ISLAMIC REPUBLIC OF IRAN(MIDDLE EAST)

PREPARED BY SHAFIY MAZLAN

CONTENTS1.Historical Background (Introduction) 1.1 Timeline 1.2 Coup 1950 1.3 Islamic Revolution 1979 1.4 Iraq- Iran War 1980- 19882.Issues 2.1 Iran- Pakistan- India

Pipelines 2.2 Nuclear Program 2.3 Regional Power- Proxy Wars3.Conclusion4.Bibliography

HISTORICAL BACKGROUND (INTRODUCTION)

1.1 Timeline550- 330 BC: Achaemenid dynasty. 330 BC: Alexander the Great conquers the Persian empire.

224- 651 AD: Sasanid dynasty; ‘Zoroastrianism’ religion.

636: Arab invasion, start of Islamic rule.

1220: Mongol’s Genghis Khan overrun Persian.

1501: Shah Ismail I becomes 1st ruler of Islamic Safavid dynasty; Shia religion. 1571: 1st diplomatic with Western Europe.

Source: http://www.bbc.com/news/world-middle-east-14542438 (Accessed on Feb. 2, 2015)

Achaemenid Empire (550- 330 BC)

Source: www.cyrusthegreat.net (Accessed on Feb. 27, 2015)

CONTINUE…1794: Qajar dynasty was formed.1921: Military commander, Reza Khan seizes power; the beginning of Pahlavi dynasty.

1935: Persia changed name to ‘IRAN’.1941: WWII; The deposition of Reza Shah his son, Mohammad Reza Pahlavi took the throne.

1941

Source: http://www.bbc.com/news/world-middle-east-14542438 (Accessed on Feb. 2, 2015)

1.2. COUP 1953• Date: August 1953• April 1953; the Iranian Parliament votes to nationalize oil industry, dominated by the British’s AIOC (Anglo- Iranian Oil Company).

• May; The democratic elected PM, Dr. Mossadeq enforced the Oil Nationalization Act.

• UK imposes economic sanctions and hitting Iran’s economy. POWER Struggle between Shah and Mossadeq, Shah flees the country.

• British MI6 and US CIA orchestrated Operation APAJAX, overthrew PM Mossadeq.

• Military government succeed to power.

• The restoration of Absolute monarchy; the Shah returns.

Source: http://www.iranchamber.com/history/coup53/coup53p1.php (Accessed on Feb. 27, 2015)

1.3. ISLAMIC REVOLUTION 1979• Date: 1979• 1968; The Shah introduced White

Revolution- a program of land reforms and socio- economic modernization.

• CAUSES;1. FAILURE of White Revolution; • Shah fails to fulfill his promises to

increase wealth. • Wealth inequality between class.• Poverty, high unemployment and low

wages.2. AUTHORITARIANISM; Shah established

CIA- trained SAVAK (Secret Police)- control oppositions.

3. Conservative clergy against Shah’s westernization idea.

• Shah’s policies alienate clergy and authoritarian rule led to mass protests.

• 1979; Shah and family forced into exile.

• Oct . 1979; US hostages crisis.• Khomenei rise to power, introduced

‘wilayatul faqih’.

Source: http://en.akademikperspektif.com/2013/10/28/causes-iranian-islamic-revolution/ (Accessed on Feb. 27, 2015)

1.4. IRAQ- IRAN WAR (1981- 1988)• Date: August 1980- 1988• Causes;1. Border disputes; ‘Shatt- al- Arab’

waterway, served as the boundary for 120 miles between Iraq and Iran. TENSION; both sides claim more access to waterways.

2. Differences in religion sects and ideologies; Baath Iraqi government- ‘secular sunni’, Iran- ‘shia fundamentalist’. Saddam’s objectives- ‘Iraqi blitzreig’ ; 1. topple Khomeini, 2. ending the shia revolution and 3. assert sovereignty over Shatt- al- Arab.

• RESULT;1. Both fail to topple each others.2. UNSC Resolution 598.3. >100000 civilians killed.

Source: http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/world/war/iran-iraq.htm (Accessed on Feb. 27, 2015).

IRAQ- IRAN WAR MAP

Source: www.iranpoliticsclub.com (Accessed on Feb. 27, 2015).

IRAN- PAKISTAN- INDIA (IPI) PIPELINES• Countries involve: Iran, Pakistan and India• Length: 2900 km• Costs: $72 billion• Reserves: The South Pars field• TIMELINE;• 1988- The discovery of South Pars by Iran.• 1995- Agreement between Iran- Pakistan, build pipelines from South Pars to Karachi.

• 1996- Iran proposed to extend pipelines from Pakistan to India.

• 1999- Iran- India signed bilateral agreement.

• 2000- Pakistan Sec. of Petroleum visited Iran and formally agreed to the pipeline between three countries. Pakistan guaranteed the security of IPI passage.

• 2004- President Musharaff expressed strong hope for IPI in WEF, Davos.Source: http://harriman.columbia.edu/files/harriman/Eurasian%20Pipelines%20%E2%80%93%20Road%20to%20Peace,

%20Development%20and%20Interdependencies%20%20Masuda.pdf (Accessed on Feb. 27, 2015).

IPI CONTROVERSIAL ISSUES

• 2006- US expressed strong opposition due to accusation of Iran’s nuclear program, supporting terrorism activities and bad human rights record.

• March 2006- Tripartite talks were held in Tehran.

• Pakistan and India under pressure. In 2009, India withdrew after signed a civil nuclear deal with US.

