The Agenda's web editor, David Erwin, has compiled a timeline of Iran's history. It gives some general background on Iran's origins dating back to ancient Persia, and then provides text, still images and video on some of the key events between 1921 and today, from the coup that brought Reza Khan to power to the recent controversy over Iran's presidential election.
Created by TheAgenda on Jun 16, 2009
Last updated: 01/23/12 at 04:40 PM
The Agenda with Steve Paikin reviews the situation in Iran, six moths after the disputed presidential elections. http://www.tvo.org/cfmx/tvoorg/theagenda/index.cfm?page_id=3&action=blog&subaction=viewpost&blog_id=445&post_id=11645-
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We have also put together a resource page on Iran. To see more of our coverage on this topic or to read our blogs, please visit us online at: hyperlink http://bit.ly/3efXF
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http://bit.ly/3efXF
(AP) Tens of thousands of students marched at universities across Iran, in the most significant anti-government protests in the country for months. http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5jtlQG4TPVU7w4nXY2Ggey_c5giZgD9CISCP82
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(NYT) Iran’s broadest and most violent protest in months spilled over into a second day on Tuesday, as bloody clashes broke out on university campuses between students chanting antigovernment slogans and the police and Basij militia members. As the scale of Monday’s demonstrations became clearer, Tehran’s police chief announced that 204 people had been arrested in the capital.
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/12/09/world/middleeast/09iran.html
TEHRAN (Reuters) - Police clashed with supporters of Iran's opposition leader Mirhossein Mousavi in Tehran on Wednesday when a rally marking the 30th anniversary of the storming of the U.S. embassy turned violent.
http://www.reuters.com/article/idUSTRE5A31OW20091104
(NewsWeek) NEWSWEEK reporter Maziar Bahari, imprisoned in Tehran since June 21, is released from Evin Prison. http://www.newsweek.com/id/218283
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(Canada.Com) Iranian-Canadian journalist Maziar Bahari, who was allowed to go home to London following four months of wrongful detention in Iran. The journalist was accused of sending false election reports, disrupting public order by participating in illegal gatherings, and holding classified documents.http://www.canada.com/news/Iranian+Canadian+journalist+Bahari+home+London+Reports/2124470/story.html
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Sixty Minutes Interview:
http://www.cbs.com/primetime/60_minutes/video/index.php?pid=2SUjTzcXXTJpw5dQXMpHc_kYRYfPGlru
The Agenda with Steve Paikin debates Iran's nuclear future.
http://www.tvo.org/cfmx/tvoorg/theagenda/index.cfm?page_id=7&bpn=779627&ts=2009-10-02+20:00:00.0
During the G20 Conference in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, U.S. President Barack Obama, joined by French President Nicolas Sarkozy and British Prime Minister Gordon Brown, speak to the press after Iran informs the International Atomic Energy Agency of a previously undisclosed nuclear site.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LqXCchLmC1o
President Ahmadinejad’s address to the United Nations General Assembly is boycotted by many U.N. delegates, as Canada leads a walkout at the start of his speech. The nations that boycott Amadinejad’s speech say that the Iranian President’s denial of the Holocaust and his constant criticism of Israel were the motives behind the boycott.
Grand Ayatollah Hossein Ali Montazeri makes public his criticism of the Supreme Leader and the Iranian regime, declaring that the regime is “ … neither a republic nor Islamic …”. Public criticism of the Supreme Leader is almost unprecedented in Iran. - Montazeri is one of Iran’s most senior clerics and had once been considered for the position of Supreme Leader. He has openly criticized the regime before and was under house arrest from 1997 until 2003.
Iranian cleric and defeated presidential candidate Mehdi Karroubi makes public his letter to Ayatollah Rafsanjani in which he claims that imprisoned election protesters have been raped and tortured while in detention. The letter had been written 10 days earlier, but no action had been taken.
AHMADINEJAD SWORN IN President Ahmadinejad is sworn in for his second term, as protesters take to the streets to oppose the ceremony. A majority of opponents either boycott the event or walked out during the ceremony. There are a noticeable number of empty seats in the Iranian parliament.
The Iranian government begins the first round of trials for nearly 100 Iranians arrested in the aftermath of the disputed June 12 presidential elections. Those on trial include prominent reformers, former lawmakers, and members of the clergy.
