Editing Khomeinism (section)

==History==
===Pre-Revolution===
Ruhollah Khomeini was a prominent Shia Muslim religious leader and scholar in Iran. Born on September 24, 1902, in Khomeyn, Iran. Khomeini received a traditional Islamic education and studied under renowned religious scholars of his time.

In 1963, Khomeini delivered a series of fiery sermons denouncing the Shah and his regime. The regime responded by imprisoning Khomeini, which led to widespread protests and demonstrations in support of his release. Khomeini's imprisonment and subsequent exile to Iraq and later France further elevated his status as a symbol of resistance against the Shah's rule.

===[[File:Khomenewicon.png]][[File:MEK.png]][[File:Mosaddegh.png]][[File:ML.png]][[File:Kurdish.png]] Islamic Revolution (1978-1979) [[File:Pahlavi.png]][[File:SAVAK.png]]===
[[File:1979 Iranian Revolution.jpg|left|thumb|287x287px|Demonstrators at the Azadi Square during the Iranian Revolution]]
The Islamic Revolution, also known as the Iranian Revolution, was a culmination of widespread discontent with the rule of [[File:Pahlavi.png]] Mohammad Reza Shah Pahlavi, who was seen as a pro-Western and authoritarian ruler. The opposition to the Shah's rule came from various segments of society, including religious leaders, intellectuals, students, and leftist groups.

On September 8 1978, thousands of protesters took to the streets of Tehran to demand political reforms, including an end to the authoritarian rule of the Shah and the establishment of a democratic government. The protests were met with violent repression by the Shah's security forces and the [[File:SAVAK.png]] SAVAK.

The security forces fired on the demonstrators, resulting in a significant number of casualties. The exact number of deaths and injuries remains disputed, with estimates ranging from several hundred to over a thousand people killed. The violent crackdown on "Bloody Friday" shocked the Iranian population and further fueled the momentum of the revolution. Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini, a Shia cleric at the time, emerged as the spiritual and political leader of the revolution. He vehemently opposed the Shah's regime, calling for its overthrow and the establishment of an Islamic government.

The revolution was characterized by massive street protests and demonstrations across Iran. On January 16, 1979, the Shah left the country, paving the way for Khomeini's return from exile.

After the Shah's departure, a referendum was held, in which Iranians voted overwhelmingly in favor of turning Iran into an Islamic Republic. On April 1, 1979, Iran officially became an Islamic Republic, with Ayatollah Khomeini as its Supreme Leader.

===[[File:Cball-Iran.png]][[File:KDP-icon.png]][[File:PUK-icon.png]][[File:IslamicDawa.png]] Iran-Iraq War (1980-1988) [[File:Hussein.png]][[File:MEK.png]][[File:Absoc.png]]===
[[File:IranianSaddamPoster.jpg|left|thumb|287x287px|Iranian propaganda poster depicting Saddam Hussein as a rodent falling for a trap set up in the province of Khuzestan]]
Following the 1979 Islamic Revolution, Iran-Iraq relations dropped to a new low as the new Iranian regime’s [[File:Shia.png]] Shia Theocracy stood in contrast to Saddam’s Sunni dominated [[File:Baath.png]] Ba’athist dictatorship that suppressed Shia clerics.  There were frequent clashes along the Iran–Iraq border throughout 1980, with Iraq publicly complaining of at least 544 incidents and Iran citing at least 797 violations of its border and airspace.

Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini openly called on Iraqis to overthrow the Ba'ath government with the intent of spreading the Islamic Revolution throughout the Middle East. Iran supported a government in exile for Iraq, the Supreme Council of the Islamic Revolution in Iraq, and recruited POWs, Shias, Kurds, and other dissidents that had been oppressed under Saddam’s regime. On 22 September 1980, Iraq launched coordinated airstrikes against Iranian airbases followed by a ground invasion along a broad front in the oil-rich province of Khuzestan, aiming to seize territory and weaken Iran’s post-revolutionary regime. The Iran-Iraq War quickly became a subject of foreign interest groups and the world’s leading nations who sought to ensure that neither Iran nor Iraq would get the upper hand in the war. 

