Early Western Orientation of Iran
Iran’s modern orientation toward the West solidified during the reign of Shah Mohammad Reza Pahlavi, following a long historical tradition of integration with global powers, but escalating after the pivotal 1953 coup d'état. This coup, orchestrated by the United States' CIA and the British MI6, removed Prime Minister Mohammad Mosaddegh—a popular, democratically elected leader who had nationalized Iran’s oil industry in defiance of foreign dominance—and reinstalled the Shah with backing from Western powers. As a result, Iran’s monarchy, particularly under Mohammad Reza Shah, became firmly aligned with the Western bloc during the Cold War, pursuing modernization, economic development, and social reforms aimed at making Iran a regional leader and a reliable partner to the United States and other Western countries.
Politically, Iran was closely linked to the United States, receiving substantial military and economic support and relying on Western allies for regional stability. Economically, the Shah implemented a sweeping program of modernization known as the White Revolution, beginning in 1963, which focused on industrial growth, land reform, educational investments, and advances in women’s rights. Culturally, Iran became increasingly Westernized: Western dress and lifestyle, mixed-gender social events, and liberal attitudes permeated urban life, especially in Tehran and other major cities. Alcohol was permitted, and foreign entertainment, art, and technology became widely accessible.
The Role of Religion and the Seeds of Discontent
Despite the Shah’s achievements in modernization, his push for Western secularization, including efforts to minimize the influence of Islam and the clergy, inflamed tensions within Iranian society. Shia Islam was deeply rooted in Iran’s identity and history, and many traditionalists—particularly the powerful Shia clergy—viewed the rapid changes and foreign influences as an assault on Islamic values and national sovereignty. Modernization policies like banning the hijab, expanding women’s rights, and reshaping family laws were seen by religious conservatives as erosion of Iran’s traditional moral fabric.
In this environment, religious leaders such as Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini emerged as vocal opponents to the Shah, capitalizing on popular resentment against Westernization and perceived oppression. While the Pahlavi leadership promoted secular reforms, the clergy maintained significant influence over large portions of the population, positioning themselves as defenders of Iran’s religious and cultural heritage.
Equality and Women’s Rights in the Pahlavi Era
One of the most notable legacies of the Shah’s modernization was substantial advancement in equal rights, particularly regarding women's status in society. Under the progressive initiative of Empress Farah Pahlavi, the first lady, Iranian women experienced unprecedented opportunities in education, the workforce, and political life. Farah Pahlavi was instrumental in supporting her husband’s social and economic reforms and was a champion for women’s empowerment, health, cultural life, and modern art.
Key achievements included:
Women’s suffrage, granted in 1963, enabling voting and eligibility for public office.
The 1975 Family Protection Law, which raised the minimum marriage age for women, provided new divorce and custody rights, and restricted polygamy.
Growing representation of women in government: by the late 1970s, women held seats in parliament, served as judges, and filled various executive positions.
Legal rights to education and professional employment, with women comprising a significant percentage of university students and high-wage earners for the first time.
These changes made Iran, by the late 1970s, one of the most progressive countries in the region concerning women’s rights.
Foreign Interference and the Path to Revolution
Despite outward progress, the Shah’s reliance on Western support, especially after the 1953 coup, bred distrust and resentment among many Iranians. The Pahlavi regime’s tight political control, use of the feared SAVAK secret police, and conspicuous wealth of the royal family deepened domestic dissatisfaction. The regime was increasingly viewed as authoritarian, corrupt, and beholden to foreign powers, generating a nationalistic backlash among various segments of society, including the clergy, intellectuals, students, workers, and even the traditional merchant class.
These grievances set the stage for mass protests, catalyzed by religious and cultural mobilization, economic mismanagement, and the Shah's own attempts to balance reform with repression. The return of Ayatollah Khomeini from exile in early 1979 galvanized revolutionary fervor.
