Rule of a Turkic-origin dynasty in Iran from 1736 to 1796, spearheaded by Nadir Shah Afshar, characterised by attempts at Shii-Sunni reconciliation.
An assembly, meeting, or association with historical significance in Persian and Iranian context.
Founder of Safavid Sufi order, precursor to the Safavid Dynasty in Iran
Iranian dissident, theorist of the revolutionary movement, and the first President of the Islamic Republic of Iran
Small shopkeeper/merchant sector of the traditional middle class of Iran involved in both economic and religious spheres, historically supporting anti-state movements.
An influential Iranian modernist, professor, and reformer active in the pre- and post-1979 revolutionary eras.
An institution in Iran that serves fundamental socioeconomic and political roles, originating significantly from post-revolutionary foundations.
Iranian revolution occurring between 1905 and 1911, aimed at establishing a constitutional monarchy through the creation of a parliament.
An elected body of clerics in the Islamic Republic of Iran responsible for advising the Chief Legal Scholar, drafting the constitution, and selecting the Supreme Leader's successor.
Iranian religio-political organization founded in Tehran in 1945 by Sayyid Mujtaba Navvab Safavi, which aimed to establish an Islamic order governed by Islamic law.
Conservative Shii religio-political school of thought founded in the 1950s to oppose the Bahai faith.
Shi'i educational and religious institution founded in Tehran, Iran in 1965, playing a pivotal role in the socio-political landscape leading up to the Iranian revolution.
A geopolitical upheaval in Iran where Shii Muslim clerics and coalition forces overthrew the Pahlavi regime, leading to the establishment of an Islamic Republic.
A prominent province and its capital city in Iran, rich in historical and cultural significance.
An Iranian political party established in 1979 to mobilize traditional and reactionary forces of Iranian society.
An influential Iranian clerical movement that played a key role in opposing the Shah and foreign influence, under the leadership of Ayatollah Khomeini.
An overview of 'Mashhad,' detailing its significance as the gravesites of Twelver Shii imams and as a city in Iran.
Masud Rajavi: Leader of Mujahidin-i Khalq in Iran, key figure in opposition to the Pahlavi regime and post-revolution revolutionary activities.
Mazdakism: An ancient dualist religion in Iran championed by Mazdak of Fasa in the late fifth and early sixth centuries.
Iranian Prime Minister who championed oil nationalization and was overthrown in a CIA-backed coup.
Muhammad Khatami, Iranian reformist president from 1997 to 2005, known for his critiques of imperialism and admiration of certain Western achievements
A 19th-century Iranian reformer and chief minister known for significant administrative and educational reforms in the Qajar court.
A religious but anticlerical organization constituting the main opposition to the Islamic Republic of Iran.
Influential Iranian Grand Ayatollah and student of Ayatollah Khomeini known for his opposition to Iran's clerical government.
Founder of the Afsharid dynasty in Iran who attempted to reconcile Sunni and Shia sects but was ultimately assassinated.
Iraqi Shi'i cleric, theoretician of the 1905-11 Constitutional Revolution in Iran, and influential figure in Iraqi nationalism.
Prominent Iranian Shi'i cleric known for his shift from supporting to opposing constitutional government, and his role in the Tobacco Revolt and Constitutional Revolution.
Reza Shah Pahlavi: Monarch and Modernizer of Iran
Turkic tribal dynasty that ruled Iran between 1796 and 1925, known for ending the eighteenth-century civil strife and being succeeded by the Pahlavi dynasty.
Qom is a leading center of Shii theological seminaries and site of Hazrat-i Masumah, a crucial Shii shrine in Iran, also known for its historical, political, and educational significance.
Prominent Iranian religio-political activist and founder of the Fadayan-i Islam organization
Title commonly used by the dynastic rulers of Iran and the Turko-Persian cultural area, connoting sacred kingship.
Major ruler of the Safavid dynasty in Iran, renowned for his military, administrative, and cultural achievements.
Capital of the province of Fars in south-central Iran known for its literary and historical significance.
Iranian military force formed after the 1979 Islamic Revolution to safeguard the revolutionary regime and ensure its principles.
Iranian statesman and modernizing politician influential in the late 19th century
Popular Iranian protest against the shah’s granting of a monopoly to the British in the sale and export of tobacco in 1891-92.
White Revolution: Social, economic, and legal reforms by Shah Reza Pahlavi in 1960s-1970s Iran aimed at modernization, significantly impacting urban elites while neglecting rural and traditional sectors and contributing to the Islamic Revolution of 1979.
A brief historical overview and significance of the Zand Dynasty in Iran.
Traditional gymnasium in Iran dedicated to the development of physical strength and ethical values.
Iranian cleric and key ideologue of the Islamic revolution known for advocating social justice and contributing to the Liberation Movement of Iran.
Military adventurer Timur Lang, known in the West as Tamerlane, who established power in Iran and created vast conquests.
Prominent Iranian religious leader and politician, Supreme Leader of Iran since 1989.
Iranian intellectual, political activist, and philosopher known for his critical views on theocracy and advocacy for the separation of religion and religious knowledge.
An important Shi'i theological college in Qom, Iran, with historical significance in Shi'i scholarly tradition and political activism
Influential Iranian legal scholar in the 20th century renowned for his contributions to Islamic jurisprudence and his role in political events in Iran.
Nineteenth-century Iranian jurist, cleric, and marja al-taqlid known for his pivotal fatwa against the tobacco monopoly