Throughout the mid 1980s, the war had devolved into a stalemate, marked by trench warfare, chemical weapons, missile attacks on cities ("War of the Cities"), and heavy human and economic losses on both sides.
After nearly eight years of brutal and indecisive conflict, the war concluded with both sides accepting United Nations Security Council Resolution 598, which called for an immediate ceasefire, a return to the <i>Status quo ante bellum</i>.

Iran's three main suppliers of weaponry during the war were [[File:Cball-China.png]] China, [[File:Ba'athist Syria.png]] Syria and [[File:Gaddafi.png]] Libya.

The Iran–Iraq War was the deadliest conventional war ever fought between regular armies of developing countries with a total of over a million casualties on both sides. The war also led to the massive destruction of critical infrastructure and severe economic loss for both sides.

====[[File:Cball-Iran.png]] [[File:Reagan.png]] [[File:Khom.png]] [[File:Contras.png]] [[File:CIA.png]] [[File:Zio.png]] [[File:Noriega.png]] Iran-Contra affair====
In the early 1980s, the [[File:Reagan.png]] Reagan administration sought to support [[File:Anticommunism.png]] anti-communist rebels known as [[File:Contras.png]] Contras, who were fighting the socialist Sandinista government in Nicaragua. However, U.S. Congress had imposed a ban on direct military aid to the Contras due to concerns about human rights abuses.

In 1985, in an effort to secure the release of American hostages held by [[File:Khom.png]] Hezbollah in Lebanon, members of the Reagan administration initiated a covert operation to sell arms to [[File:Cball-Iran.png]] Iran. The proceeds from the arms sales to Iran were then covertly funneled to support the Contras in Nicaragua. [[File:Zio.png]] Israel would act as intermediary in the negotiations. From 1985 to 1986 Israel delivered thousands of anti-tank and hundreds of surface-to-air missiles to Iran. Panama's dictator [[File:Noriega.png]] Noriega also helped coordinate the logistics of transporting the arms and ensuring their delivery to the Contras. In return for his cooperation, Noriega was believed to have received financial rewards and favors from the Reagan administration.

In November 1986, the Iran-Contra Affair was exposed when the Lebanese newspaper Al-Shiraa reported on the arms sales to Iran. U.S. Attorney General Edwin Meese confirmed the existence of the covert operation and the diversion of funds to the Contras.

===Presidency of [[File:IslamicteachersofIran.png]] Mohammad-Ali Rajai (1981)===
Rajai's political program was based on a kind of constitution that relied on the values of revolutionary Islam. He affirmed that the rulers should be loyal to Islamic and revolutionary values and support the poor and deprived. He respected people's freedom as long as it did not conflict with Islamic law, and during his rule, he tried to create a coherent government. His goal was to help deprived areas and make welfare, education and health issues available to the poor and deprived sections of Iran.

===Presidency of [[File:Rafsanjani.png]] Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani (1989-1997)===
[[File:Khomeini Rafsanjani.jpg|thumb|347x347px|Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani alongside Supreme Leader Khomeini]]
'''Hashemi Rafsanjani''' served as the President of Iran from 1989 to 1997. During his presidency, Hashemi Rafsanjani adopted policies (primarly economic) and supported a privatization policy, which were opposed to the economic trends of the state that dominated most of the Islamic Republic; the sources of the government call him economically liberal, civilly authoritarian and statist, and philosophically traditional and culturally conservative.

He tried to limit the powers of revolutionary and ultra-conservatives, but he almost didn't succeed, but perhaps this caused the culturally changing spectrum of reformists to be voted in and come to power.

In general, some sources describe him as a practical Islamic conservative. And that some conservatives and revolutionaries and some reformers have accused him of corruption, and some Islamic liberal conservatives and right-wing economic reformers have defended him.

But these opinions have nothing to do with Hashemi Rafsanjani after his presidency, and in some opinions they have differed in terms of time. For this reason, he is called a pragmatist and culturally, he has turned from conservatism to moderate conservatism.

