EthicalMUN IV

Iranian Revolution

Chairs: Ben Greer and Lucas Saidenberg

Crisis Directors: Josh Sacca, Oliver Polksy, and Alex Power

EthicalMUN IV

Dear Delegates,

We are delighted to welcome you to EthicalMUN IV, and we look forward to two full and exciting days of debate. The topic of the committee is the Iranian Julie Johnson Revolution, and we look forward to seeing your innovative resolutions and ideas to Co-Secretary General solve this crisis. We hope that this topic will stimulate your creativity and make for an amazing weekend. We have five experienced chairs and crisis directors who are Olivia Pollack eagerly anticipating the conference. Please take the time to thoroughly read the Co-Secretary General background guide and conduct research of your own so that you can have the best

position papers possible. This background guide is simply a starting point for your Aleksi Sefanov research, and more research is necessary to prepare for this committee. For those of Chief of Staff you who are new to Model UN, this committee is a crisis committee, meaning that Ben Greer there will constantly be new problems (provided by our lovely crisis directors: Josh Chief of Staff Sacca, Alex Power, and Oliver Polsky) that you must solve. We want every delegate to fully represent their positions while working together to come up with a solution Brian Phillips for this Crisis. This committee will start in January of 1978 when tensions began to Under Secretary- boil over, and thousands of students took to the streets in protest against the Shah. General of Committees Anything before this is set in stone, but anything after is all up to you. Emphasis will be placed on not copying exactly what occurred in real life, as we want you to come Sara Snyder up with interesting and creative solutions on your own. Please do not try to copy Under Secretary- what actually occurred in committee, as the wonderful crisis staff will be introducing General of Committees new crises often, many of which did not historically occur. We are very excited to Gavin Kelly hear your solutions and ideas on the complicated issues we will be dealing with over Chief Crisis Director this conference. We fully welcome any questions you have, and we look forward to seeing you in May! Thomas Vernarde Chief Crisis Director Feel free to contact with any queries, Amani Creamer Director of Outreach Your Chairs

Ben Greer ([email protected]) and Lucas Saidenberg ([email protected])

Iranian Revolution EthicalMUN IV Crisis

Committee Procedure minute moderated caucus passes, the Like most crisis committees, perpetual moderated caucus will be the parliamentary procedure will be suspended, and the committee will slightly different from General enter the five-minute moderated Assemblies and Specialized caucus. If there are no points or Committees. The parliamentary motions on the floor, the chair will procedure used in this committee is revert to the perpetual moderated optimized for the relatively few caucus.

people in our committee and the quick Relevant Points and Motions: responses needed for crises. • Point of Inquiry

• Point of Information Perpetual Moderated Caucus: • Point of Personal Privilege Unlike GA or Specialized • Point of Order Committees, Crisis Committees will • Motion to Open Debate not have a speakers list, and will • Motion for a Moderated operate under a perpetual moderated Caucus caucus. A perpetual moderated caucus • Motion for an Unmoderated is a never-ending moderated caucus Caucus that runs for the entirety of the • Motion for a Round Table committee with no set topic. For this • Motion to Introduce All Papers committee, the perpetual moderated on the Dais caucus will have a 30 second • Motion to Introduce an speaking time. This perpetual Amendment moderated caucus will be suspended • Motion to divide the Question when a delegate proposes a motion. • Motion to Enter Voting For example, if a motion for a five- Procedure

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• Motion to Adjourn Debate inform or misinform the public according to the desires of the

Written Papers committee. They will have the same Crisis Notes: Crisis notes are notes sponsor and signatory rules as used to take personal action from a directives. delegate, without the need for committee approval. A character's Like all committees, collaborating portfolio powers, therefore, binds with other delegates is strongly crisis notes. Please ensure to sign your recommended. However, in a crisis character’s name at the end of your committee, it is also encouraged that crisis note and address it to CRISIS one stays in character and acts in on the front of your folded note. accordance with their character’s motivations.

Directives: Like general assemblies Historical Background and specialized committees, crisis The seeds of the 1979 committees have documents that take revolution were sown more than 50 committee action concerning the years previously when the Pahlavi issues at hand. In crisis committees, dynasty came to power in 1925. After this document is called a directive. much instability in the country, The number of sponsors and specifically due to Soviet military signatories required on directives will presence, the first Shah, Reza “Shah” depend on the size of the committee. Pahlavi took power through a coup

and made an agreement with the Press Releases: Press releases are Soviet Union. As part of the committee documents addressed to agreement, the Soviets withdrew their the public. They can be used to troops, which had threatened to take