Hundreds of thousands of Moussavi supporters dress in black and march on the streets mourning those killed during the protest. The Guardian Council calls on all opponents in the race to meet to discuss complaints.
Large protests continue in several cities across the country. Authorities round up more opposition opponents while more protesters are reported killed. Reformist candidate Hossein Moussavi calls for the regime to stop the violent attacks and release all prisoners.
Following the largest street protest since the 1979 revolution, the ruling Guardian Council offers to recount ballots in disputed areas. Opposition Reformist candidate Hossein Moussavi rejects the recount and demands new elections. Basij forces step up attacks on protesters.
Hundreds of thousands march in the streets of Tehran in protest of the election results. Protests and riots spread to other cities. Several are killed in clashes with authorities. The Supreme Leader Ayatollah Khamenei orders an investigation into election irregularities. Widespread arrests of opposition leaders are made.
Iran's supreme leader endorses the election results and calls on the nation to unite behind their President. Thousands of protesters gather on rooftops, shouting "Death to the dictator." Formal complaints are lodged with the Guardian Council.
President Ahmadinejad wins the presidential election by a landslide, with 66 per cent of the votes. The vote count was carried out in a record time, with authorities being able to count millions of hand ballots in a matter of hours. The runner up, Hossein Moussavi charges them with fraud. Thousands of protesters take to the streets, setting fires and breaking store fronts. Moussavi headquarters were raided and voting records seized.
Source: Youtube
Iran holds presidential elections. Huge crowds at the polling stations forced authorities to extend voting by six hours. Many thought the record turnout indicated that hardline incumbent Mahmoud Ahmadinejad would be defeated.
During a unprecedented presidential debate, for the first time Iranians saw a President's leadership being openly criticized on television. The debate energized opposition forces, who organized large rallies in the closing days of the election.
During the Presidential debate, Iranians for the first time saw a President's leadership being openly criticized on television. The debate energized opposition forces, who organized large rallies in closing days of the election.
Iran test fires the Shahab-3 long range missile, claiming it has the capability to reach targets in Israel.
The conservatives win over two-thirds of the seats in the parliamentary election. The Guardian Council had barred 90 percent of the independent and reform candidates from running because they were deemed not "sufficiently loyal to the Iranian revolution"
The Bush Administration announces the toughest sanctions against Iran since the hostage crisis of 1979.
Over a dozen of gas stations in Tehran are set ablaze as part of a protest against the start of fuel rationing. President Ahmadinejad is blamed for rising gas prices and for not delivering on his promise to fix the economy.
Overnight the government increases the price of gas by 25 per cent. This increase occured one month before a government plan to introduce a rationing program. There is widespread criticism of the government's handling of the economy.
The United Nations imposes sanctions on Iran. The UN demands that Tehran end all uranium enrichment work. Enriched Uranium can produce fuel for nuclear plants as well as for bombs. Iran insists its nuclear program is for peaceful purpose and will not halt their work.
The International Conference to Review the Global Vision of the Holocaust, was a two day conference held in Tehran on Dec. 11, 2006. At the conference Ahmadinejad remarked that the "... Zionist regime will soon be wiped out."
Iran announces it has succeeded in enriching uranium. One month later, Ahmadinejad addresses a rally declaring that "...we have more than 7,000 centrifuges and the West dare not threaten us."
In January of 2006, Iran breaks the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) agreement at the Natanz nuclear facility. One month later, the IAEA votes to report Iran to the UN Security Council, paving the way of a round of sanctions.
In a televised interview, President Ahmadinejad questioned whether the Holocaust took place, referring to it as a "myth" and said that Israel should be moved to Europe, or even Alaska, The comments caused outrage in many parts of the world.
Ahmadinejad is sworn into office and becomes the first non-cleric president in the Republic's history. Many reformists worry that the hardline views of the new President will take Iran back to the radicalism of the 1980s and lead the country into confrontations with the West.
