Editing History of Iran (section)

=== {{anchor|Khomeini (1979-1989)}}Khomeini (1979–1989) ===
Khomeini served as leader of the revolution or as [[Supreme Leader of Iran]] from 1979 to his death on 3 June 1989. This era was dominated by the consolidation of the revolution into a [[theocracy|theocratic]] republic under Khomeini, and by the costly and bloody [[Iran–Iraq War|war with Iraq]].

The consolidation lasted until 1982–3,<ref>''Encyclopedia of Islam and Muslim World'', Thomson Gale, 2004, p.357 (article by Stockdale, Nancy, L.)</ref><ref>Keddie, ''Modern Iran'', (2006), p.241</ref> as Iran coped with the damage to its economy, military, and apparatus of government, and protests and uprisings by secularists, leftists, and more traditional Muslims—formerly ally revolutionaries but now rivals—were effectively suppressed. Many political opponents were executed by the new regimes. Following the events of the revolution, Marxist guerrillas and federalist parties revolted in regions comprising [[1979 Khuzestan uprising|Khuzistan]], [[1979 Kurdish rebellion in Iran|Kurdistan]] and [[Gonbad-e Qabus (city)|Gonbad-e Qabus]], resulting in severe fighting between rebels and revolutionary forces. These revolts began in April 1979 and lasted between several months to over a year, depending on the region. The [[1979 Kurdish rebellion in Iran|Kurdish uprising]], led by the KDPI, was the most violent, lasting until 1983 and resulting in 10,000 casualties.

In the summer of 1979 a new constitution giving Khomeini a powerful post as guardian jurist Supreme Leader<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.iranonline.com/iran/iran-info/Government/constitution-8.html |title=Iranian Government Constitution, English Text  |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101123063337/http://www.iranonline.com/iran/iran-info/Government/constitution-8.html |archive-date=2010-11-23 }}</ref> and a clerical [[Council of Guardians]] power over legislation and elections, was drawn up by an [[Assembly of Experts for Constitution]]. The new constitution was approved by referendum in December 1979.

==== {{anchor|Iran hostage crisis (1979-1981)}}Iran hostage crisis (1979–1981) ====
{{Main|Iran hostage crisis}}
An early event in the history of the Islamic republic that had a long-term impact was the [[Iran hostage crisis]]. Following the admitting of the former Shah of Iran into the United States for cancer treatment, on 4 November 1979, Iranian students [[Iran hostage crisis|seized US embassy personnel]], labeling the embassy a "den of spies."<ref name="carterpbs">[https://www.pbs.org/wgbh/amex/carter/sfeature/sf_hostage.html PBS, American Experience, Jimmy Carter, "444 Days: America Reacts"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110119224031/https://www.pbs.org/wgbh/amex/carter/sfeature/sf_hostage.html |date=2011-01-19 }}, retrieved 1 October 2007</ref> Fifty-two hostages were held for 444 days until January 1981.<ref>Guests of the Ayatollah: The Iran Hostage Crisis: The First Battle in America's War with Militant Islam, Mark Bowden, p. 127, 200</ref> An American [[Operation Eagle Claw|military attempt to rescue the hostages]] failed.<ref name="Atlantic">{{cite web|url=https://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/2006/05/the-desert-one-debacle/4803/2/|title=The Desert One Debacle|first=Mark|last=Bowden|website=[[The Atlantic]]|date=May 2006|access-date=2017-03-07|archive-date=2012-07-30|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120730081638/http://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/2006/05/the-desert-one-debacle/4803/2|url-status=live}}</ref>

The takeover was enormously popular in Iran, where thousands gathered in support of the hostage takers, and it is thought to have strengthened the prestige of the [[Ayatollah Khomeini]] and consolidated the hold of anti-Americanism. It was at this time that Khomeini began referring to America as the "[[Great Satan]]." In America, where it was considered a violation of the long-standing principle of international law that [[diplomatic immunity|diplomats]] may be expelled but not held captive, it created a powerful anti-Iranian backlash. Relations between the two countries have remained deeply antagonistic and American [[international sanctions]] have hurt Iran's economy.<ref>{{Cite journal 
|title=A Review Of US Unilateral Sanctions Against Iran|url=http://www.mafhoum.com/press3/108E16.htm|access-date=2023-03-16
| journal= Middle East Economic Survey
| year = 2002
|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171010024317/http://www.mafhoum.com/press3/108E16.htm |archive-date=2017-10-10
| volume= 45 | number= 34
| first1 = Herman | last1=Franssen
| first2= Elaine | last2=Morton
}}</ref>

==== Iran–Iraq War (1980–1988) ====
{{Main|Iran–Iraq War}}
[[File:Chemical weapon1.jpg|thumb|An Iranian soldier with gas mask during the Iran–Iraq War]]

During this political and social crisis, Iraqi leader [[Saddam Hussein]] attempted to take advantage of the disorder of the Revolution, the weakness of the Iranian military and the revolution's antagonism with Western governments. The once-strong Iranian military had been disbanded during the revolution, and with the Shah ousted, Hussein had ambitions to position himself as the new strong man of the Middle East. He sought to expand Iraq's access to the Persian Gulf by acquiring territories that Iraq had claimed earlier from Iran during the Shah's rule.

