Iranian Revolution - 40th Anniversary Photography - M1key - Michal Huniewicz

Iranian Revolution - 40th Anniversary by Michal Huniewicz

This is the fifth instalment of my photos from Iran - this time, we'll have a look at the Iranian Revolution, and I will use the contemporary scenes I photographed as illustration.

You may want to check out my earlier Iran photo albums: Journey through Persia #1, Journey through Persia #2, Women of Iran (with an introduction to Persia and Iran), and Ashura (on Iran's Islamic festival of grief).

Sources: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50, 51, 52, 53, 54, 55, 56, 57, 58, 59, 60, 61, 62, 63, 64, 65, 66.
Uploaded on: 2019-02-24.

Iran

Ayatollah Khomeini

Ayatollah Khomeini
It is 2019 now, and it's the 40th anniversary of the end of the Iranian Revolution, also known as the Islamic Revolution.
In the photo, my friend Dorota in Qom, not far from the house of Ayatollah Khomeini, one of the revolution's protagonists.
ISO 12800, 24mm, f/2.8, 1/40s.

Man on the Phone

Man on the Phone
After 2500 years, monarchy in Iran came to an abrupt end - finished off by the revolution.
In the photo, a man making a phone call.
ISO 100, 24mm, f/2.8, 1/3200s.

Tyres

Tyres
The revolution is impossible to understand without taking a step back to look at the historical circumstances. Let's do that.
In the photo, tyres for sale in Tehran.
ISO 100, 24mm, f/2.8, 1/50s.

Iwan

Iwan
Since the end of classical antiquity and the advent of Islam (7th century CE), Iran was ruled by ethnically and culturally mixed dynasties. [1]
In the photo, an iwan in Shiraz.
ISO 100, 24mm, f/2.8, 1/2500s.

Post Office

Post Office
Between 1789 and 1925, Iran was ruled by the Qajar Dynasty of Turkic origin. [2]
In the photo, the Qajar flag and the Soviet heavy machine gun DShK decorating the Tehran post office.
ISO 100, 38mm, f/2.8, 1/4000s.

Motorbikes

Motorbikes
The Qajar Persia was weak in the 19th century, and became a playground between the imperial forces of Russia and Britain.
In the photo, a pedestrian crossing in Tehran.
ISO 100, 24mm, f/2.8, 1/2000s.

Asleep

Asleep
The Iranians would lose wars to Russia (later, the Soviet Union), and with them - lose territory. [2] Losing territory to a foreign godless power caused a lot of resentment in Iran, and one of the angered was a young man named Ruhollah Khomeini. [6]
In the photo, a man asleep in a Qazvin mosque.
ISO 100, 14mm, f/1.8, 1/80s.

Clerics

Clerics
It was during the Qajar rule that the Shia clergy became an important opposition player, defending the local tobacco producers and merchants from the monopoly granted to the British by the Shah during the so called Tobacco Protest. [3] The powerful class of Iranian merchants is known as the bazaari.
In the photo, Shia clerics in Shiraz.
ISO 3600, 24mm, f/2.8, 1/50s.

The Chain that Holds the Car Together

The Chain that Holds the Car Together
Foreign influence and humiliation only increased. One Qajari Shah - Naser al-Din - accrued such debts in Paris brothels, that to bail himself out he sold the French the rights to not only organise archaeological expeditions in Iran, but also to keep whatever they found. [5] [7]
In the photo, a chain that holds the taxi car together, rather disturbingly.
ISO 180, 44mm, f/2.8, 1/50s.

Worker in Isfahan

Worker in Isfahan
In 1921, the British supported a man named Reza Khan in his successful coup d'état against the weak Qajars; four years later that led to the establishment of the Pahlavi Dynasty with Reza Khan declared the Shah of Iran - the king of Iran. [4]
In the photo, a builder working at a mosque restoration project in Isfahan.
ISO 280, 68mm, f/5.6, 1/50s.

Motorbike

Motorbike
Reza Khan, perhaps inspired by Atatürk, considered establishing a republic, but that was opposed by the clerics. [8]
In the photo, a motorbike in Shiraz.
ISO 280, 24mm, f/2.8, 1/50s.

Blower

Blower
An ambitious project of modernisation and westernisation began under Reza Khan (now known as Reza Shah). The Trans-Iranian Railway was built, the first Iranian university was established, and students could go to Europe to study. The so called Women's Awakening took place, with chador being outlawed, and the Shah sought to improve the relationship with local Jews and other minorities. [9]
In the photo, an Iranian grill built using a Western blower.
ISO 100, 24mm, f/2.8, 1/640s.

Subway in Tehran

Subway in Tehran
Although there were elections, in practice the country was not democratic, Reza Shah being the main decision maker. This was to become a pattern in Iran.
In the photo, a subway in Tehran.
ISO 900, 24mm, f/2.8, 1/50s.

