by Martin Aslan Historical Roots Iran, one of the world’s oldest civilizations, dates back to the 4th millennium BCE. Archaeological evidence reveals the establishment of cities and social systems during this era. Over centuries, Iran’s position at the crossroads of Asia, the Caucasus, and the West enriched its history through successive empires, dynasties, and cultural exchanges. In the modern Islamic period, the nation’s conversion to Shiism in the 16th century became a defining moment. This change, coupled with resistance to Ottoman influence, shaped its independent evolution. European intervention in the mid-19th century introduced a new chapter, culminating in the rise of Reza Shah Pahlavi in 1925. His authoritarian rule consolidated national unity through forced sedentarization, reforms, and increased oil revenues, negotiated with the Anglo-Iranian Oil Company in 1933. During World War II, Britain and the USSR occupied Iran, forcing Reza Shah to abdicate in favor of his son, Moha...