Name: Iran (Islamic Republic of) Continent: Asia Population: 66,600,000 Religion: Muslim 99% (Shiite 90%; Sunni 10%); Other 1%

The current territorial borders of Iran (also referred to as Persia by Europeans previously in history; the name Iran was made the official name in the 1930s by the king of Iran, Reza Shah Pahlavi) are very close to the land area ruled by the Safavid Empire from 1501 - 1736. In the mid-1700s conflict with the Ottoman Empire led to the breakup of the empire. The Qajars (1795-1925) attempted to revive the empire but they ultimately failed to establish enough central control. A new dynasty was established by Reza Shah Pahlavi in 1925 which lasted until the Islamic Revolution in 1979. On January 16, 1979 the Shah fled Iran. On April 1, Iran was declared an Islamic republic by Ayatollah Khomeini. The US Embassy in Tehran was seized on 4 November 1979 and held it until 20 January 1981 by militant Iranian students. From 1980 until 1988 Iran fought a costly, indecisive war with Iraq over disputed territory.

Timeline of Events Date Event 1501   1501 Safavid dynasty rules Iran (1501 - 1722) 1796   1796 Qajar dynasty rules Iran (1796 - 1925) 1921   1921 Reza Khan siezes power during a military coup 1925 15 December 1925 Reza Kahn establishes the Pahlavi dynasty in Iran and institutes a policy of modernization, secularization, and anti-communism 1941   1941 Reza Shah abdicates; his son Muhammad Reza Shah Pahlavi becomes ruler 1979  January 1979 Shah of Iran flees country 1 April 1979 Iran declared an Islamic republic by Ayatollah Khomeini 4 November 1979 Iranian Militants Seize U.S. Embassy in Tehran 1980  September 1980 Iran-Iraq War begins 1981 20 January 1981 Iran Releases U.S. Hostages 1988 3 July 1988 The USS Vincennes shoots down Iranian Airbus Flight #655; 290 civilians are killed  August 1988 Iran-Iraq War ends Go here for timeline sources.