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over , ’s capital. An British and Soviet invaders after being exception was made in the treaty so accused of collaborating with the that the Soviet Union would be Nazis. He was replaced by his son, allowed to reinvade if their national Mohammed Reza Pahlavi, who interests ever required them to. reigned until his own eventual Reza Shah enacted many overthrow in 1979. Pahlavi continued reforms of modernity and similar policies of modernization and secularization and suppressed radical westernization that his father had set Islamism in favor of Western culture. up and continued to have difficult Many of his reforms introduced relations with the Shia clergy of Iran. Western law with an attempt to This growing resentment set in place forcibly secularize the population. His the building blocks for his eventual reforms pushed for increased gender deposition. However, his reign did not equality, and the Woman's go uninterrupted, and this is where the Awakening between 1936 and 1941 United States first became involved in was heavily reinforced by his policies Iranian affairs. of modernization, which pushed to get In 1951, pro-democratic rid of traditional customs such as the Mohammad Mosaddegh was elected Islamic veil and gender segregation. as prime minister of Iran. He enacted In response to these policies, Reza many progressive reforms to the Shah continued to have bitter relations country, such as social security, and with the Iranian clergy during his invested in public development. reign, with many acts of violence However, he was most renowned for perpetrated against Islamic supporters enforcing the nationalization of the oil who opposed the Shah’s policies. industry. Before the Reza Shah remained in power took power, Britain had already set up until 1941 when he was deposed by the Anglo-Persian Oil Company

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(APIC), which took much of Iran’s oil challenged by the two. The dichotomy to support the British economy. Due between the two began to grow to growing nationalism and much despite the Shah’s support of resentment to constant flight of capital Mossadegh’s initiative in (oil profits leaving the country), the nationalizing the oil industry. Iranian parliament voted on However, the United Kingdom, nationalizing the industry and elected with international support, Mossadegh right after, who on May implemented trade embargoes and 1st, 1951, brought the APIC under sanctions on Iran and cut off Iran’s state control. Despite the domestic ability to export its recently owned popularity of his actions, they brought oil, thus crippling Iran’s economy. outrage to the British, who asked the Resentment grew against Mossadegh United States for help in restoring the as a result, and the British and ownership of the oil fields through a Americans used this opportunity to regime change. Despite much stage a coup. During this crisis, disinterest from Trumann, newly Mossadegh dissolved parliament and elected Eisenhower was persuaded to increased his own powers, while assist Britain in overthrowing reducing the Shah’s. Mossadegh lost Mossadegh on the pretext that he was further support, allied with only the an ally of communism. Tudeh party, who were communists. Mossadegh meanwhile was Codenamed Operation Ajax, expanding parliamentary powers and the recently formed CIA with the help reducing that of the Shah’s. The Shah of the British MI6 began the process was not politically active until 1949 of overthrowing the elected after an assassination attempt, in Mohammed Mossadegh. They which he began to expand his power. persuaded the reluctant reigning Shah As a result, the balance of power was to join them, under the warning that

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he would be deposed too if he significantly increase the profits for refused. Using a campaign of the oil companies who held a stake in propaganda and paid protesters, they the oil industry. quickly destabilized the country until The cause for CIA’s the military joined the side of the participation in the 1953 coup was Shah and overthrew Mossadegh under predominantly the promise of a share the leadership of General Fazlollah in its oil, which it did receive. This Zahedi, who was working with the initiated American interest in Iran and CIA. The Shah, who fled during the its oil industry, and as a result, pushed coup due to fear of backlash, returned for better relations with a pro-Western and restored his powers while Prime Iran under the Shah. During the Minister Mossadegh was replaced by Shah’s reign, he became more Zahedi. authoritative and continued to The deposition of Mossadegh implement policies that reflected and reinstatement of Mohammad Westernization. However, his Pahlavi brought Iran’s oil supply back authoritative nature helped spur onto international control. However, resentment against him. For example, due to powerful public opinion in he set up the American and Israeli Iran, the oil was not brought back to funded secret police SAVAK, which British control and remained under became notorious for political Iranian possession. However, an oppression. His constant violation of agreement allowed for a consortium the constitution and increasing of oil companies to manage the oil, corruption also brought further promising 50 percent of profits to opposition from many factions in Iran. However, lack of transparency in Iran. During his reign, dissenters were the financial records skewed arrested and using police and the accounting records and helped military, political opposition and

