Iran–Tehran

1. When and how did Islam enter Iran?

Period:Islam entered the Iranian region in the mid-seventh century during the expansion of the Arab empire, specifically under the Rashidun Caliphate. At that time, Iran was ruled by the Sasanian Empire, whose official religion was Zoroastrianism.

Process:During the Arab–Sasanian Wars, which began in 633, the Sasanian Empire was completely defeated in 651. As a result, the entire Iranian region came under the rule of the Islamic empire, first under the Umayyad Caliphate and later the Abbasid Caliphate. Although the initial expansion was the result of military conquest, Islamization proceeded gradually through administrative integration, intermarriage, and taxation policies such as the Jizya.

2. What religious or political forces resisted Islam, and what role did Christianity play?

Main religious resistance:

The strongest resistance came from adherents of Zoroastrianism. As the traditional religion of Iran, the Zoroastrian priestly class and aristocratic elites attempted to resist the Arab invasion. However, due to the political and military decline of the Sasanian Empire, their resistance ultimately collapsed.

Presence of Christianity:

There were also small communities of Christians in Iran, particularly followers of the Church of the East, especially in Mesopotamia. However, even during the Sasanian period these communities had already been regarded as heretical and politically marginal. Therefore, Christianity did not constitute a major force of resistance when Islam entered the region.

Reasons for the decline of previous religions:

Several factors contributed to the weakening of earlier religious traditions:

• Widespread social dissatisfaction caused by corruption and prolonged warfare under the Sasanian regime

• The ritual-centered and relatively closed structure of Zoroastrian religious practice, which weakened popular religious commitment

• The policy of accommodation adopted by Arab conquerors, who integrated local elites into the new administrative structure and gradually encouraged conversion to Islam

3. The position of Islam after the World Wars

After World War I:

Following the collapse of the Ottoman Empire, Iran remained an independent state but fell under significant influence from both Britain and Russia. During this period Islam became closely associated with nationalist movements and functioned as an ideological foundation for anti-imperialist resistance.

After World War II:

The Pahlavi dynasty, particularly under Mohammad Reza Pahlavi, pursued policies of secularization and modernization. These policies provoked strong opposition from religious leaders. In 1979 the Iranian Revolution established a theocratic political system led by Shiʿa clerics. From that point onward Iran emerged as one of the most prominent states representing modern political Islam.

4. The most influential Islamic school and its central figure

School of thought:

The official and overwhelmingly dominant religious tradition in Iran is Twelver Shiʿism, also known as the Imami tradition.

Central figure:

The most influential figure in modern Iranian Islamic political history is Ruhollah Khomeini.

Core teachings:

Khomeini’s political thought centered on the doctrine of Velayat-e Faqih, which argues that during the absence of the rightful Imam, political authority should be exercised by the Islamic jurist most knowledgeable in religious law. This doctrine asserts the superiority of religious authority over secular political power and became a foundational principle of the constitution of the Islamic Republic of Iran.

5. The influence of Islam in Iran and its role in the Islamic world

Domestic influence:

Islam has a profound influence on political, legal, and cultural life in Iran.

• Politics: The head of state is a religious authority known as the Supreme Leader.

• Law: The legal system is based largely on Islamic jurisprudence and Sharia.

• Education and culture: Religious education is emphasized, regulations on women’s dress are enforced, and religious observances such as Ramadan are conducted on a national scale.

  
  

International role:

Iran plays a distinctive role within the Islamic world.

• It functions as the leading state representing Shiʿa Islam.

• It maintains geopolitical rivalry with the Sunni-dominated Saudi Arabia.

• It exerts influence over Shiʿa political and military actors in Iraq, Syria, Lebanon (particularly through Hezbollah), and Yemen (including the Houthis).

• Through its strong anti-American and anti-Israeli policies, Iran also presents itself as a symbol of resistance within certain parts of the Islamic world.