Final answer:
The Iranian Revolution of 1979 was a response to Shah Mohammed Reza Pahlavi's Western-oriented policies and oppressive regime. It involved resentment toward Western influence and desire for oil nationalization, leading to Ayatollah Khomeini's rise.
Step-by-step explanation:
The Iranian Revolution of 1979 was chiefly a response to anger over Shah Mohammed Reza Pahlavi's adoption of Western principles and his oppressive regime. The revolution was neither a desire for communism nor a result of direct intervention from Russia and the United States for oil, nor was it about Iran's independence from colonial rule. Instead, it was rooted in the resentment of Western influence, the squandering of Iran's oil revenues by the Shah on pro-Western policies, and the Shah's use of force to suppress dissent, alongside the lavish lifestyle of the royal family and close associates. These factors, combined with a yearning for social justice and religious and nationalistic fervor, culminated in the rise of Ayatollah Khomeini, who promised to nationalize the oil industry and remove Western influence.
Following World War II, Iran became a focal point for geopolitical interests due to its significant oil reserves. British and American interests were threatened when Prime Minister Mohammad Mossadegh sought to nationalize Iran's oil fields. In response, a joint CIA and MI-6 operation led to his overthrow and the reinstatement of the pro-Western Shah. The Shah's subsequent relationship with the US, characterized by economic and military aid in exchange for political support, further deepened the divide between his regime and the Iranian populace. By the time Khomeini seized power, there was widespread hostility towards the Shah's regime and its Western supporters.