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public demonstrators were crushed. misguided beliefs of trickled down He began a series of continued economics from his support of elites. reforms under the name of the “White As a result, a disgruntled populace Revolution”, which brought further began to unite against the Shah. westernization and modernization to The animosity between the Iran. His policies brought women’s religious clergy and the Shah had suffrage and ended a system of always existed but accelerated as a feudalism, in which he gave land to result of the failures of the White the peasantry. His reforms were revolution. Religious clerks intended to help increase his support constantly felt threatened by the from the peasants and working poor; Shah’s policy of secularization and however, they had many unintended feared for the preservation of Islam. A consequences, which created an voice of Islam emerged under the intense backlash. White revolution from Ruhollah Despite the economic progress Khomeini, a Shia cleric. Before the it brought, land reform failed, and revolution, he was exiled for 14 years many peasants became loose political but continued to preach anti- cannons, with no allegiance to the Westernism and anti-Shahism from Shah. His lack of democratic reform abroad. Deteriorating economic deteriorated the situation, as his white conditions and increasing inequality revolution simply increased the size popularized Khomeini’s messages of the working class and the against the Shah and the current intellectuals, who continuously system that existed. criticized the lack of democracy and At the same time, leftists, representation. His reforms also nationalists, and Islamists grew brought further inequality as wealth further opposed to the Shah, but many became more unevenly divided due to Islamists remained divided in terms of

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allegiance. Khomeini, however, defamatory article against Grand attempted to unite all factions to Ayatollah . People garnish a more organized opposition. took to the streets in protest of this For a steady period of time in the article and in support of Khomeini. 1970s, political suppression and an Royal guards killed between six and active SAVAK managed to maintain a sixty protestors depending on who is calm dissatisfaction in Iran. However reporting it. It is up to you all to in 1977, the Shah, due to American figure out what to do from here, and pressure, liberalized some of his the crisis staff will take steps to assure policies and allowed the right to that this committee does not follow protest. This brought forth massive exactly what happened in history so demonstrations, and as Khomeini you all can come up with creative and called for large protests, the Shah innovative solutions to this problem. became more frustrated. The Shah It is important that you follow what is then decided to implement martial best for your positions, whether that law, and as a result, many protesters means war or peace. were killed on “Black Friday” on September 8th of 1978. Questions to Consider 1. What position does each Current Crisis important nation hold on this This committee will start in issue? January of 1978, more specifically, a. Furthermore, what do January 8, 1978, the day after massive each of those nations religious riots broke out in the holy stand to gain or lose from city of Qom, Iran after the the revolution? government puts out negative propaganda in the form of a

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2. Does your delegation identify Delegate Views in favor of the revolution or the Representative to the United States government? To aid Iran in its struggle to advance

a. Is this stance ideological into a more developed country, the or for economic reasons? United States gave the Iranian

b. How do you plan on government $3.5 million. Because of acting on your position? the state of the Cold War during this

3. Why is Iran an important time period, the United States was economy to stabilize? opposed to revolutions in any of its a. What resources or allied countries. Thus, this funding allyship can the nation was provided under the assumption give your delegation? that Mohammed Reza Pahlavi, the

4. How do you plan on Shah of Iran at that point, would convincing others in favor of improve Iran without the danger of a your position? revolution. Upon further instability in

a. Will you work on a Iran in 1977, the United States moral or economic planned to send military aid to quell platform? the talk of uprisings. However,

5. What do you hope to revolutionaries in Iran see foreign accomplish as a best-case involvement from the United States as scenario from this crisis? interference. As this committee

6. What are some positions that begins, the United States has a serve as core values that you delicate relationship with both Iran’s will not budge on? government and its revolutionaries. The delegate representing the United

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States must choose to cut ties, fight or government, new trade opportunities continue to aid Iran in this conflict. might arise. The United Kingdom must decide which side of the Iranian Representative to the United revolution benefits them best Kingdom financially or decide based on The United Kingdom has had a morality. Additionally, they must history with Iran, however more decide how much aid, if any, they through business deals than anything would like to provide to Iran’s else. With Iran’s plentiful oil supply, government or revolutionaries. the United Kingdom created an opportunity to bring those resources Representative to France to Western Europe with the Ayatollah Khomeini was exiled in foundation of the Anglo-Iranian Oil 1964 and settled in France under Company in 1908. However, political asylum in 1978. He malcontent over other, Western orchestrated the bulk of the Iranian countries handling Iranian oil caused revolution from his home in the a rift in the relationship between the Parisian suburb of Neauphle-le- English and the Iranians. With the Chateau. Khomeini met with instability leading to the coup of 1953 journalists to campaign for the and the rise of Khomeini, tensions overthrow of the Shah, all while under between the two nations worsened. In the careful watch of the French 1951, Iranian nationalized its oil. Government. While he returned to Despite this, the United Kingdom still Iran in 1979, the French provided trades for oil from surrounding Khomeini with an Air France flight to Persian areas and holds a political Tehran. However, the French did not stance in the conflict; depending on openly support Khomeini’s revolution how the Iranians decide to run their

