The Fall of the Pahlavi Regime and the Rise of the Islamic Republic
Following the Shah’s departure, Iran experienced a brief period of political uncertainty. The government of Shapour Bakhtiar struggled to maintain control, but it faced insurmountable challenges as Khomeini’s supporters gained dominance. On February 11, 1979, after two days of intense armed clashes between revolutionary forces and remnants of the Imperial Guard, the army declared neutrality, effectively sealing the fate of the Pahlavi regime.
Khomeini and his allies swiftly moved to consolidate power. On February 15, 1979, Khomeini appointed Mehdi Bazargan as the head of the Provisional Government of Iran, marking the beginning of the transition to an Islamic Republic. The new government took immediate steps to dismantle the previous system, dissolving the monarchy, purging officials associated with the Shah, and instituting revolutionary tribunals to prosecute members of the old regime.
In April 1979, a national referendum was held in which an overwhelming majority of Iranians voted to establish an Islamic Republic. Khomeini subsequently introduced a new political framework based on the concept of Velayat-e Faqih (Guardianship of the Islamic Jurist), which granted significant authority to the Supreme Leader, a position he himself assumed.
