Dilshad Aliyarli - Voice of America, February 16, 2019
This week, Iran marked the 40th anniversary of the Islamic Revolution. The events of February 11, 1979, led to the fall of the U.S.-backed Iranian Shah, Mohammad Reza Pahlavi, and the rise of Islamists to power. Amid decades of hostility with the United States, the Islamic Republic of Iran has sought to strengthen its military power and expand its influence in the Middle East.
In an interview with Amerika İcmalı (America Review), former Azerbaijani ambassador to Iran Nasib Nasibli discussed the historical lessons of the Iranian Revolution and the situation of Azerbaijanis living in Iran.
Iran After 40 Years – Economic, Social, and Political Changes
The Iranian Islamic Revolution began as a struggle against monarchy and the authoritarian rule of the Shah and concluded with the Islamists' rise to power. The events in Iran triggered complex geopolitical developments in the Middle East for decades. What changes took place in the new system?
Economy
"Economically, the Shah’s Iran was an oil-dependent and inefficient economy. Despite a significant increase in oil prices after 1973, which brought vast amounts of petrodollars into the country, Iran's economy remained ineffective. When Khomeini came to power, his regime declared that the Shah's economic model was flawed and that they would establish a Tawhid economy, a self-sufficient economic system. However, today, Iran's economy remains dependent on oil."
Social Life
"At the time, opposition groups argued that justice was not upheld under the Shah’s rule. Social balance was disrupted. The opposition claimed that Islam promoted an egalitarian principle—fair distribution—and that they would transform social life. They promised to change the status of the so-called mustazafeen (the downtrodden, lower classes). But did it change? No, it didn’t. Forty years later, the situation remains the same. A large percentage of Iran’s population lives below the poverty line, and this number has only increased. While Iran's population was 36 million then, today it is 80 million, and the poverty rate has proportionally grown."
Politics
"The Shah's regime was repressive and undemocratic. The revolution's participants wanted a system that respected human dignity. However, Iran remains under a repressive regime. Back then, the political police was called SAVAK, and now it is Ettelaat. Evin Prison in Tehran was a symbol of repression and torture under the Shah, and it remains so today.
What about foreign policy? The Shah’s regime viewed Iran as the dominant power in the region. Today, the Islamic Republic has the same ambition—perhaps even broader."
40 Years of Experience and Repressions
"The Islamic Revolution of February 1979 was a significant event in global politics. It was a revolution in a large country... Ayatollah Tabatabai, who was Ayatollah Khomeini’s teacher, was once asked after the revolution, 'How many sacrifices did we make for the Islamic Revolution?' His response was striking: 'We had only one sacrifice—the Islamic faith itself.'
What is the most important lesson from these 40 years? Smart nations and wise governments have realized that following this path is harmful, destructive, and futile. Iran's 80 million people have paid a heavy price. The regime has been repressive, and it remains so. The Islamic Republic of Iran has survived for 40 years due to repression. Its existence relies on a system of oppression. Millions of people—those who represent the healthy segment of Iranian society—have left the country. Millions have faced persecution. In this vacuum, the repressive regime has solidified its control. The greatest lesson in world politics is that political Islam has proven to be an ineffective model."
What Did the Revolution Bring for Azerbaijanis?
"Azerbaijanis expected a lot from the fall of the Shah’s regime. But when the revolution happened, they were once again disappointed. Khomeini made grand promises during the revolutionary period. The liberal, communist, and Islamist forces surrounding him all declared that the rights of non-Persian peoples would be ensured. Even Khomeini himself made such promises. However, once they secured their power, they quickly forgot those promises.
If we look at the nature of the government, it remains a Persian-centric state that views non-Persians as second-class citizens. The ruling elite changed its 'turban,' but its essence did not change. In the beginning, Azerbaijanis had some hopes, but it soon became clear that expecting much from this regime was naive. No matter how much the ideology changed, as long as the nature of the government remained the same, there would be no change in national policies—and there wasn’t.
Although Iran’s constitution made a minor concession by acknowledging that Iran is a multi-ethnic nation composed of different 'tribes' (qowm), this was merely symbolic. One famous clause in the constitution allows for the use of local languages alongside Persian in literature classes. This was nothing but a charity given to non-Persians. And even this promise was not fulfilled."
Link to the original interview in Turkish on the Azerbaijani section of Voice of America:
Nəsib Nəsibli - İnqilabın 40 illiyi, repressiyalar və türklər