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and allied with fellow Western states the most prominent liberals in Iran, to oppose the New Government. constantly organizing protests against the government of the Shah. He had Soviet Union been imprisoned repeatedly during One of the key aspects of the Iranian years prior due to his opposition to the Revolution was de- Westernization, Shah and was the head of the Iran and along with it came de- Party that emerged during the late capitalization. The shift provided the 1970s. Bakhtiar was chosen to aid in Soviet Union with the ideal the creation of a new civilian opportunity to ally itself with Iran and government in 1978 and was decrease the credibility of the West, appointed Prime Minister in the same particularly the United States, in the year. Middle East. While the Soviet government in Moscow certainly Shah realized the delicacy and complexity After his father’s abdication in the of the situation in Iran in 1979, it had early 1940s, Mohammad Reza high hopes for a post-revolutionary Pahlavi took over the title of Shah. relationship with Iran that would With the introduction of the White spread Soviet ideals to the Middle Revolution in 1963, Reza Pahlavi East in a more complete manner. showed his interest in reforming Iran for the future. This included spending Shahpour Bakhtiar several trillion Rial (corresponding to Shahpour Bakhtiar was an Iranian billions of modern-day dollars) to politician who served as Prime improve infrastructure such as Minister under Mohammad Reza harvesting of natural resources for Shah Pahlavi. He had been working as trade and military. With the rise in the an activist long before this, as one of overall economy, however, came a

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localization of wealth in the upper opposed to Shah Mohammed Reza 1%, and criticism of Reza Pahlavi’s Pahlavi and fought for the ability to run the country. In the denouement of western culture and 1960’s Shah Pahlavi started a ideals and the furtherment of Strict controversial program called the Islamic values in Iran. In the 1960’s ‘White Revolution’ that promoted he became one of the supreme leaders some modern, progressive values, of the Shi’i community in Iran. He such as increased freedom for women, was adamantly opposed to the modern reduced religious education, and policies of the ‘White Revolution’ and populist land policies that upset the therefore the regime of Shah aristocracy and religious purists Mohammad Reza Pahlavi. He was present in Iran. In order to stay in one of the most outspoken leaders of power, Reza Pahlavi must either the Resistance to the Shah. The convince his rivals of his competence, delegate who plays Ruhollah or dominate them in battle. Khomeini will have a major role to play in this crisis. Ruhollah Khomeini Ruhollah Khomeini was the leader of Gholam Reza Azhari the Iranian Revolution, and the Gholam Reza Azhari was born in delegate portraying him will have a 1912 into a life of military service. He lot of sway over the direction of this originally worked at the Central committee. He was born in 1902, and Treaty Organization (CENTO) a very shortly after, his father was combination, a military alliance in the murdered. He grew up studying cold war between Iran, Iraq, Pakistan, language and religion, and later in his Turkey, and the UK. In 1971, he life became an author of many became the chief of staff of the religious books. He was famously Iranian Army. Azhari would later

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become the prime minister of the religious and philosophical education temporary Military Government in in his upbringing, and he was famous Iran for a few months starting in in Iran for his wise talks as an Iranian November 1978. Cleric on philosophy and government. He worked with Ruhollah Khomeini Gholam Avi Oviessi during the Shah’s regime and the Gholam Avi Oviessi was born in 1918 Iranian Revolution. He then, on to a military family in Qom, Iran. He instruction from Khomeini, grew up training in military established and became chairman of academies all over the world, and the council of the Iranian Revolution, became one of the most talented and which was the group set up to manage popular generals in Iran through the the Iranian Revolution. (This group 1950’s and 1960’s. He moved through was established in January 1979, and the ranks of the Iranian armed forces therefore does not exist at the start and gained notoriety along the way. date of this committee). Motahhari He became the commander of the was an important and trusted advisor royal military division of imperial of Khomeini and the Iranian guards, and a four-star general in the Revolution. late 1960’s before finally being promoted to the highest military role Mehdi Barzagan: in Iran, the Chief Commander of the Mehdi Barzagan was born in 1907 as Imperial Iranian Armed Forces under the son of a religious activist in Mohammad Reza Pahlavi in 1969. Tehran. After earning a strong education and working in politics : through the 1940’s and 50’s, he co- Morteza Motahhari was born in 1920 founded the Liberation Movement of in Fariman, Iran. He had a strong Iran in 1961, which was a pro-

