Israel鈥檚 recent surprise attack on Iran was ostensibly aimed at neutralising Iran鈥檚 nuclear programme, but it didn鈥檛 just damage nuclear installations. It killed scientists, engineers and senior military personnel.
Meanwhile, with no ties to the government or military, became 鈥渃ollateral damage鈥�. For 11 days, Israel鈥檚 attacks intensified across Tehran and other major cities.
When the US joined the attack, dropping its bunker-buster bombs on sites in central Iran on June 21, it threatened to push the region closer to . Israel鈥檚 calls for regime change in Iran were joined by the US president, Donald Trump, who took to social media on June 22 : 鈥渋f the current Iranian Regime is unable to MAKE IRAN GREAT AGAIN, why wouldn鈥檛 there be a Regime change??? MIGA!!!鈥�
Trump鈥檚 remarks are reminders of past US interventions. The threat of regime change by the most powerful state in the world carries particular weight in Iran, where memories of foreign-imposed coups and covert operations remain vivid and painful.
In the early 1890s, Iran was after the shah granted a British company exclusive rights to the country鈥檚 tobacco industry. The decision was greeted with anger and in 1891 the country鈥檚 senior cleric, Grand Ayatollah Mirza Shirazi, issued a fatwa against tobacco use.
A mass boycott ensued 鈥� even the shah鈥檚 wives reportedly gave up the habit. When it became clear that the boycott was going to hold, the shah cancelled the concession in January 1892. It was a clear demonstration of people power.
This event is thought to have played a significant role in the development of the revolutionary movement that led to the that took place between 1905 and 1911 and the establishment of a constitution and parliament in Iran.
Rise of the Pahlavis
Reza Shah, who founded the Pahlavi dynasty 鈥� which would be overthrown in the 1979 revolution and replaced by the Islamic Republic 鈥� rose to power following a British-supported coup in 1921.
During the first world war, foreign interference . In 1921, with British support, army officer Reza Khan and politician Seyyed Ziaeddin Tabatabaee . Claiming to be acting to save the monarchy, they arrested key opponents. By 1923, Reza Khan had become prime minister.
In 1925, Reza Khan unseated the Qajars and , becoming Reza Shah Pahlavi. This was a turning point in Iran鈥檚 history, marking the start of British dominance. The shah鈥檚 authoritarian rule focused on centralisation, modernisation and secularisation. It set the stage for the factors that would that eventually lead to the 1979 Revolution.
In 1941, concerned at the close relationship Pahlavi had developed with Nazi Germany, Britain and its allies once again intervened in Iranian politics, . He was exiled to South Africa and his 22-year-old son, Mohammad Reza, in his place.
The 1953 coup
Mohammad Mosaddegh became Iran鈥檚 in 1951. He quickly began to introduce reforms and challenge the authority of the shah. Despite a sustained campaign of destabilisation, Mossadegh retained a high level of popular support, which he used to push through his radical programme. This included the , which was effectively controlled by the Anglo-Persian Oil Company 鈥� later British Petroleum (BP).
