Important Events in the Modern History of Iran

Compiled By: Syed Ali Shahbaz

Damascus fell to the Iran-based dynasty of the Ilkhanid Mongols
On 21st of the Islamic month of Jamadi as-Sani in 658 AH, Damascus fell to the Iran-based dynasty of the Ilkhanid Mongols as the ruling Ayyubid Kurds (descendants of Salahuddin) succumbed to the onslaught, two years after Hulagu Khan had sacked Baghdad and ended the Abbasid caliphate. The attack was led by Kitbugha Noyan, a Turkic Christian general of the Mongols, who built up an alliance with King Hethum I of Armenia and the European Crusader ruler of Antioch, Bohemond VI. The combined forces with the assistance of the Seljuqid Turk auxiliaries had earlier driven out the Ayyubids from Aleppo. On the fall of Damascus, the three Christian warlords (Kitbugha, Hethum and Bohemond) entered the Omayyad Mosque, turned it into a cathedral, and held mass at what is said to be the shrine of John the Baptist.

The concession to exploit Iran’s vital sources was granted to a British colonialist agent, Julius De Reuters
On 18th of the Islamic month of Jamadi as-Sani in 1289 AH, the concession to exploit Iran’s vital sources was granted to a British colonialist agent, Julius De Reuters, by the Qajarid King, Nasser od-Din Shah. It included exploitation of Iran’s mines and forests, building railway, and setting up a bank, post office and telegraph lines to serve London’s vested interests. The people and religious scholars, led by Mullah Ali Kani, opposed the grant to Reuters. As people’s opposition under the leadership of the ulema grew, the concession was annulled, but as compensation Reuters was given the right to set up the Imperial Bank and print currency notes in Iran for sixty years.

The assassination of the 4th Qajarid King, Naser od-Din Shah
On April 30, 1896 AD, with the assassination of the 4th Qajarid King, Naser od-Din Shah, a bleak 50-year era of Iran’s history came to its end and the stage was set for the Constitutional Revolution. He was shot dead by the freedom-seeker, Mirza Reza Kermani, a follower of the famous pan-Islamic campaigner, Seyyed Jamal od-Din Asadabadi, at the shrine of Seyyed Abdul-Azim al-Hasani in Rayy, south of Tehran. Naser od-Din Shah’s long rule is marred by bleak and bitter incidents such as murder of the highly competent Prime Minister, Mirza Mohammad Taqi Khan Amir Kabir; the Russo-British struggle for control of Iran, and the scandalous tobacco concession to a British company that had to be annulled because of the historic fatwa issued by Ayatollah Mirza Hassan Shirazi.

The Portuguese fleet occupied the Iranian Island of Hormuz in the Persian Gulf
On May 3, 1515 AD, the Portuguese fleet occupied the Iranian Island of Hormuz in the Persian Gulf. In the next few years they seized more Iranian islands including Bahrain in 1521. The brutality of the Portuguese occupation forces enraged the people of Iran. Finally, upon establishment of a strong Iranian navy by the Safavid Dynasty, Shah Abbas the Great liberated Bahrain in 1602 and Hormuz in 1622.

Sultan Hussain Bayqarah, the Timurid ruler of Herat
On May 4, 1506 AD, Sultan Hussain Bayqarah, the Timurid ruler of Herat died at the age of 68, after a rule of 38 years during which he patronized Persian art, architecture and literature. For a time, he was involved in struggle for supremacy with other Timurid princes and the Aq Qoyunlu Turkish tribe for domination of Khorasan and eastern Iran. His boundary with the Aq Qoyunlu started on the southern edge of the Caspian Sea, running south, then east across the north of the Dasht-e Lout, ending at Lake Hamun. His border with the Timurids was the Oxus River. Sultan Hussain Bayqara was viewed as "a good king, a lover of peace and justice", and he built numerous structures including a famous school. His vizier was the famous scholar and patron of Persian literature, Ali Shir Navaie.

The Finkenshtein Treaty was concluded between Iran and France
On May 4, 1807 AD, the Finkenshtein Treaty was concluded between Iran and France, while the French Emperor, Napoleon Bonaparte, battled with European states. Based on this 16-article treaty, it was set that Iran would receive any needed weapon for countering Russians from France. Also, France should sent troops and military engineers to Iran for training the Iranian army. In return, Iran was committed to sever relations with Britain and to assist France in deployment of troops to India. However, a short while later, upon the conclusion of an amity agreement between Czarist Russia and Napoleon Bonaparte, and their unity against Britain, the Finkenshtein Treaty was forgotten, which left Iran on its own in the face of Russian aggressions.

The treacherous role of Iran’s Toudeh Party
On May 4, 1983 AD, after fresh disclosures surfaced about the treacherous role of Iran’s Toudeh Party in collaboration with the Soviet Union to stage a coup against the Islamic Revolution, this party was disbanded. The vigilance of devout and revolutionary troopers in the army and security forces foiled this plot. Toudeh Party of Iran was formed in the year 1941 with a communist policy. Soon this party became the Soviet’s agent in Iran betrayed the nationalization of Iran’s oil industry by openly calling for the handing over of northern Iran’s oil sources to Soviet Union. The Toudeh Party leaders, in their confessions, admitted to collaboration with the Soviet Union against Islamic Iran.

Massive earthquake struck Khorasan Province
On May 11, 1997 AD, a 7.3 degree earthquake struck Khorasan Province, northeastern Iran, killing 1,567 people, injuring over 2,300, leaving 50,000 homeless, and damaging or destroying over 15,000 homes.