Interim Government of Iran (1979–80)

The Interim Government of Iran (Persian: دولت موقت ایران, Dowlat-e Movaqqat-e Iran) was the first government established in Iran after the Iranian Revolution. It existed from February 1979 until September 1980. Appointed by Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini shortly after his return to Iran, the government was tasked with transitioning the country from monarchy to an Islamic republic.

The primary responsibility of the Interim Government was to organize a referendum on the establishment of an Islamic Republic, draft a new constitution, and hold elections for a parliament (Majlis). Mehdi Bazargan, a respected nationalist politician with a long history of opposition to the Pahlavi dynasty, served as Prime Minister.

Despite its mandate, the Interim Government faced numerous challenges, including:

• Competing Power Centers: The government's authority was often undermined by revolutionary committees (Komitehs) and Islamic Revolutionary Guards (Pasdaran) who operated independently and reported directly to Khomeini.
• Economic Instability: The revolution had disrupted the economy, leading to high inflation and unemployment.
• Ethnic Unrest: Various ethnic minorities demanded greater autonomy, leading to conflicts in different parts of the country.
• Hostage Crisis: The seizure of the American embassy in Tehran in November 1979 by student protestors, an event the Interim Government opposed but could not prevent, severely strained relations with the United States and further destabilized the country.

The Interim Government successfully oversaw the referendum that established the Islamic Republic in March 1979 and the drafting of the new constitution, which was approved in a referendum in December 1979. Elections for the first Majlis were held in March and April 1980.

Disillusioned with its limited power and the escalating hostage crisis, Bazargan and his cabinet resigned in November 1979, shortly after the embassy seizure. Following their resignation, the Revolutionary Council, composed of clerics and Khomeini allies, assumed direct control of the government until the election of President Abolhassan Banisadr in January 1980 and the subsequent formation of a new government under him. The period of the Interim Government is viewed differently by various factions in Iranian society, with some praising its efforts to stabilize the country during a turbulent period, and others criticizing its weakness and ineffectiveness in the face of revolutionary fervor.