The 1979 Islamic Revolution: Breakdown and Exile
In 1979, a broad-based revolution swept away the Pahlavi monarchy. Facing strikes, demonstrations, and the loss of control over the armed forces, the Shah and Empress Farah fled Iran for exile in January 1979. Their departure marked the collapse of nearly half a century of progressive reforms and the end of Iran’s royal family’s rule.
The revolution rapidly shifted power to the coalition led by Ayatollah Khomeini, who declared Iran an Islamic Republic based on theocratic governance (velayat-e faqih), fusing religion and state as never before in modern Iranian history. The new government adopted an uncompromising anti-Western stance, rejected prior secularization, and systematically reversed previous equal rights and humanistic advances—particularly for women.
Regression of Equal Rights and Humanism after the Revolution
After the revolution, dramatic regressions in equality and human rights occurred:
The Family Protection Law was abolished, rolling back advances in marriage, divorce, and custody.
Compulsory hijab and modest dress codes were imposed on all women, and gender segregation became institutionalized.
Women lost jobs in government, legal professions, and academia, and their legal rights in court were sharply diminished (e.g., women’s testimony counted as half of a man’s).
The minimum marriage age was lowered, and polygamy was once again permitted.
Protests by women were crushed, and advocates of human rights—including former leaders—often faced persecution or exile. Women who remained in Iran had to struggle for decades to regain even partial rights lost during the revolutionary transformation.
The Role of Religion: Isolation and Theocratic Governance
Religion, particularly Twelver Shia Islam, became central to all aspects of the state under the new regime. The Islamic government imposed strict social codes, redeployed traditional jurisprudence, restricted the activities and rights of religious minorities, and subjected all legislation to clerical review and approval. This marked a complete departure from previous policies of religious plurality and secular governance, isolating Iran both ideologically and diplomatically.
Isolation and Economic Consequences: Poverty and Instability
Internationally, the Islamic Republic's anti-Western orientation led to deep diplomatic and economic isolation. Relations with Western powers sharply deteriorated, symbolized by the 1979 U.S. Embassy hostage crisis and subsequent sanctions. Significant foreign investment and economic partnerships evaporated, resulting in declining oil revenues, underdevelopment, and a loss of access to advanced technology and global markets.
This isolation, combined with economic mismanagement, led to persistent instability:
The collapse of government structures post-revolution caused severe economic contraction, unemployment, and widespread poverty.
Iran’s dependence on oil made it vulnerable to price shocks and international sanctions, spurring hyperinflation and repeated currency crises.
Rural and urban disparities widened, and overall income inequality and basic living standards suffered significantly.
Essential services, including healthcare and education, declined in quality and became less accessible, particularly for marginalized groups and women.
While some initiatives, such as expanding education to rural women, were later promoted, they could not compensate for the broader loss of rights, international isolation, economic hardship, and diminished opportunities that followed the revolution.
Suffering of the Iranian People
The cumulative impact of these changes—political isolation, regression in equality and rights, and economic hardship—has been profound. Ordinary Iranians faced higher poverty rates, unemployment, and restricted personal freedoms. Women, in particular, lost much of the social, legal, and professional autonomy they had acquired before the revolution, experiencing increased state surveillance and social control. For the broader population, the dreams of social justice and prosperity promised by the revolution remained unfulfilled, while the restrictions and hardships imposed by the regime’s isolationist policies exacerbated suffering and instability.
Conclusion
The history of modern Iran, from early Western orientation to revolutionary isolation, is marked by dramatic shifts in governance, cultural identity, and societal rights. Initial progress in equality, women’s rights, and modernization—vigorously promoted by figures such as Empress Farah Pahlavi—was reversed after the revolution, as religious doctrine and foreign antagonism defined national policy. The result has been not only the loss of previous humanistic gains but also enduring economic challenges, poverty, and hardship for Iranian society, illustrating the far-reaching consequences of ideological transformation, foreign interference, and the fraught intersection of religion and state.