Paradise in Tehran

Paradise in Tehran
In 1935, Reza Shah officially changed the name of the country from Persia to Iran - the Land of Aryans (or rather asked foreigners to use the latter term). Persians are only one of several ethnic groups in Iran.
In the photo, a scaffolding in Tehran.
ISO 140, 24mm, f/5.6, 1/50s.

Barrier

Barrier
Everyone ("except Shia jurisconsults who had passed a special qualifying examination") was required by law to wear Western clothing. Mixing of the sexes was allowed. When a cleric criticised the wife of the Shah, the Shah violated the cleric's Qom sanctuary of Fatima Masumeh Shrine to give the cleric a thrashing.
In the photo, gender separation is back.
ISO 560, 14mm, f/2.5, 1/50s.

Clerics

Clerics
Unsurprisingly, those changes angered the clergy, while the suppression of free press and opposition did little to improve the popularity of the Shah elsewhere.
In the photo, young clerics in Kashan.
ISO 200, 23mm, f/2.0, 1/500s.

Restoration

Restoration
Iran has huge oil reserves, and it was the British who benefited enormously from extracting it through the Anglo-Persian Oil Company, now better known as BP. The Iranians got 16% of net profits.
In the photo, a mosque restoration in Tehran.
ISO 3200, 35mm, f/4.5, 1/50s.

Poland

Poland
The Shah was not unequivocal of his admiration of the West or foreign influence in general. He argued over the oil profits, and tried to balance the influence of Britain and the USSR, also by beginning to cooperate with the Germans, and praising Hitler in the 1930s.
In the photo, badges of Poland and New Jersey in a shop in Tehran.
ISO 200, 23mm, f/2.0, 1/340s.

Spirograph

Spirograph
That proved to be his undoing, as in 1941 the allied forces of Britain and USSR invaded the neutral Iran to protect its oil reserves from the Germans. I watched an interesting video where it is argued that the loss of oil was the reason the German war machine ground to a halt and lost the Second World War.
In the photo, a street vendor is selling spirographs.
ISO 100, 24mm, f/2.8, 1/250s.

Street in Shiraz

Street in Shiraz
Faced with the invasion, Iran's modernised army collapsed, and the British asked the Shah "Would His Highness kindly abdicate in favour of his son, the heir to the throne?". It was a face-saving way out for the Shah, and his son - Mohammad Reza Pahlavi - replaced his father as Shah on the throne on 16 September 1941.
In the photo, am empty street in Shiraz.
ISO 100, 24mm, f/2.8, 1/1600s.

Little Iwan

Little Iwan
Confusingly - Reza Shah was the father, Mohammad Reza Shah was the son. Shah being the title, while their surname was Pahlavi.
Mohammad Reza Pahlavi was the second and last monarch of the Pahlavi House, and it was to him that Ryszard Kapuściński dedicated his book Shah of Shahs that I used as a research starting point for this gallery.
In the photo, a little iwan in Shiraz.
ISO 100, 24mm, f/2.8, 1/3200s.

Father

Father
Kapuściński says that while the tall and barrel-chested Reza Shah (the father) was confident, his son Mohammed Reza was forever in his father's shadow, appearing nervous and jittery - ultimately unprepared for the reign, and not particularly interested in governing the country in the first place.
In the photo, a father with his child.
ISO 100, 40mm, f/2.8, 1/320s.

Car Mechanic Garage

Car Mechanic Garage
And so, the allies won the Second World War, while oil became a much desired resource. It was still Britain that enjoyed enormous profits from Iranian oil while the Iranians lived in poverty. In early 1950s, the Iranian Prime Minister named Mohammad Mosaddegh made an attempt to change that dynamic.
In the photo, a car mechanic garage in Zanjan.
ISO 100, 24mm, f/2.8, 1/100s.

Side Street

Side Street
Mosaddegh proposed a radical step - to nationalise Iran's oil in order to reap the benefits from the country's resources. The British were outraged, and even considered a full blown invasion to protect their interests. To make matters more complicated, Mosaddegh was also becoming unpopular for his grand plans and dictatorial powers: Mohammed Reza Shah being increasingly sidelined, dedicating time to honing his skiing skills and posing on the beach.
In the photo, a side street in Tehran as we ventured to find coffee which proved to be a difficult task.
ISO 100, 24mm, f/13.0, 1/125s.

Mullahs

Mullahs
It didn't help that Mosaddegh was left leaning, and so accused of being a communist. Those were the early years of the Cold War, and a new player entered the stage - the United States.
In the photo, two clerics in Kashan.
ISO 400, 14mm, f/10.0, 1/50s.

Yellow Cabs

Yellow Cabs
The CIA together with the British staged what became known as the 1953 Iranian coup d'état, although the US only officially acknowledged that in 2013. As if to cement his reputation of a weak ruler, the Mohammed Reza Shah temporarily fled Iran while the coup took place, the overthrowing of a democratically elected Prime Minister. What might have seemed like a good idea at the time has in fact helped to make both Britain and the US look even more like colonial empires as opposed to defenders of democracy they like to see themselves as.
In the photo, a busy street in Tehran.
ISO 100, 24mm, f/2.8, 1/2500s.