The 2005 Presidential election was a run off election between former President Hashemi Rafsanjani (1989-1997), and Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, a little-known former Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) officer, who had been appointed mayor of Tehran in 2003. The ultra-conservative Ahmadinejad scored an overwhelming victory, winning 62 per cent of the vote. Many attribute his win to his rival's low popularity among the moderate movement. Rafsanjani had governed during an oppressive period in the Regime and managed to bring in few reforms. The growing gap between rich and poor also helped Ahmadinejad who campaigned on a platform of equality for all.
Conservatives regain control of parliament. The election marks the end of President Khatami's efforts to initiate political and social reform. However, the leadership of the reformist movement remains intact and begins to rebuild.
All candidates for elected office are first approved by the Guardian Council. In the lead up to the 2004 parliamentary election, the Guardian Council disqualifies some eighty Reformist incumbents, including almost all Reformist leaders of parliament. The disqualifications, along with the population's growing dissatisfaction with the slow movement of reform, almost guaranteed that the Reformists would lose control of parliament.
Iran reportedly suspends its uranium enrichment program. The International Atomic Energy Authority (IAEI) concludes there is no evidence of a weapons program.
Thousands attend student lead marches against the clerical establishment.
In his State of the Union speech, President George W. Bush describes Iran as part of an axis of evil. The already frail Iran-U.S. relationship quickly deteriorates as Iran develops a more hardline approach to the Bush administration.
Mohammad Khatami is re-elected to his second term as President. During this time, he starts to lose much of his support base. The Conservatives effectively blocked the progress of reformist legislation, leaving the political system in a deadlock. Iranians grew disenchanted with Khatami and the Reformists, who were unable to deliver on the promise of reform.
For the first time, Reformist candidates gain control of the Parliament(Majlis).
In reaction to reformist gains in the parliament, the judiciary bans the publications of 16 reformist newspapers.
The Special Court of the Clergy closes down the popular pro-Khatami newspaper Salam. This is seen as a showdown between hardline Conservatives and Khatami reformers, in the lead up to the 2000 elections. The closure of the newspaper sparks huge student demonstrations, the largest since the 1979 revolution. The demonstrations quickly turn into riots lasting six days. Thousands of students are injured and arrested.
The conservative controlled parliament passes the Press Law which grants authorities enhanced powers to punish dissenting journalists. The Press Law was part of a larger campaign to crack down on reformist papers which had been springing up ever since the election of President Khatami.
Mohammad Khatami wins the presidency with almost 70% of the vote, defeating his conservative rival. Khatami ran on a platform of liberalization and reform, advocating freedom of expression and greater tolerance. His victory was considered the first significant gain by the reform moment. In his first term as President, Khatami lifts restrictions on the press, greatly increasing the number of refromist newspapers.
Riots broke out in the areas of Islamshahr and Akbarabad, two slums on the outskirts of Tehran. The riots were in protest against rising bus fares. In contrast to the Ghazvin riots of 1994, the government moved quickly to suppress the demonstrations. The Basji brigades attacked the crowds killing up thirty people. Reportedly, the government fined the families of those killed for the cost of the bullets.
Consider one of the most significant uprising since the revolution. The Revolutionary Guard and local armed forces refused to attack the protesters citing the role of the army was defend the country's borders and not to control the civilian population. The regime ordered in special brigades to quell the riots. The army was purged of opposition voices, while at the same time the special brigades where reinforced. From this point forward, the regime relied more heavily on Basji forces to control dissent.
Hashemi Rafsanjani is elected on the platform of establishing a free market economy. He serves eight years as President and brings few reforms. He is now a member of the powerful Assembly of Experts, a panel that selects the next Supreme Leader of Iran. He opposes the rule of President Ahmadinejad and ran against him in 2005, but lost the election.
Ayatollah Ali Khamene is elected Grand Ayatollah (Supreme Leader) by a two third majority vote. Many clerics disagreed with the continuation of the position of Grand Ayatollah.
Ayatollah Khomeini dies of a heart attack while in the hospital, an estimated 2 million people attend the funeral. Under Khomein'si rule, the country became as oppressed as it was under the previous regime. Thousands were killed or imprisoned.
Ayatollah Khomeini issues a Fatwa (religious edict) calling for the death of British writer, Salman Rushdie for his novel, The Satanic Verses. The Ayatollah considers the book blasphemous to Islam. The American hostage crisis and the Fatwa furthered isolate Iran on the world stage.
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