Iran

The first Persian Empire was established in the 6th century B.C. and became the greatest the world had seen at the time. Iran remains an important regional power and is the largest Middle Eastern state with a Shia majority. Its connections with terrorist networks and an alleged nuclear weapons program have spurred extensive protests both from groups within Iran and abroad. Iran is a staunch supporter of Hizballah, and continues to provide militant groups with weapons and financial support. This has caused frictions with countries such as the US, Israel and Saudi Arabia.

Iran is the world’s only true theocracy. The Islamic revolution that toppled the Western-oriented, yet repressive regime of Mohammad Reza Pahlavi in 1979 changed the country radically. The Pahlavi regime countered Iran’s traditional patriarchal values by banning the use of the veil as well as allowing all women the right to vote. But after the Islamic revolution, women are forced to wear traditional clothes and have little room for political participation.

Since the revolution, the economy, once one of the most dynamic and advanced in the Middle East, has been crippled by expulsion of foreign interests, repression of private property and investment, a devastating war with Iraq in 1980-88, corruption, and general mismanagement. The lack of dynamism in non-oil sectors is illustrated by the fact that about 85% of government revenues comes from oil exports.

The revolution also caused deteriorating relations with the West, not least following the occupation of the US embassy in Teheran from 1979-1981. Iran remains subject to sanctions and export controls from the US, the UN and the EU. However, the country is a pivotal force in the Middle East, and has gained increasing influence across the region.

There is growing antagonism between various groupings within the country, such as hardliners who want to maintain the Islamic republic as it is today and reformers who want to liberalize the country. A controversial presidential election in 2009 that put Mahmoud Ahmadinejad in power for another 4-year term resulted in massive protests and civil revolt on the streets of the capital Tehran. Despite these attempts, the regime managed to prevent further demonstrations by brutally clamping down on protesters.