Watermelons

Watermelons
The power vacuum left by the coup would be filled by Mohammed Reza Shah, and he'd be accused of being a Western puppet. Policies of modernisation and westernisation ensued as the playboy Shah became a more skilled politician.
In the photo, watermelons in Shiraz.
ISO 640, 23mm, f/2.8, 1/60s.

Down with USA

Down with USA
Gradually, in the Iranian minds, the US became the "Great Satan" while the British influence waned.
In the photo, an anti-American mural by the former US embassy in Tehran.
ISO 200, 23mm, f/5.6, 1/850s.

Shopping Centre

Shopping Centre
Mohammed Reza Shah then continued to rule, having to worry about the USSR (while the Soviet leader Nikita Khrushchev ordered he be assassinated), giving some rights to religious minorities, and angering the clergy through his far-reaching reforms. When in 1963 he allowed women to vote, it caused an outrage among Iran's conservative clerics, one of the more prominent being Ruhollah Khomeini, who said "the fate of Iran should never be allowed to be decided by women".
In the photo, a shopping centre in Tehran.
ISO 140, 24mm, f/7.1, 1/50s.

Entrance to a Bazaar in Tehran

Entrance to a Bazaar in Tehran
In the 1970s, Iran had an economic growth rate equal to that of South Korea. [12] School children were given free meals, and the literacy rates increased from 17% to 50%. Iran maintained friendly relationships with many Western European countries, as well as Israel and China.
In the photo, an entrance to a Tehran bazaar.
ISO 100, 24mm, f/3.2, 1/60s.

Tired in Tabriz

Tired in Tabriz
Following the 1973 oil crisis and additionally thanks to Iran's actions, the prices of oil increased more than fourfold - which seemed like a blessing for Iran. [13] The Shah delivered a speech in which he promised he'd turn Iran into a modern country, into a "Great Civilisation". [5]
In the photo, a man resting having been cleaning after Ashura rituals in Zanjan.
ISO 2000, 24mm, f/2.8, 1/50s.

Fans

Fans
What followed was a worsening of foreign relations with the US (they did not appreciate the high prices), but - more importantly - a great project of humiliation of the Iranians and corruption. For it was the foreigners who were tasked with building the modern Iran, Iranians deemed to be lacking the skills, and the giant oil money that was meant to trickle down to the lowest echelons of society was instead dissolved in the extravaganza of the Iranian nouveau riche. [53] [54] The Shah was once again seen as a mere puppet in Western hands.
In the photo, above a bazaar in Tehran.
ISO 400, 24mm, f/2.8, 1/50s.

Hosseiniyeh Mosque in Zanjan

Hosseiniyeh Mosque in Zanjan
And so the wealthy Iranian elite would fly in private planes to Europe for lunch and return in the evening. [5] The worst offence was the 2,500 year celebration of the Persian Empire in Persepolis - a lavish event organised by the shah that was meant to show off Iran's achievements and wealth. "The area around Persepolis was cleared of snakes and other vermin. Trees and flowers were planted, and 50,000 song birds were imported from Europe." Dignitaries from all around the world were invited to join while men dressed as Persian Immortals walked proudly across Persepolis. They even erected a tent city for the guests. "This became a major scandal, as the contrast between the dazzling elegance of the celebration and the misery of the nearby villages was so dramatic that no one could ignore it". [12] There were student strikes even before it took place, and, once again, Khomeini was one of the most vocal critics.
In the photo, a distinctively Central Asian mosque in Zanjan.
ISO 100, 40mm, f/2.8, 1/6400s.

Industrial Tehran

Industrial Tehran
Even industrialisation and modernisation brought problems, because the entire project was ridden with mismanagement and top-down decisions that did not make much sense. For example, two thousand tractors were ordered, but there was no one to drive them. Cargo ships heavy with load appeared, but Iran did not have sufficient infrastructure to unload them on time, so the country had to pay hefty fines for the delay. [5]
In the photo, a distopian building in Tehran.
ISO 200, 23mm, f/3.6, 1/450s.

Last Night in Tehran

Last Night in Tehran
The ego of the Shah did not help. Like Alexander the Great, he believed he received messages from God [55] (a belief not common even among Iran's other Shahs) - he said that himself to Oriana Fallaci (who also interviewed Khomeini). Often accused of not knowing his own country, he changed the calendar from Islamic to Imperial. Overnight, the year changed from 1355 to 2535. His series of reforms known as the White Revolution was considered to be often shoddily planned and executed. [14] While the reforms produced many skilled workers, Iran did not create jobs for them, thus generating a new disgruntled class of people. Such rapid modernisation could not have been easy.
In the photo, a curious tower in Tehran.
ISO 1250, 36mm, f/2.8, 1/50s.

