The military offensive of the United States and Israel against the Iranian regime this weekend has brought to the forefront the political origins of the Islamic Republic, which emerged in 1979.
Beyond the military context, the current conflict has its roots in a process that transformed the balance of power in the Middle East, had significant implications for Persian culture and identity, and redefined Iran's relations with the West.
The influencer, historian, and Spanish writer Mario Opazo shared a brief analysis on Instagram that went viral, highlighting why Washington is trying to weaken the structures of the regime that emerged after the 1979 revolution, which had broad support from radical left movements and diplomatic backing from countries like Cuba.
The Islamic Revolution in 1979: the origin of the current system
The current confrontation between the United States and Iran cannot be understood without looking back to 1979. That year marked the culmination of a series of mobilizations that began in 1977 against Shah Mohammad Reza Pahlavi, whose monarchy was supported by Washington and London.
In the first half of the 1970s, the Sah promoted economic growth with the support of the United States and encouraged a limited land reform, but did not implement political changes, and the control of export profits from resources such as oil did not improve the quality of life for the population.
Instead, it accentuated social inequality, with large sectors living in extreme poverty. Iran recorded some of the worst education and child mortality indicators in the Middle East.
However, it was a modern, Westernized society, with women in mini skirts who smoked, drove, and pursued university degrees. They were independent and free-minded. They were a fundamental force in the opposition to the monarchy.
Popular protests against the Shah intensified in 1978, bringing together Shia clerics, students, secular factions, and Marxist leftist organizations.
On January 16, 1979, the Shah left the country, and approximately a month later, on February 11, the monarchical government collapsed after armed confrontations. Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini returned from exile and assumed leadership of the new order.
In April 1979, a referendum approved the establishment of the Islamic Republic. In December, a theocratic Constitution based on wilayat al-faqih (the guardianship of Islamic jurists) was adopted, granting extensive powers to the Supreme Leader.
In the current Iranian political system, the Supreme Leader holds the main levers of state power. In addition to being the highest religious authority, he is the commander-in-chief of the Armed Forces, controls the Revolutionary Guard, appoints the head of the Judiciary, and manages the officials of state media, while also exerting a decisive influence on the Guardian Council, an entity that can veto laws and electoral candidates.
The country has a president and Parliament elected by popular vote, but their powers are subordinate to the framework established by this figure.
That is to say, the 1979 Revolution replaced an authoritarian pro-Western monarchy with an anti-Western Islamist system that redefined regional politics. It had a strong anti-imperialist sentiment, which was very appealing to the Cuban government.
Cuba and Iran: Four Decades of Alliance
Following the triumph of the Islamic Revolution, Cuba reestablished diplomatic relations with Iran on August 8, 1979. Since then, Havana has characterized the bilateral relations as "historic ties of fraternity and solidarity."
In 2001, Fidel Castro visited Tehran and described Iran as a "legendary land" and a "smart, fighting, and brave people." In December 2023, Miguel Díaz-Canel was received by the Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, who recalled the influence of the Cuban Revolution on Iranian revolutionaries.
The relationship has included exchanges at the highest level—with visits from Iranian presidents to Havana and from Prime Minister Manuel Marrero to Tehran—and cooperation in biotechnology, energy, and trade.
In 2023, more than ten bilateral agreements were signed in strategic sectors. However, in practical terms, the Cubans have not seen results from this supposed collaboration between the two governments.
The Presidency of Cuba often emphasizes the technology transfer of the Soberana vaccine to the Pasteur Institute of Iran during the pandemic. It is implied that there was some economic gain, but this did not translate into an improvement in the quality of medical services in Cuba, nor in any other sector.
Women's protests in Iran
One of the most controversial aspects of the system established in 1979 in Iran has been the situation of women. After the revolution, the mandatory veil was imposed and regulations based on the state’s religious interpretation were reinforced. They lost the right to vote and all their basic freedoms.
The case of Mahsa Amini, who died in 2022 while in police custody after being arrested for improper use of the hijab, sparked massive protests under the slogan "Woman, Life, Freedom." The demonstrations resulted in over 500 dead and thousands detained.
In recent years, Iranian women have taken part in symbolic acts of defiance against the regime. They have done so by removing their veils in public spaces, burning images of Khamenei, or through student protests.
Persian women went from supporting the struggle against the shah to becoming objects, the property of their husbands, silenced beings under the rule of the ayatollahs.
The biggest internal challenge: the protests in December 2025
By the end of 2025, anti-government protests reached an unprecedented scale in the 47 years of the Islamic Republic, both in terms of territorial spread and the number of casualties.
The protesters demanded the removal of Iran's supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, and the regime responded with extreme violence in the streets.
Organizations like HRANA estimate over 2,500 dead, while other sources place the figure around 2,000, in a context of mobilizations that began with economic demands and evolved into direct slogans against the supreme leader.
President Donald Trump initially stated that there would be negotiations to curb the crisis in Iran, but on Saturday those talks were canceled, leading to an attack that confirmed the death of Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.
In this historical context, the clash between Washington and Tehran is not solely focused on the nuclear disarmament of the country and gaining greater control over its natural resources. The United States has support from sectors in Iran that want to regain their independence, basic freedoms, and put an end to decades of social, religious, and cultural repression.
Trump assures that military operations will last a few weeks, but the changes that need to occur in Iranian society are neither simple nor superficial. They cannot be resolved merely by eliminating the Shia leaders. We could be on the brink of a prolonged war with global implications.
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