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Geography, demography, economics
Map of the Middle East:
http://www.lib.utexas.edu/maps/middle_east_and_asia/middle_east_pol01.jpg
Accessed 02/20/08
Iran in the Middle East
Country Population in million
Capital GDP per capita PPP
UAE 4.4 Abu Dhabi $49,700
Qatar 0.9 Doha $29,800
Israel 6.4 Jerusalem $26,800
Bahrain 0.7 Manama $25,800
Kuwait 2.5 Kuwait City $23,100
Oman 3.2 Muscat $14,400
Saudi Arabia 27.6 Riyadh $13,600
Turkey 71.2 Ankara $9,000
Iran 65.4 Tehran $8,700
Lebanon 3.9 Beirut $5,700
Jordan 6.0 Amman $5,100
Egypt 80.3 Cairo $4,200
Syria 19.3 Damascus $4,100
Iraq 27.5 Baghdad $2,900
West Bank 2.5 $1,500
Gaza 1.5 $1,500
Yemen 22.2 Sanaa $1,000
Comparison of Middle Eastern countries from the 2007 CIA World Factbook:
Rank CountryProven oil
reserves in barrels
Percent of world proven
reserves
1 World 1,297 billion 100.0
2 Saudi Arabia 266.8 billion 20.6
3 Canada 178.8 billion 13.8
4 Iran 132.5 billion 10.2
5 Iraq 115 billion 8.9
6 Kuwait 104 billion 8.0
7 United Arab Emirates 97.8 billion 7.5
8 Venezuela 79.7 billion 6.1
9 Russia 60 billion 4.6
10 Libya 39.1 billion 3.0
11 Nigeria 35.9 billion 2.8
12 United States 21.8 billion 1.7
Comparison of proved oil reserves from the 2008 CIA World Factbook:
Petroleum sector facilities
Houston’s population density is 1430 per square kilometer
Population density
Ethnoreligious distribution
Difference between sunnis and shiites
• World-wide distribution:– Sunnis constitute 85% of Muslims, – Shiis constitute 15%.
• Major doctrinal dispute:– Sunnis believe that the successor of Muhammad
was to be elected by the community.– Shiites believe that the successor of Muhammad
was to be his descendent.
• Manifestation of this dispute:– 10th Moharram: Hussein’s death is mourned.
Distribution of sunnis and shiites in the Middle East
Bits of history
Are Iranians barbarians?
• Flooded by sound bytes of fanatic mullahs and mistreated women, we have a very stunted view of Iranians.
• A common measure for judging the sophistication of a society is the length of its historical record.
• Iranians have a very long record.
Source: http://www.cais-soas.com/CAIS/History/hakhamaneshian/achaemenid_army.htm
Achaemenians:
• 6th century BC: Cyrus the Great formed the first great Persian Empire.– Covered Mesopotamia, Syria, Palestine, Egypt, Anatolia, and
Central Asia. – 490 BC, Achaemenians fought the Greeks in the battle of
Marathon.
Source: http://www.iranchamber.com/history/persepolis/persepolis1.php
Achaemenians:
• 6th century BC: Cyrus the Great formed the first great Persian Empire.– Covered Mesopotamia, Syria, Palestine, Egypt, Anatolia, and
Central Asia. – 490 BC, Achaemenians fought the Greeks in the battle of
Marathon.
Persepolis
Source: http://www.iranchamber.com/history/parthians/parthians.php
Parthians:
• Iranian nomads from the vicinity of the Caspian Sea • 2nd century, BC, they began forming their empire.• At its height it extended from India to Armenia.• They were the great rivals of Rome: They defeated
Crassus at Carrhae (Haran in Turkey) in 53 BC.
Source: http://www.iranchamber.com/history/sassanids/sassanids.php
Sassanids:
• Sassanids defeated the Parthians in AD 224. • Sassanids competed with the Byzantine Empire. • The Sassanid Empire collapsed when Arabs defeated
the Iranian armies in the battles of Qadisiya (Iraq, 637) and at Nahavand (Iran, 641).
Source: http://www.iranchamber.com/history/sassanids/sassanids.php
Sassanids:
• Sassanids defeated the Parthians in AD 224. • Sassanids competed with the Byzantine Empire. • The Sassanid Empire collapsed when Arabs defeated
the Iranian armies in the battles of Qadisiya (Iraq, 637) and at Nahavand (Iran, 641).
Rock relief depicting the triumph ofShapur I over the Roman Emperor Valerian
What famous poets did Iranian culture produce?
• Rumi (1207–1273).– Persian poet, Islamic jurist, and theologian.– Lived in Anatolia which at that time was ruled
by the Seljuq dynasty.
