February 11
Khomeini Assumes Power as Iran Monarchy Falls
Summary
The Iranian Revolution against Shah Mohammad Reza Pahlavi had intensified after months of protests and strikes in 1978. Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini, exiled for years, returned to Tehran on February 1, 1979, to massive crowds. His appointed prime minister, Mehdi Bazargan, challenged the shah's last government under Shapour Bakhtiar. On February 11, the Iranian military's Supreme Council declared neutrality in the political crisis and ordered troops to barracks. This collapse allowed revolutionaries to seize government buildings, media outlets, and palaces. Bakhtiar fled into hiding. Khomeini consolidated authority, paving the way for an Islamic Republic confirmed by referendum later that year.
Why It Matters
The military's neutrality ended the Pahlavi monarchy and installed Iran's Islamic Republic, fundamentally altering Middle East geopolitics and U.S.-Iran relations. It inspired Islamist movements worldwide and established a theocratic model that persists. The revolution shifted global oil politics and regional alliances for decades.
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Sources
- Iranian Revolution (1979), Encyclopædia Britannica. Accessed 2026-07-08.
- Ruhollah Khomeini, Wikipedia. Accessed 2026-07-08.