Iran: Section 3 - Analysis

摘要

Recent History. Iran is an Islamic republic, its emotional spirit having emerged in the wake of half a century of Western internal interventions. During the Second World War and subsequent Cold War years, the country represented a crucial source of energy supplies. With the Allies concerned about deepening relations between Iranian leader Reza Shah and Nazi Germany, the Soviet Union and Great Britain invaded and occupied Iran in the summer of 1941 to ensure that its energy resources were not given to Berlin. The end of the war signaled the removal of British and Soviet troops (in May 1946) and the start of a maturation process in Iran's political system, including competitive parliamentary elections. While Iran's political system matured, an Iranian nationalism began to evolve. Despite the withdrawal of foreign troops from Iranian soil, the continuing influence of foreign entities became a sore subject among the people, and Iranians increasingly held the belief that the oil industry needed to be nationalized to protect the country from foreign interference.