Black

Black
What allowed the Shah's autocratic regime to continue was SAVAK - Iran's notorious secret police, established with the help of CIA. The Shah wished to strengthen his own powers by taking care of political opponents. The US contributed the know-how of intelligence and interrogation methods. SAVAK could not only censor and invigilate - they also tortured and assassinated people, apparently driving the Iranians mad with paranoia and fear. [15] "Six hundred years after Tamburlaine [Timur], the same pathological cruelty remains, unchanged except perhaps for the degree of mechanization." SAVAK even banned the plays of Shakespeare and Molière, and books of Iran's best authors. [5]
"[...] monarchy is the only possible means to govern Iran. If I have been able to do something, a lot, in fact, for Iran, it is owing to the detail, slight as it may seem, that I'm its king. To get things done, one needs power, and to hold onto power one mustn't ask anyone’s permission or advice. One mustn't discuss decisions with anyone." - Mohammed Reza Shah. [55]
In the photo, a man is showing off his wares (all in black).
ISO 560, 40mm, f/2.8, 1/50s.

Graveyard

Graveyard
It was likely SAVAK's doing that triggered the beginning of what would become the Iranian Revolution. On 23rd of October 1977, Khomeini's son Mostafa died while in police custody, and SAVAK agents were meant to be present. [16] The line was crossed, and following that event was when the first militant anti-Shah demonstrations began. Ruhollah Khomeini said that the death of his son was a hidden favour from God. [56]
In the photo, people in the shade attending a tomb.
ISO 100, 70mm, f/2.8, 1/5000s.

Qom

Qom
Qom
The regime attempted to denounce Khomeini as a foreign agent and a homosexual, but that did not work very well, sparking even more protests, many in Qom (what is often seen as Iran's most religious city alongside Mahshad [57]). It turned out that the Shah was hated, for various reasons, by many factions across Iran. They differed quite dramatically in how they wished Iran to evolve (or devolve), only united in their hatred for the Shah and his secret police.
In the photo, a mosque in Qom. Qom had a somewhat unpleasant atmosphere, and the people seemed almost hostile to us, but it's also where we met Ammar's uncle.
ISO 500, 23mm, f/2.0, 1/60s.

Martyrs

Martyrs
The army was sent to deal with protesters, and people would usually be killed. As is Shia custom, 40 days later memorial services would be held, and new protests would then happen, with more people getting killed. Thus, the revolution began to pulsate with a 40 day heartbeat. Those killed would be called martyrs by Khomeini.
In the photo, Dorota, Ammar, Maria Rita posing in Tehran by the former US embassy.
ISO 100, 32mm, f/2.8, 1/2500s.

Ashura Decorations

Ashura Decorations
The revolution took the world by surprise. As late as August 1978 (so after Khomeini's son's death), the CIA assessed that 'Iran [was] not in a revolutionary or even "pre-revolutionary" situation'. [16] The Shah was also surprised. Bit of a fail, really.
In the photo, Ashura decorations - palm trees and black flags - in Tabriz.
ISO 100, 31mm, f/2.8, 1/160s.

Wheelbarrows Worth of Cows' Feet

Wheelbarrows Worth of Cows' Feet
What followed was an incoherent attempt by the Shah to control the situation. It was a mix of appeasement and more violence.
In the photo, cows' feet on sale.
ISO 720, 24mm, f/2.8, 1/50s.

Iwan

Iwan
What was a secret then but is known now is that the Shah was diagnosed with cancer in 1974. It has been argued that the drugs he was receiving made him indecisive. His wife offered to take control of the situation - but he refused that offer, afraid of being seen as weak once again.
In the photo, a typically Persian garden with fountains in front of an iwan. At first glance, Persian gardens may appear underwhelming. Although some are a UNESCO heritage site, we were usually not too impressed with what we saw. What's the big deal? Even in ancient Persia, gardening was considered a noble skill and was seen on a par with hunting. Because Iran is an arid country, being able to grow impressive plants, fruits, and vegetables was a source of pride and a proof of organisational skills and eye for detail - and thus could even get you promoted! "If you can take care of a garden, you can take care of a town". Xerxes himself, as he marched to invade Greece, stopped his entire army (a bigger force invaded Europe only once - in 1944) to admire a particularly beautiful tree, and placed an Immortal to guard it. [58]
ISO 4000, 24mm, f/4.5, 1/50s.

Downstairs to a Mosque

Downstairs to a Mosque
By summer 1978, the protests subsided, and it seemed like the danger of a revolution was a thing of the past.
In the photo, people on their way to and from a mosque in Tehran.
ISO 500, 24mm, f/2.8, 1/50s.

Skies over Tehran

Skies over Tehran
That was when a cinema in Abadan, Iran was set on fire. The arsonists barred the doors and doused the place with gasoline. In what was the largest terrorist attack before 9/11, as many as 420 people burnt to death. The Cinema Rex fire was blamed on SAVAK, and the revolution began anew. Later, it was found out that it was not SAVAK but the revolutionaries themselves who sent the cinema ablaze, as symbols of Western influence were being targeted at the time. [17] That included a bus full of American workers.
In the photo, a mosque in Tehran with a clock tower reminiscent of the Abraj Al Bait Mall in Mecca.
ISO 1800, 24mm, f/4.5, 1/50s.

