The White Revolution and the Islamic Revolution of 1979

The Shah's attempt to preempt rural revolution would, ironically, create the conditions for an urban revolution that would end his rule and install Ruhela Khomeini as supreme leader. The opposition united against the Shah was divided on much else. We'll pick up soon in our fourth and last episode of this series, when Khomeini's Islamists bloodily repressed the radical left after Saddam Hussein's invasion from Iraq. And then take us all the way to the present moment of crisis.