• Pakistan operates huge dependency on Iranian gas due to shortage of energy to support electricity system. At the same time, Pakistan also depends on US military aid to combat terrorism (Kandiyoti, 2012: 99).

• China involvement; China provided $1.5 billion (loan) in helping Iranian company to complete construction of pipeline across Pakistani territory.

Source: https://iissvoicesblog.wordpress.com/2013/03/18/controversy-in-the-pipeline/ (Accessed on Feb. 28, 2015).

IPI PIPELINES ROUTE

Source: stateofpakistan.org (Accessed on March 2, 2015).

IRAN NUCLEAR PROGRAM

• 1950’s- Iran began its first nuclear development.

• 1957- Iran- US signed an agreement; US committed to provide fuel for the Iranian nuclear reactors.

• 1967- First reactor completed.• 1986- Iran signed NPT; all of Iranian nuclear reactors under IAEA inspection.

• 1975- German companies (Siemens AG and AEG) build the pressurized water reactor.

• The participation of US and West governments continue until 1979.

• 1990’s (2002?)- Iran signed agreement with Russia to restart and complete Bushers plant- to produce 1000 megawatt electricity.

• The EU- 3; Three EU members- France, Germany and UK took diplomatic initiative to find resolution on questions about Iran nuclear program. 2003, Tehran declaration- Iran agree to cooperate with IAEA.

• 2004- Iran suspends its uranium enrichment activities.

• 2006- After Ahmadinejad won, Iran restarted nuclear activities. Western countries approved the UNSC resolution- Iran nuclear as a threat to intenational peace.

• 2010- ‘P5+1’ with Iran, a series of negotiation. US and EU unilateral sanctions still continue.

“Our diplomacy is at work with respect to Iran, where, for the first time in a decade, we’ve halted the progress of its nuclear program and reduced its stockpile of nuclear material.  Between now and this spring, we have a chance to negotiate a comprehensive agreement that prevents a nuclear-armed Iran…”- Obama, SOTU 2015.

IRANIAN NUCLEAR REACTORS MAP

Source: Google images (Accessed on March 1, 2015).

NUCLEAR FOR PEACE PURPOSES

March 2015

2012

1992

NETANYAHU’S ADDRESSES TO US CONGRESS (March 3, 2015)

• Aprroximately 48 minutes speech.• Content of speech;• Iran and IS try to create ‘Islamic militant empire.

• Nuclear deal- ‘no single nuclear reactors would be demolished’.

• Not block Iran nuclear bomb but it’s a ‘pathway’.

• Netanyahu demands;1.Stop aggression on neighbors in MidEast2.Stop supporting terrorism3.Stop threatening the only ‘Jewish state’• Act like a ‘normal country’.• They (Iran) a deal than more you do.

IRAN MISSILE CAPABILITIES

Source: Google images (Accessed on March 1, 2015)

PROXY WARS IN MIDDLE EAST

• HEZBOLLAH (Party of God); Formed in 1982 after IDF invasion in Lebanon. Leader: Hassan Nasrallah, Imad Magniyeh (died 2002). Operation area- Bekaa Valley, South Lebanon. Assisted by 1500 IRGC, fully funded by Iran and foreign support from Syria.

2006, claimed victory against IDF. AK- 47, Katyusha rockets, mortars etc.

• Iran seek to be the new regional power in Mideast, expanding influence via funding proxy armies.

• IRGC presence in Lebanon, Iraq and Syria (1000- 1500 personnels). Yemen- supporting Houthis movement.

• Iran military modernization; 2011- Iran captures US drone (RQ- 170) 2013- Qaher- 313 stealth fighter IRGC capabilities- military drills in Straits of Hormuz (the main export route for Gulf oil, 20% of the world’s daily consumption passes through it- 17 million barrels a day).

Major threats to Israel and Saudi Arabia.Source: Globalsecurity.com (Accessed on March 1, 2015). Robert Baer. (2008). The Devil We Know: Dealing With The New Iranian Superpower . US: Three Rivers Press. Pp- 133.

CONCLUSION• For centuries, Iran went through different civilizations.

• Revolution 1979 reshaped Middle East geopolitical landscape.

• Recently, Iran try to emerge as the new regional power in the region via military modernization and nuclear program.

• Security dilemma in Middle East; ‘major threat’- Israel and Saudi Arabia- GCC.

• Iran- US relations entering recovery phase.

BIBLIOGRAPHYBooks;Baer., R. (2008). The Devil We Know: Dealing with The New Iranian Superpower.

USA: Three Rivers Press.Kandiyoti., R. (2012). Pipelines: Flowing Oil and Crude Politics. New York,

USA: I. B. Tauris.Yergin., D. (2009). The Prize: The Epic Quest for Oil, Money and Power. NY:

Free Press.

Online sources;Dr. Pierre Noel. (March 18, 2013). Controversy in the Pipelines. Retrieved

on February 27, 2015 from https://iissvoicesblog.wordpress.com/2013/03/18/controversy-in-the-pipeline/

Globalsecurity.org. (ND). Iran- Iraq War (1980- 1988). Retrieved on Feb. 27, 2015 from http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/world/war/iran-iraq.htm

Tatsuo Matsuda. (2007). Geopolitics of Pipelines: Iran- Pakistan- India Gas Pipelines. Retrieved on March 1, 2015 from http://harriman.columbia.edu/files/harriman/Eurasian%20Pipelines%20%E2%80%93%20Road%20to%20Peace,%20Development%20and%20Interdependencies%20%20Masuda.pdf

THANK YOUQ&A