Martyr

Martyr
The next big event was the so called Black Friday, when soldiers killed 88 protesters. This was supposedly the end of any hopes for reconciliation between the Shah and the people. Khomeini blamed "the Zionists". [18]
In the photo, an exhibition in Tehran.
ISO 400, 66mm, f/2.8, 1/50s.

Black Flags

Black Flags
Nationwide strikes followed, and the Shah was under pressure to keep the companies going. His approach of increasing wages did not work. He then angered Iranian feminists when he reduced the rights of women to appease the Islamists.
In the photo, a strange lack of symmetry in those black stones (tombs) in a mosque courtyard in Qazvin.
ISO 1250, 14mm, f/1.8, 1/50s.

Sunset in Yazd

Sunset in Yazd
Meanwhile, Khomeini moved from his exile in Iraq to France, where he enjoyed the country's superior communications network, and became the de facto leader of the revolution. He was careful not to disclose any plans for building a theocracy in Iran, stating that he was not interested in ruling, just advising. Western media, in particular the BBC, helped to establish his image of an Eastern mystic.
In the photo, Yazd seen from a tower of silence.
ISO 100, 55mm, f/5.0, 1/125s.

Ashura

Ashura
Some people believed that Khomeini is the Hidden Imam of Shia Islam - because they'd never seen a photo of him when he was young. [5] There's an old Shia saying attributed to Imam al-Kadhem: "A man will come out from Qom and he will summon people to the right path". Khomeini's Alma mater was the Qom Seminary. [20]
Khomeini adhered to traditional beliefs of Islamic hygienical jurisprudence holding that things like urine, excrement, blood, wine, and non-Muslims were some of eleven ritualistically "impure" things. [20]
In the photo, an Ashura poster with the face hidden, in Tehran.
ISO 100, 38mm, f/4.0, 1/1250s.

Bullets

Bullets
"Secular and leftist politicians piled onto the movement hoping to gain power in the aftermath, ignoring the fact that Khomeini was the very antithesis to all of the positions they supported." [19] It is said that even SAVAK had limited freedom of action in the mosques. [5] Between SAVAK and the mullahs, people chose the mullahs - in the March 1979 Iranian Islamic Republic referendum. [65]
In the photo, two posters we saw at an exhibition.
ISO 100, 38mm, f/2.8, 1/125s.

Turban

Turban
However, earlier, Khomeini had developed the ideology of Velayat-e faqih (guardianship of the jurist) as government, that Muslims – in fact everyone – required "guardianship", in the form of rule or supervision by the leading Islamic jurist or jurists. Such rule was "more necessary even than prayer and fasting". More on it later.
In the photo, a turban is being prepared to be worn. It's amazing how much time some people have.
ISO 100, 14mm, f/10.0, 1/200s.

Around the Head

Around the Head
Everything the Shah did to control the situation backfired. In January 1979, as the US rejected the idea of organising a pro-Shah coup, the Mohammed Reza Shah admitted defeat, and left Iran for Egypt, never to return. SAVAK was dissolved.
In the photo, the turban is being put on the head.
ISO 250, 14mm, f/10.0, 1/50s.

In a Mosque

In a Mosque
"Religious dignitaries do not want to rule" said Khomeini in October 1978, but in February 1979 he returned to Iran from exile to do just that. [21] [22]
In the photo, men praying a mosque. After my recent trip to Istanbul, I can tell you these carpets are not handmade.
ISO 2000, 14mm, f/3.5, 1/50s.

Eggs in Tabriz

Eggs in Tabriz
It has been said that "what began as an authentic and anti-dictatorial popular revolution based on a broad coalition of all anti-Shah forces was soon transformed into an Islamic fundamentalist power-grab".
In the photo, street food in Tehran.
ISO 100, 24mm, f/2.8, 1/125s.

US Embassy in Tehran

US Embassy in Tehran
After the revolution succeeded in getting rid of the Shah, a crisis began that lasted a couple of years. Khomeini used that time to consolidate his power and get rid of the moderate/liberal/left wing allies of the revolution cause. It turned out that he did not merely want to advise. That should not have really come as a surprise, as Khomeini's Velayat-e faqih book (published in as early as 1970) described the theocratic rule - where a state is ruled according to the sharia law, and led by the unelectable and undeposable Supreme Leader. That's exactly what was implemented in Iran, and - being the star of the revolution - Khomeini chose himself as the Supreme Leader. "Since the people love the clergy, have faith in the clergy, want to be guided by the clergy, it is right that the supreme religious authority should oversee the work of the Prime Minister or of the President of the republic, to make sure that they don't make mistakes or go against the law: that is, against the Koran." -- Khomeini [63]
What proved to be enormously beneficial to Khomeini was the American embassy hostage crisis.
In the photo, a man in front of the wall that used to surround the US embassy.
ISO 200, 23mm, f/5.6, 1/280s.

