Changes

== History ==

== History ==

Iran was formerly known as [[Persia]], and was the historical centre of a number of empires.

Iran was formerly known as [[Persia]], and was the historical center of a number of empires.

During [[World War II]] Iran was openly partial to the Axis cause. A joint Anglo-Soviet military action began on 25 August 1941 when 40,000 Soviet troops entered Iran from the north and headed for Tehran. On the same day about 19,000 British Commonwealth troops, mostly in Indian brigades, entered from various directions. There was slight resistance on the part of Iranian troops but no force Iran could not have withstood the power of the occupying armies of British Empire and the Soviet Union, and German assistance by air was now as far away as Crete. On 30 August 1941 identical notes were submitted by the invading powers to the Iranian Government which accepted their terms on 9 September. On 16 September the Shah abdicated in favor of his son, [[Mohammed Reza Pahlevi]], and left the country. The next day Tehran was jointly occupied by the British and Soviet troops without show of military force.

During [[World War II]] Iran was openly partial to the Axis cause. A joint Anglo-Soviet military action began on 25 August 1941 when 40,000 Soviet troops entered Iran from the north and headed for Tehran. On the same day about 19,000 British Commonwealth troops, mostly in Indian brigades, entered from various directions. There was slight resistance on the part of Iranian troops but no force Iran could not have withstood the power of the occupying armies of British Empire and the Soviet Union, and German assistance by air was now as far away as Crete. On 30 August 1941 identical notes were submitted by the invading powers to the Iranian Government which accepted their terms on 9 September. On 16 September the Shah abdicated in favor of his son, [[Mohammed Reza Pahlevi]], and left the country. The next day Tehran was jointly occupied by the British and Soviet troops without show of military force.

After the CIA-backed coup of 1953, Prime Minister Mohammad Mossadegh was overthrown and the Shah returned to power. [[Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini]] emerged as an active critic of the Shah's increasingly autocratic government during this period. Khomeini was imprisoned and later exiled, but popular anti-government sentiment continued to spread. In 1979, the Shah fled Iran as Khomeini returned from exile. The Shah's troops were defeated by the rebels and in the following year, the Islamic Republic was established following a national referendum.

After the CIA-backed coup of 1953, Prime Minister Mohammad Mossadegh was overthrown and the Shah returned to power. [[Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini]] emerged as an active critic of the Shah's increasingly autocratic government during this period. Khomeini was imprisoned and later exiled, but popular anti-government sentiment continued to spread. In 1979, the Shah fled Iran as Khomeini returned from exile. The Shah's troops were defeated by the rebels and in the following year, the Islamic Republic was established following a national referendum.

On November 4, 1979, a group of Iranian students entered the US embassy and took a number of American personnel hostage, citing the overthrowing of Mossadegh in 1953 and accusing the embassy staff of preparing another coup against the revolutionary government. Some of the hostages, including women, African Americans and an employee diagnosed with mutliple sclerosis, were quickly released. Others were held for 444 days before being allowed to leave Iran and return to the United States.

On November 4, 1979, a group of Iranian students entered the US embassy and took a number of American personnel hostage, citing the overthrowing of Mossadegh in 1953 and accusing the embassy staff of preparing another coup against the revolutionary government. Some of the hostages, including women, African Americans and an employee diagnosed with multiple sclerosis, were quickly released. Others were held for 444 days before being allowed to leave Iran and return to the United States.

In the 1980s America was revelations of the Iran-Contra affair, were uncovered.<ref>[http://www.consortiumnews.com/2004/060204.html]</ref> Large volumes of documents relating to the matter were lost or withheld from investigators.<ref>"Excerpts from Iran-Contra Report" [http://www.nytimes.com/books/97/06/29/reviews/iran-transcript.html]</ref>  The affair is still shrouded with secrecy and it is very hard to discover the facts. It involved several members of the Reagan Administration who in [[1986]] helped sell [[arms trade|arms]] to Iran through Israel, and used the proceeds to fund the [[Contras]], an anti-[[communism|communist]] [[guerrilla warfare|guerrilla]] organization in [[Nicaragua]]. <ref>[http://www.answerpoint.org/columns2.asp?column_id=1165&column_type=feature]</ref>

In the 1980s America was revelations of the Iran-Contra affair, were uncovered.<ref>[http://www.consortiumnews.com/2004/060204.html]</ref> Large volumes of documents relating to the matter were lost or withheld from investigators.<ref>"Excerpts from Iran-Contra Report" [http://www.nytimes.com/books/97/06/29/reviews/iran-transcript.html]</ref>  The affair is still shrouded with secrecy and it is very hard to discover the facts. It involved several members of the Reagan Administration who in [[1986]] helped sell [[arms trade|arms]] to Iran through Israel, and used the proceeds to fund the [[Contras]], an anti-[[communism|communist]] [[guerrilla warfare|guerrilla]] organization in [[Nicaragua]]. <ref>[http://www.answerpoint.org/columns2.asp?column_id=1165&column_type=feature]</ref>