Of chief importance to Iraq was [[Khuzestan Province|Khuzestan]] which not only boasted a substantial Arab population, but rich oil fields as well. On the unilateral behalf of the [[United Arab Emirates]], the islands of [[Abu Musa]] and the [[Greater and Lesser Tunbs]] became objectives as well. With these ambitions in mind, Hussein planned a full-scale assault on Iran, boasting that his forces could reach the capital within three days. On 22 September 1980, the Iraqi army invaded Iran at Khuzestan, precipitating the [[Iran–Iraq War]]. The attack took revolutionary Iran completely by surprise.

Although Saddam Hussein's forces made several early advances, Iranian forces had pushed the Iraqi army back into Iraq by 1982. Khomeini sought to [[export of revolution|export his Islamic revolution]] westward into Iraq, especially on the majority Shi'a Arabs living in the country. The war then continued for six more years until 1988, when Khomeini, in his words, "drank the cup of poison" and accepted a truce mediated by the United Nations.

Tens of thousands of Iranian civilians and military personnel were killed when Iraq used [[chemical weapons]] in its warfare. [[International aid to combatants in the Iran–Iraq War|Iraq was financially backed]] by [[Egypt]], the Arab countries of the [[Persian Gulf]], the Soviet Union and the [[Warsaw Pact]] states, the United States (beginning in 1983), France, the United Kingdom, Germany, [[Brazil]], and the [[People's Republic of China]] (which also sold weapons to Iran).

There were more than 182,000 Kurdish victims<ref name="r1">Centre for Documents of The Imposed War, Tehran. (مرکز مطالعات و تحقیقات جنگ)</ref> of Iraq's chemical weapons during the eight-year war. The total Iranian casualties of the war were estimated to be between 500,000 and 1,000,000. Almost all relevant international agencies have confirmed that Saddam engaged in chemical warfare to blunt Iranian [[human wave attack]]s; these agencies unanimously confirmed that Iran never used chemical weapons during the war.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://fas.org/news/iran/1997/970205-480132.htm|title=Iran, 'Public Enemy Number One'|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150620160352/https://fas.org/news/iran/1997/970205-480132.htm|archive-date=2015-06-20}}</ref><!--
--><ref>{{cite web|url=https://fas.org/cw/intro.htm|title=Chemical Weapons Information – Federation of American Scientists|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150620160905/https://fas.org/cw/intro.htm|archive-date=2015-06-20}}</ref><!--
--><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.antiwar.com/glantz/?articleid=2804|title=Winter Soldier: Domingo Rosas – Antiwar.com Original|date=8 November 2008|access-date=29 October 2007|archive-date=6 June 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110606082652/http://www.antiwar.com/glantz/?articleid=2804|url-status=live}}</ref><!--
--><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.nti.org/e_research/profiles/Iran/Chemical/2340_2965.html|title=Iran – Countries – NTI|access-date=2007-10-29|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100408212924/http://www.nti.org/e_research/profiles/Iran/Chemical/2340_2965.html|archive-date=2010-04-08}}</ref>

Starting on 19 July 1988 and lasting for about five months the [[Islamic Republic of Iran|government]] systematically executed thousands of political prisoners across Iran. This is commonly referred to as the [[1988 executions of Iranian political prisoners]] or the 1988 Iranian Massacre. The main target was the membership of the [[People's Mojahedin Organization of Iran]] (PMOI), although a lesser number of political prisoners from other leftist groups were also included such as the [[Tudeh Party of Iran]] (Communist Party).<ref>[http://www.pww.org/article/view/5754/1/231/ Iranian party demands end to repression] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20050924060950/http://www.pww.org/article/view/5754/1/231/ |date=2005-09-24 }}</ref><ref>Abrahamian, Ervand, ''Tortured Confessions'', University of California Press, 1999, 209–228</ref> Estimates of the number executed vary from 1,400<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.holycrime.com/Images/Listof1367Massacre.pdf |title=Massacre 1988 (Pdf) |access-date=2008-07-30 |archive-date=2021-02-25 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210225140452/http://www.holycrime.com/Images/Listof1367Massacre.pdf |url-status=live }}</ref> to 30,000.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.iranfocus.com/modules/news/article.php?storyid=160|title=Iran Focus|date=5 September 2004 |access-date=2008-07-30|archive-date=2008-02-20|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080220155725/http://www.iranfocus.com/modules/news/article.php?storyid=160|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?xml=/news/2001/02/04/wiran04.xml|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060210125211/http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?xml=%2Fnews%2F2001%2F02%2F04%2Fwiran04.xml|archive-date=2006-02-10|title=News|newspaper=The Telegraph|date=2016-03-15|access-date=2021-08-04}}</ref>