Statue of Liberty

Statue of Liberty
It was in late October 1979 that it no longer was a secret that the Shah had cancer. As he was admitted to the US for treatment, various factions in Iran demanded his return to Iran for trial and execution. Young Islamists of the Muslim Student Followers of the Imam's Line organisation invaded the US embassy in Tehran, and seized its staff. 52 American diplomats were held hostage for 444 days - the time was used to suppress all opposition of Khomeini, passing various laws, and further radicalising the opposition. [23] [25]
In the photo, an anti-American and anti-Semitic mural inside the former US embassy.
ISO 1000, 24mm, f/6.3, 1/50s.

Museum-Garden of Anti Arrogance

Museum-Garden of Anti Arrogance
The hostage situation continued even after the Shah died, and ended on the day Ronald Reagan was sworn into office, literally minutes afterwards (the event has been interpreted in various ways in the US [59] [60]). The US embassy was described as a nest of spies, and secret documents were being released showing moderate Iranian politicians dealings with the US, while similar documents that might have compromised the clergy were not released.
In the photo, the ticket to the former US embassy that's been turned into a museum.
ISO 100, 24mm, f/6.3, 1/320s.

Safe Room

Safe Room
There was even a failed hostage rescue attempt - and its failure electrified Iranians, as it was attributed to divine intervention.
In the photo, a room to hold most secret conversations within the embassy.
ISO 360, 24mm, f/2.8, 1/50s.

Evil Grin

Evil Grin
The primary reason why there was so much resentment against the US was the 1953 coup against Mosaddegh.
In the photo, an anti-American poster in the former US embassy.
ISO 3200, 58mm, f/6.3, 1/50s.

Burnt Documents

Burnt Documents
As Khomeini suppressed opposition, National Democratic Front or Muslim People's Republican Party were banned, together with the People's Mujahedin of Iran guerrillas. Universities were purged and members of the old system executed after show trials. The "small, rotund man with a pointed beard, kindly smile, and a high-pitched giggle" Sadegh Khalkhali became known as the hanging judge, as he sent hundreds of people to their deaths, including a former head of SAVAK. [24] The former Prime Minister Amir-Abbas Hoveyda was sentenced to death in a show trial on the charges of "waging war against God" and "spreading corruption on earth", then shot twice in the neck by the current president of the Al-Hadi Institute in Iran Hadi Ghaffari before he could even reach the execution grounds. He did not die from those wounds, and was left lying begging to be killed until finally shot in the head. [36] [37] Like SAVAK earlier, the theocratic regime has also assassinated its oponents even abroad. [61]
Executions of people accused of adultery or homosexuality followed. "If your finger suffers from gangrene, what do you do? Do you let the whole hand, and then the body, become filled with gangrene, or do you cut the finger off? What brings corruption to an entire country and its people must be pulled up like the weeds that infest a field of wheat." -- Khomeini [63]
In the photo, documents that the employees of the embassy tried to destroy while under siege.
ISO 1800, 24mm, f/3.2, 1/50s.

Enigma

Enigma
Can you imagine the dismay of the moderates, of the liberals, of the feminists, as Khomeini's forces closed newspapers next? "... After each revolution several thousand of these corrupt elements are executed in public and burnt and the story is over. They are not allowed to publish newspapers" -- Khomeini. [26] About newspapers: "We shut them up because we knew who they were, and what they were after. And this is not contrary to freedom. This is done everywhere." [63] The Iranians had to say goodbye to alcohol, too. [64] Or Western music. "Music dulls the mind, because involves pleasure and ecstasy, similar to drugs" -- Khomeini [63]
In the photo, an encryption machine in the former US embassy.
ISO 1600, 24mm, f/3.2, 1/50s.

Baby

Baby
The so called Hezbollahi were (and are) the strongmen of the revolution in case someone needed a punch in the face. [27] They are not to be confused with the Iran-sponsored Hezbollah we encountered in Lebanon.
In the photo, some sort of anti-American and anti-Russian work of art in the former US embassy.
ISO 2000, 24mm, f/2.8, 1/50s.

Radio

Radio
The moderate Muslim People's Republican Party that preferred a democracy over theocracy was swiftly taken care of by Revolutionary Guards. Even recently, in 2010, a man was arrested for having been a member of the party, and according to Wikipedia, he remains in detention. [28]
In the photo, espionage equipment, according to what we were told.
ISO 320, 24mm, f/2.8, 1/50s.

Propaganda

Propaganda
It was called the Cultural Revolution - the academia of Iran was purged not only of Westernised but also of non-Islamic influences, as well as non-political Islamic doctrines. Books were banned, and thousands of students and lecturers were expelled. It was to have a terrible impact on Iran's economy, as many well educated people left the country for good. [29]
In the photo, the screen that displayed an anti-American video. In the process of doing my research, I was shocked by the cynical actions of first Britain and then the US. I think it would have been more powerful to show a more balanced and more true video than what they showed in this Iranian museum, though.
ISO 400, 24mm, f/2.8, 1/50s.

