Iran Before 1979

Iran during the time of the Shah when it was a modern, socially free, and a progressive nation with a blend of western and traditional values which made it a gem in Eurasia. These are a selection of photos from the 1940s, 1950s, 1960s, and 1970s.

Iran History: 20th Century and Beyond

After the Persian Empire’s fall, Muslims converted Persians to Islam in 7th century AD and different forces continued to struggle. The 20th century saw the violent and autocratic Shah Mohammad Reza Pahlavi take the throne. He was later replaced by Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini. Though Iran was made an Islamic Republic, things weren’t peaceful: the Iran–Iraq War occurred and protests surrounded conservative populist Mahmoud Ahmadinejad’s 2009 re-election. In this WatchMojo.com video, we trace the history of Iran from the 20th century and beyond.

The U.S. and Iran have a long history of aggression and deceit, but both countries desire to take down ISIS in Iraq and Syria. Can they mend their strained relationship to team up and defeat ISIS? To find out, we take a deeper look into the origins of their tension and distrust.