===Presidency of [[File:Khatami.png]] Mohammad Khatami (1997-2005)===
'''Mohammad Khatami''' served as the President of Iran from 1997 to 2005. His presidency marked a period of relative political and social reform in Iran, often referred to as the "Reformist Era". Khatami aimed to promote a more open and tolerant society while seeking political and cultural reforms within the framework of the Islamic Republic.

His emphasis on dialogue, civil liberties, and cultural opening had a significant impact on Iranian society, although his reformist agenda faced challenges and limitations.

He can be called one of Islamic [[File:Soclib.png]] Social Liberalism, but now he may no longer have a social orientation.

===Presidency of [[File:Ahmadinejad.png]] Mahmoud Ahmadinejad (2005-2013)===
'''Mahmoud Ahmadinejad''' was the President of Iran from 2005 to 2013. During his presidency, he pursued a number of controversial policies that had significant implications for both domestic and foreign affairs.

One of the most controversial policies pursued by Ahmadinejad was the expansion of Iran's nuclear program. Despite concerns from the international community about the potential for Iran to develop nuclear weapons, Ahmadinejad's government continued to pursue the enrichment of uranium and other activities related to the nuclear program. This led to increased tensions with the United States and other countries, and ultimately to the implementation of economic sanctions against Iran.

He is a [[File:AuthNatCon.png]] National Conservative and supporter of [[File:Statecap.png]] State Capitalism.

===Presidency of [[File:Rouhani.png]] Hassan Rouhani (2013-2021)===
'''Hassan Rouhani''' served as the President of Iran from 2013 to 2021. He is known for his more moderate stance on domestic and foreign policy issues, and worked during his presidency to improve relations with other countries and to address economic challenges facing Iran.

Rouhani's presidency was marked by efforts to improve relations with the international community and to address the economic challenges facing Iran. One of the key achievements of his presidency was the negotiation of the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), also known as the Iran nuclear deal, which was signed in 2015. The JCPOA was a major international agreement that lifted economic sanctions on Iran in exchange for limits on its nuclear program, and it was seen as a significant diplomatic accomplishment for Rouhani's administration.

Despite these efforts, Rouhani's presidency was also marked by challenges and controversies. He faced criticism from hardliners within Iran who viewed his policies as too conciliatory towards the West, and he faced resistance from certain factions within the government that have opposed his efforts to reform certain aspects of Iranian society.

Overall, the presidency of Hassan Rouhani was marked by a more moderate approach to domestic and foreign policy, and by efforts to address the economic challenges facing Iran. His presidency has also been shaped by the ideological legacy of Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini, the leader of the Islamic Revolution in 1979, which has had a significant influence on the political landscape of Iran.

He is a [[File:AuthLibCon2.png]] Liberal Islamic Conservative and is ostensibly anti-populist.

===Presidency of [[File:Raisi.png]] Ebrahim Raisi (2021-2024)===
'''Ebrahim Raisi''' was the President of Iran from 2021 until his death in a helicopter crash in 2024. Raisi was part of the Principlist political group, which is commonly considered a hardliner group. He also had a background in the judiciary and has been involved in the prosecution of political dissidents and human rights activists in Iran.
Under Raisi's leadership, the [[File:Fem.png]] [[Feminism|Mahsa Amini protests started.]]. Raisi was a [[File:PatConAuth.png]] [[Paternalistic Conservatism|Paternalistic Conservative]] who increased welfare spending and believed in a [[File:SocStateCap.png]] [[State Capitalism|state capitalist]] and [[File:Yellsoc.png]] [[Yellow Socialism|yellow socialist]] economy.
Raisi died in a helicopter crash in northwest Iran on May 19th, 2024.

===[[File:IRGC.png]] Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC)===
'''The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps''', also referred to as Pasdaran or Sepah, was established by Khomeini in the aftermath of the Islamic Revolution to act as the "Ideological" armed forces of the newly established Islamic Republic.

The IRGC operates 5 different branches: Ground forces; Navy; Air force; Intelligence and Special forces. It also controls the Basij, a militia composed of volunteers and the Quds Force, that provides assistance and training to various militant organizations around the world. The IRGC is also a major force when it comes to controlling Iran's economy, owning more than 15% of the entire country's GDP.