Iran all walks of life participated in the revolution.

On people’s role in the Islamic Revolution, Ayatollah Khamenei, the Leader of the Islamic Revolution, says:

The Islamic Revolution did not born neither by the coup d’état, nor by a military attack, …like some revolutions in which some military officers went and replaced a state with another one; …no, this revolution was realized by our people, by their determination, their revolutionary force, their faith; …. It defended itself with the same force and survived and rooted with this force, our people did not fear, our endeared people resisted… [27^th anniversary of Imam Khomeini (June 4, 2016)]

3. Political demands prior to economic demands

Islamic Revolution era started exactly after the era when Muhammad Reza Shah Pahlavi has started a new course of economic development in Iran.

Following Arabs war against the Zionist Regime the oil price was drastically increased, as Iran’s oil incomes were maximized during early 1970’s. However, this hefty income not only was cont considered as useful capital, but it was used as a factor to cover and hide failures of the economic system; as when oil incomes of Iran were tripled in 1974, the regime started a quick growth based economic policy and doubled the annual budget of the country, but the second Pahlavi devoted a great part of such incomes to purchase and store military firearms. By the years leading to the Islamic Revolution, the dire economic condition of Iranians was left intact; however, there was no word about economic demands among revolutionary people in those years. Most people sought for a political Islam, end of the oppressive dictatorship of Shan and legitimized and religious state.

4. Islamic Revolution and its infra-border objectives

Because of its infra-border goals, thinkers categorize the Islamic Revolution among important and effective international revolutions which never restricted to its own borders.

Its freedom-seeking message received by the World’s Muslims sooner than what was assumed and attracted Muslim people of other nations. Almost in all Muslim countries some similar movements started against the influence and penetration of the United States. Inspired by the Islamic Revolutions, such Muslim movements made their ways towards their Islamic demands. Islamic Supreme Council of Iraq, Palestinian fighting groups, Lebanese fighting groups led by Hezbollah, Tunis Ennahdha Party, Afghan Islamist groups, etc are just some of these groups and movements.

Finally, it is necessary to remind you that Islamic Revolution of Iran continues its constrictive activities in an environment in which all global powers try to defeat this revolution and used all sorts of animosities and sanctions against it, whereas if the revolution would be realized in a better condition, definitely we will witness some different consequences.

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