Editing History of Islam (section)

=== Other Islamic affairs ===
{{multiple image|header_background = #f8eaba
| header = Modern Islamic world
| image1 = Islam by country.png|width1=340
| caption1 = Islam in the modern world
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{{div col|colwidth=30em}}
{{unbulleted list
|{{colour box|#036704}}{{colour box|#4b934a}}{{colour box|#80b281}} [[Sunni]] Islam
|{{colour box|#741a19}}{{colour box|#924c4c}}{{colour box|#b17f7e}} [[Shia Islam|Shia]] Islam
|{{colour box|#32347e}} [[Ibadi]] Islam
}}{{div col end}}}}

In 1979 the [[Iranian revolution]] transformed [[Iran]] from a constitutional monarchy to a [[Populism|populist]] [[theocracy|theocratic]] [[Islamic republic]] under the rule of [[Ayatollah]] [[Ruhollah Khomeini]], a Shi'i Muslim cleric and ''[[Marja'|marja]]''. Following the Revolution, a new constitution was approved and a referendum established the government, electing Ruhollah Khomeini as [[Supreme Leader of Iran|Supreme Leader]]. During the following two years, liberals, leftists, and Islamic groups fought each other, and the Islamics captured power.

The development of the two opposite fringes, the [[Safavid conversion of Iran to Shia Islam]], the Twelver Shia version, and its reinforcement by the [[Iranian revolution]] and the [[Salafi]] in Saudi Arabia, coupled with the [[Iran–Saudi Arabia relations]] resulted in these governments using sectarian conflict to enhance their political interests.<ref>{{cite book|author1=Heather S. Gregg|author2=Hy S. Rothstein|author3=John Arquilla|title=The Three Circles of War: Understanding the Dynamics of Conflict in Iraq|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=fqRgDU1kKi0C&pg=PA66|year=2010|publisher=Potomac Books, Inc.|isbn=978-1-59797-499-8|page=66}}</ref><ref>{{cite book|author=Said Amir Arjomand|title=After Khomeini: Iran Under His Successors|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Mx9Tdoz6axoC&pg=PA195|date=2009|publisher=Oxford University Press|isbn=978-0-19-974576-0|page=195}}</ref> Gulf states such as Saudi Arabia and Kuwait (despite being hostile to Iraq) encouraged [[Saddam Hussein]] to invade Iran,<ref>Farrokh, Kaveh. ''Iran at War: 1500–1988''. Oxford: Osprey Publishing. {{ISBN|978-1-78096-221-4}}.</ref> which resulted in the [[Iran–Iraq War]], as they feared that an Islamic revolution would take place within their own borders. Certain Iranian exiles also helped convince Saddam that if he invaded, the fledgling Islamic republic would quickly collapse.