His Father

His Father
Islam became a tool in the fight with opposition, as Khomeini threatened his rivals with death for apostasy.
In the photo, a man working in a shop with a painting of his late father, as he explained to me.
ISO 140, 24mm, f/2.8, 1/50s.

Fatty Livers

Fatty Livers
The Iranians did not just accept the new theocracy. The first president of Iran, Abolhassan Banisadr, offered some resistance, but ended up being impeached. [29] People's Mujahedin of Iran (MEK) began assassinating and bombing members of the theocratic Islamic Republic Party (IRP), and was until quite recently recognised as a terrorist organisation in the West. "Various scholarly works, media outlets, UNHCR, HRW and the governments of the United States and France have described it as a cult built around its leaders Massoud and Maryam Rajavi." [30]
Bombings did little but fuel the revolution though, and in some cases it's possible it was the revolution forces that caused them and blamed someone else, for example the Hafte Tir bombing. [33]
I was surprised that the Iranians have not assassinated Banisadr yet, but apparently he does have protection from the French police. [62]
In the photo, fatty livers in case you fancy some. I'll pass.
ISO 125, 24mm, f/2.8, 1/50s.

Martyrdom

Martyrdom
The revolution "promised us heaven, but... created a hell on earth."
Hariri writes that in democracy, the voters are always right. In the Islamic Republic though, not the people's vote is most important but God's. [32] And God is represented by the Supreme Leader. God whispers advice into his ear just like he did with the Shah.
In the photo, a man shows a water dispenser dedicated to a martyr.
ISO 2200, 24mm, f/2.8, 1/50s.

Man of Shiraz

Man of Shiraz
"Na Sharq, Na Gharb, Faqat Jumhuri-e Islami" - literally neither East nor West, only Islamic Republic [31] - was the slogan of the revolution, meaning an opposition to American influence and capitalism as well as to the USSR and communism.
In the photo, a man outside of the colourful Shiraz mosque.
ISO 100, 58mm, f/2.8, 1/500s.

Takhte Nard - Backgammon

Takhte Nard - Backgammon
In a true Shia spirit, the Shah was described as the hated Yazid I, while Khomeini took the role of Imam Hossein. [34] Khomeini was supported by some women too, for example Marzieh Hadidchi Dabbaq, who was most likely radicalised by the torture and imprisonment inflicted upon her by SAVAK. [35]
In the photo, men playing backgammon.
ISO 1000, 24mm, f/2.8, 1/50s.

Jolly Man in the Bazaar

Jolly Man in the Bazaar
Similarly to the French Revolution, the idea was for the Islamic Revolution and Shia Islam to spread across the world. They called for abolishing the monarchy - much to the alarm of the Middle Eastern monarchies, who also happened to have large Shia communities. That has put Iran on a collision course with another local power, Saudi Arabia, a Sunni Islam majority. It is said that the idea of spreading the revolution died with the Iran-Iraq War, when Iraq tried to use the post-revolution chaos to its advantage, and invaded Iran. [38]
In the photo, a man we met in a bazaar in Shiraz.
ISO 280, 24mm, f/2.8, 1/50s.

Greek Orthodox Church of Saint Mary

Greek Orthodox Church of Saint Mary
The Iran-Iraq war was a prime example of realpolitik, with Western powers selling weapons to everyone, and trying not to tip the balance in anyone's favour. For example, Portugal helped both countries - it was not unusual to see Iranian and Iraqi flagged ships anchored at Setúbal, waiting their turn to dock.
In the photo, the Greek Orthodox Church of Saint Mary in Tehran. We did not get to visit it.
ISO 100, 40mm, f/2.8, 1/1600s.

Food Place

Food Place
The war cost the lives of over 1 million people, and ended with a stalemate. It has often been compared to the First World War due to the tactics used as well as (often Western-made) chemical weapons. The US cemented its reputation as the Great Satan by shooting down Iran's passenger plane - that's 290 civilian fatalities of the Tehran - Dubai Iran Air Flight 655.
In the photo, a food place the man allowed me to photograph.
ISO 220, 24mm, f/2.8, 1/50s.

Polish them Rockets

Polish them Rockets
Nevertheless, Iran has emerged as a regional leader, fighting proxy wars with Saudi Arabia and Israel [40], or issuing fatwas against writers (Khomeini vs. Salman Rushdie [39]). The 2003 US-led invasion of Iraq overthrew Saddam Hussein, a Sunni Arab who had been a major Iranian adversary. This removed a crucial military counter-weight to Iranian influence in Iraq, which has been rising since then. [40]
In the photo, long range missile replicas in the Garden of the Holy Defence Museum of Hamadan.
ISO 3600, 70mm, f/2.8, 1/20s.

