History (brief)

550BC
Cyrus the Great formed the Kingdom of Persia. He and his successors formed the powerful Persian Empire, with its capital at Persepolis.
300BC
Alexander the Great conquered the Persian Empire. He was succeeded by the Seleucids, and the Parthians who formed another substantial empire.
224-641
Ardashir I founded the Sassanid dynasty. After destruction of the "White Huns" in the 5th century, Sassanid Persia revived under Khosrau I and Khosrau II.
641
Arab armies conquered Iran. Iran became a leading centre of Islam.
1000s
Seljuk Turks conquered much of Iran.
1220
Mongol armies led by Genghis Khan overran Iran.
1501-1722
The Safavid dynasty ruled Iran. Esfahan became one of the world's great capitals.
1722
Afghan armies captured Esfahan.
1739
Nadir Shah drove the Afghans from Iran and plundered the Indian city of Delhi.
1794
The Qajar dynasty was established.
1906
Shah Muzaffar al-Din granted Iran a constitutional government.
1914-1918
Although it remained neutral, Iran was a battleground during World War I as some of the warring countries sought to control the region's vast oil deposits.
1925
Reza Khan, a former cavalry officer, became Shah. He introduced many reforms to Iran.
1941
British and Soviet troops invaded Iran during World War II to protect their oil supplies. Muhammad Reza Pahlavi became Shah.
1951
Iran nationalized its oil industry. Dr Muhammad Mossadegh became Prime Minister. A crisis in British-Iranian relations followed the seizing of the assets of the Anglo-Iranian Oil Company.
1952-1953
Mossadegh took an uncompromising stand on the Anglo-Iranian Oil Company issue, breaking off diplomatic relations with the UK in 1952. He was dismissed by the Shah in 1953, and subsequently arrested.
1960s
The Shah introduced a programme of economic and social reforms called the White Revolution. He assumed almost complete control of the government, and the Savak secret police ruthlessly suppressed all government opposition.
1979
After the Shah fled the country, the Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini returned from exile to found the Islamic Republic of Iran.
1980
Iraq went to war with Iran. A cease-fire was negotiated in 1988.
1989
Khomeini died in June and was succeeded by Hojatolislam Ali Khamenei. Ali Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani, former Speaker of Parliament, was elected President in July.
1995
A total ban on all trade and investment with Iran was announced by the United States in response to Iran's alleged links with international terrorism and its rumoured nuclear weapons programme.
1996
Moderates of the pro-Rafsanjani Servants of Construction faction gained some 70 per cent of Majlis seats in the general election.
1997
Mohammad Khatami, a moderate, won a decisive victory in presidential elections.

2001

Mohammad Khatami, a moderate, won a decisive victory in presidential elections AGAIN.

2005

Ahmadinejad, won presidential elections.

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