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democracy movement founded by encounters between Khomeini and Barzagan, Mahmud Taleghani, and other revolution and government Yadollah Sahabi. It was a more groups through the entirety of the religious and radical offshoot of the conflict. National Front, the largest Iranian Pro- Democratic group. This group Mohammad Kazem Shariatmadari advocated civil disobedience in the In the years leading up to and during form of protests and strikes in order to the Iranian Revolution, Mohammad pressure the Shah to institute a Kazem Shariatmadari, born 1906, was democratic government. This group one of the most powerful and wasn’t necessarily anti-shah but was influential people in Iran. He was a in support of the Shah implementing a Grand Ayatollah, a title often given to democratic government. a person with the highest level of Shia authority, and they can make legal Mahmoud Taleghani decisions within the confines of Shia Mahmoud Taleghani was born in Iran Islamic law. While he was a critic of in 1911 and was a famous Shia cleric the Iranian Revolution and Supreme in Iran as well as another founding Leader Ruhollah Khomeini, he was part of the Liberation Movement of mainly in support of the traditional Iran. He was pivotal in gaining practice where religious clerics were popular support, especially among kept separate from government Iranian youth, for Khomeini’s Iranian affairs. However, Shariatmadari has Revolution. During the Iranian massive influence over much of the Revolution, he was a chair of a secret religious Shi’a group present in Iran, Revolution Council that controlled a and his actions can sway the thoughts lot of the Revolution. He was known and opinions of many in the country. to be more peaceful and moderated

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Nematollah Nassiri: Sanjabi and the national front were Nematollah Nassiri, born in 1911, was always in favor of peaceful solutions famously the director of SAVAK, the where the Shah would remain in secret police, domestic security, and power as the figurehead leader of a intelligence in Iran under Shah new constitutional monarchy in Iran. Pahlavi and with the help of the CIA They wanted to serve as moderate and the Israeli Mossad. Savak, led by voices to Khomeini’s more extremist Nassiri, turned into what many called view. The delegate representing the "most hated and feared institution" Sanjabi has a large amount of power in Iran because they tortured and as a main figure in the national front killed thousands of Iranians who and has an important decision to make spoke or acted out against the Shah. about whether they would prefer to He was one of the most trusted stay moderate or ally with Khomeini’s intelligence and military advisors or growing revolution. Shah Pahlavi. Bibliography Karim Sanjabi: Afary, J. "Iranian Revolution." Encyclopedia Britannica, March 25, Karim Sanjabi, born in 1904 in Iran, 2021. grew up studying law and politics in https://www.britannica.com/e vent/Iranian-Revolution. Iran. Sanjabi was famously, and historically against the Shah’s regime. Arzoumanian, Nika. "HSC Background Guide." Slideshare. May 8, 2016. He was a leader of the Iran Party, a https://www.slideshare.net/NikaArzo nationalist, socialist, and progressive umanian/hsc-background-guide.

party in the 1950’s that became the "Ayatollah Khomeini (1900-1989)." BBC. backbone of the powerful National Accessed April 12, 2021. http://www.bbc.co.uk/history/histori Front, the largest pro-democratic c_figures/khomeini_ayatollah.shtml. party in Iran. During the revolution,

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Britannica, T. Editors of Encyclopaedia. The Associated Press. "Key Moments in "Ruhollah Khomeini." Encyclopedia Iran’s 1979 Islamic Revolution." AP News. Britannica, February 1, September 20, 2020. 2019. https://www.britannica.com/biography/Ruho https://apnews.com/article/6ec14c93985143 llah-Khomeini. dfbe3d4d0c249128cc.

History.com Editors. "Shah Flees Iran." Treivus, Stanley. "Iran Hostage Crisis History.com. January 14, 2020. National Security Council,1979." UTMUN https://www.history.com/this-day-in- Crisis history/shah-flees-iran. Committees. 2014. https://static1.squarespace.com/static "January 1978, First Sparks of the Iranian /533e6b7de4b0d84a3bd7c4be/t/53b422aae4 Revolution." Dunya News. January 6, 2018. b0740b https://dunyanews.tv/en/World/4222 57-January-1978-first-sparks-Iranian- revolution.

"Liberation Movement of Iran." Encyclopedia of Islam and the Muslim World. Encyclopedia.com. April 10, 2021. https://www.encyclopedia.com/ency clopedias-transcripts-maps/liberation- movement-iran

"National Front, Iran." Encyclopedia of the Modern Middle East and North Africa. Encyclopedia.com. April 11, 2021. https://www.encyclopedia.com/ency clopedias-transcripts-maps/national-front- iran

"National Front, Iran Freedom Movement." GlobalSecurity.org. https://www.globalsecurity.org/milit ary/world/iran/nf.htm.

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