Khomeini

Khomeini
Like North Korea, Iran has elections but it's not a democracy. Although elected bodies bodies are subordinate to theocracy – which has veto power over who can run for parliament (or Islamic Consultative Assembly) and whether its bills can become law – they have more power than equivalent organs in the Shah's government. [41]
In the photo, the Mausoleum of Ruhollah Khomeini. From the left, Ahmad Khomeini, the younger son of Khomeini; Ruhollah Khomeini; Ali Khamenei. The first two are buried here, together with Khomeini's wife. Khamenei is 79 at the time of this writing and going strong. Ahmad was the "torch-bearer for his father's anti-Western radicalism". [49] The complex has cost about $2 bn and is over 130 times larger that the Al-Masjid an-Nabawi mosque where Prophet Muhammad is buried, and over 50 times larger than the most important mosque, the Great Mosque of Mecca in Saudi Arabia. [51] [52]
ISO 180, 24mm, f/2.8, 1/50s.

Khomeini's Mausoleum

Khomeini's Mausoleum
Literacy has been increasing, and Iran's Human Development Index has increased quite a bit. The oil-dependent economy has been diversified somewhat. On the other hand, there is censorship, foreign journalists can be arrested and threatened with execution [43], men and women are not allowed to dance or swim with each other. I've met many open-minded Iranian women during my trip, but some of them, despite wishing to live in the West, were shocked to find out I was attending dancing lessons where you swap partners every couple of minutes. I think they are affected by the theocracy more than they realise. Most were afraid to tell me their thoughts about the revolution over the Internet.
In the photo, Dorota and Elham inside the mausoleum. They did not let me take my camera inside, but Dorota was fine to take hers in, so I used her camera to snap some shots.
ISO 1000, 12mm, f/2.8, 1/60s. Taken with Dorota's Olympus E-M10.

Khomeini's Tomb

Khomeini's Tomb
Although women were asked to participate in the revolution, and did, they then saw their rights taken away, hence the obligatory headwear and many restrictions. Women in Iran constitute 19% of the workforce in 2017 with only 7% growth since 1990. [42] Women and men who violate the dress code can be arrested, but are often defended by the crowd [44] - like I was after taking photos of Ashura commemoration activities. There's an app now to warn you about morality police being around...
"A dictatorship that destroys the intelligentsia and culture leaves behind itself an empty, sour field on which the tree of thought won't grow quickly. It is not always the best people who emerge from hiding." [55]
In the photo, women around the tomb of Khomeini. The place has been attacked by terrorists, so security is quite tight. Compare this to the mosque scene I witnessed in Cairo.
ISO 1600, 12mm, f/2.8, 1/20s. Taken with Dorota's Olympus E-M10.

Elham and Dorota

Elham and Dorota
When Mohammad Reza Shah died, he was buried in the Al Rifa'i Mosque in Cairo, where years earlier his father had been buried. Some time after burial, his father was moved and entombed in Iran, the tomb destroyed during the revolution, and his mummy possibly resurfaced during recent restoration works. [45]
The charismatic Khomeini died in 1989 at the age of 86. 2 million people are said to have queued up to pay their respects. During the funeral, the mob stormed the funeral procession, trying to touch the coffin or his body. His body fell to the ground, and his death shroud was ripped to pieces as soldiers fired warning shots. "A frail white leg was uncovered. The shroud was torn to pieces for relics and Khomeini's son Ahmad was knocked from his feet."[46]
"If I could have my life over again, I’d be a violinist, a surgeon, an archaeologist or a polo player, anything except a king." -- Mohammad Reza Shah, reputedly.
In the photo, Elham and Dorota.
ISO 1600, 30mm, f/2.8, 1/60s. Taken with Dorota's Olympus E-M10.

Pizza

Pizza
It was the Grand Ayatollah Hussein-Ali Montazeri that Khomeini chose to be his successor. He was, however, secretly critical of Khomeini's brutality, and when that leaked, Ali Khamenei was chosen instead while Montazeri ended up under house arrest. [47] He is the Supreme Leader at the time of this writing, 30 years later.
Khomeini once said "Yes, we are reactionaries, and you are enlightened intellectuals: You intellectuals do not want us to go back 1400 years. You, who want freedom, freedom for everything, the freedom of parties, you who want all the freedoms, you intellectuals: freedom that will corrupt our youth, freedom that will pave the way for the oppressor, freedom that will drag our nation to the bottom."
It does seem to me that the Iranians ended up replacing one regime with another. According to Wikipedia, opinion polls and observers report widespread dissatisfaction, including a "rift" between the revolutionary generation and younger Iranians who find it "impossible to understand what their parents were so passionate about." [48] According to Al Jazeera, on the other hand, there are no official statistics, but the support for the revolution remains strong in Iran. There are supposed to be supporters of the revolution who nevertheless wish to uproot the widespread corruption in the government and system in its entirety. [66]
Neither a corrupt monarchy serving Western interests nor a nuclear theocracy is what I would like Iran to be, but who knows what the future will bring. About ten years ago, I met Iranian oppositionists in Washington, and they seemed absolutely hopeless about change.
One of my former colleague's Iranian father said that the Iranians would not be free until they are prepared to die for their freedom.
In the photo, pizza being sold at the Khomeini Mausoleum.
ISO 110, 24mm, f/2.8, 1/50s.