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The first years of Mohammad Reza Shah's rule were tumultuous. The Allies occupied Iran and paid no heed to the timid ruler. The Soviets, in particular, engaged in nefarious activities in the provinces, where they supported communist sympathizers. No statesman of stature seemed to be on the horizon ready to save the country, and the government of one prime minister in particular, Ali Mansur, was notorious for its corruption and inefficiency. The shah struggled to rebuild the legitimacy of his dynasty and the devastated armed forces. By the late Qajar dynasty, Persia formed the world's first unified military consisting of the Ground, Naval and Air Forces. After the coup in 1953, Iran began purchasing some weapons from Israel, the United States and other countries of the Western Bloc. Later, Iran began establishing its own armaments industry; its efforts in this remained largely unrecognised internationally, until recently. Following the Iranian revolution in 1979, deteriorating relations with the U.S. resulted in international sanctions led by the US, including an arms embargo being imposed on Iran.
About the author
Kemal Yildirim est professeur d'études culturelles, sociales et politiques. Il a publié plus de 200 ouvrages et est également connu en tant que réalisateur d'une série de longs métrages et de documentaires sur l'Afrique.