Shahram Shiva reads the Rumi poem “Seven Pearls”:
Myspace version - Shiva’s web site
35575None
How did Iran become shiite?
• Modern Iran originated with the rise of the Safavid dynasty in the sixteenth century.
• Shah Ismail, the first Safavid ruler (ruled 1501-1524) did two things:– He made the minority faith of Twelver
shi’ism,into the state religion.– He united territory that roughly match the
boundaries that exist today.
Source: http://images.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/e/e7/Safavid_Empire_1501%E2%80%931722_(AD).PNG/300px-Safavid_Empire_1501%E2%80%931722_(AD).PNG&imgrefurl=http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Safavid_dynasty&h=208&w=300&sz=49&hl=en&start=16&um=1&tbnid=pzhkG7uDneXkRM:&tbnh=80&tbnw=116&prev=/images%3Fq%3Dsafavid%2Bempire%26um%3D1%26hl%3Den%26sa%3DN
How did Iran become shiite?
What were the historical circumstances that surrounded the discovery of oil?• Safavids fell to Afghan invaders in 1722.• After 70 years of anarchy, Qajar tribe consolidated its power and
ruled Iran until 1925.– From outside, Britain and Russia encroached.– Inside, government was shaken by the Babi (=Bahai) movement.
• The rulers sold concessions to foreigners.– 1901 William Knox d’Arcy bought 60 year concession to explore and drill
for oil.– 1908 oil was discovered, Knox d’Arcy was bankrupt.– 1909 the Anglo-Persian Oil Company (APOC) took over his shares.
• WWI: British government partly nationalized APOC.• 1917: APOC acquires British Petroleum Company.• 1930s: Oil income becomes a significant factor in Iran’s economy.
How did the Pahlevis come to power?
• Reza Savad-Koohi commanded a Kossack brigade.
• 1921: He assumed power. – Named himself commander in chief of
the military. • 1925: He ascended to the throne and
called himself Pahlevi.– He developed reforms to lessen the
power of the clergy and increase his own.
• 1941: British and Soviets force his abdication.– Muhammad Reza becomes the shah.
Source: http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/5/57/Rezashah.jpg
How did the Pahlevis come to power?
• Reza Savad-Koohi commanded a Kossack brigade.
• 1921: He assumed power. – Named himself commander in chief of
the military. • 1925: He ascended to the throne and
called himself Pahlevi.– He developed reforms to lessen the
power of the clergy and increase his own.
• 1941: British and Soviets force his abdication.– Muhammad Reza becomes the shah.
How did the Mullahs take over?• After the 1953 coup of his prime minister, the shah built a system of personal control.
– SAVAK repressed weak opposition groups.• The shah became heavily dependent on the U.S.
– His nickname: Gendarme of the Middle East.• 1963: He launched the “White Revolution.”
– It undermined the clergy’s control over family law and education and family.– Khomeini started criticizing him.
• 1973: Oil income became a cascade.– Income disparities widened.– Gains were squandered.
• Late 1970s: Iran fell in economic crisis.• 1978: Riots broke out in Qom and spread across the country.
– More and more called for an end to the monarchy.– Secular opposition forces joined the anti-shah movement.– Khomeini leads the movement from outside Iran.
• Jan. 1979: Shah fled, Khomeini returned from exile.• April 1979: Iran became the “Islamic Republic.”• Then radical forces took over, secular forces were marginalized.
Who were the supreme leaders?
Ayatollah Khomeini.
In office 1979-1989.
Who were the supreme leaders?
Ayatollah Khamenei.
In office since 1989.
Who were the presidents?
Ayatollah Khamenei.
1981-1989.
Who were the presidents?
Ayatollah Hashemi Rafsanjani.
1989-1997.
Who were the presidents?
Seyed Muhammad Khatami.
1997-2005.
Who were the presidents?
Mahmoud Ahmadinejad.
Since 2005.
Axis of evil? Great satan?
Bones of contention between Iran and the U.S.
1. 1953 coup against Mossadegh
Iranian grievances with the U.S.:
1. 1953 coup against Mossadegh
2. U.S. support for Iraq during Iran-Iraq War
Iranian grievances with the U.S.:
Sources: http://www.iranchamber.com/history/iran_iraq_war/iran_iraq_war2.php
1. Iran hostage crisis
American grievances with Iran:
Excerpt from:
Persepolis
By Marjane Satrapi
1. Iran hostage crisis
American grievances with Iran:
Source: http://graphics8.nytimes.com/images/2005/06/30/international/hostage.184.1.bw.450.jpg
1. Iran hostage crisis
2. Lebanon hostage crisis
American grievances with Iran:
Imad Mughniyya
