Iranian Revolution

Between 1953 and 1963 there was unrest in Iran due to social and economic problems.  The Shah was governing Iran and he had a very good relationship with the U.S.  He gave us an abundance of oil.  Unfortunately, the Shah, however gracious and giving he was to us, treated his people very poorly.  There was poverty and famine in Iran over the course of his reign.  While he had the support of the upper and middle class, the Shah was resented by the lower class.  Many Muslims were disturbed by the United States relations and presence in Iran, thinking they were replacing Britain.  Rivalry began to sprout from conservative Muslims.  The Shah wanted to modernize Iran while the conservatives wanted to stay old fashioned.  Uprisings were beginning to threaten the Shah, so he leaves Iran.  The country was then, and currently is, ruled by strict Islamic law.  Iranian students stormed the U.S. embassy in Tehran out of anger and President Jimmy Carter for mediating the Camp David Accords.  52 hostages were taken and held 444 days.  The day Jimmy Carter was out of office, the hostages were released. 

http://www.mrdowling.com/images/608shah.jpg