1930-1955
- 1935 - Persia is now known as iran
- 1941 - The Shah's pro-Axis allegiance in World War II leads to the Anglo-Russian occupation of Iran and the deposition of the Shah in favour of his son, Mohammad Reza Pahlavi.
- 1950 - Ali Razmara becomes prime minister and is assassinated less than nine months later.
- 1953 - Mossadeq is overthrown. General Fazlollah Zahedi is proclaimed as prime minister and the Shah returns.
1960-1980
1985-1995
- 1963 - The Shah embarks on a campaign to modernise the country.
- 1978 - The Shah's policies alienate the clergy and his authoritarian rule leads to riots, strikes and mass demonstrations. Martial law is imposed.
- 1979 - The Islamic Republic of Iran is proclaimed following a referendum
- 1980 - The Shah dies of cancer in Egypt.
- 1988 - an Iran Air Airbus was shot down by accident the USS Vincennes.
- 1989 - Ayatollah Khomeini issues a religious edict ordering Muslims to kill British author, Salman Rushdie.
- 1990 - An earthquake strikes Iran, killing 40,000 people.
Iran Revolution Timeline of (1935-2003)
Seth Mercado
1996-2000
- 1997 - Mohammad Khatami wins the presidential election
- 1998 - Iran deploys thousands of troops on its border.
- 1999 - Pro-democracy students at Tehran University demonstrate closure of the reformist newspaper 'Salam'.
- 2000 - Majlis elections.
2001-2003
- 2001 - President Khatami re-elected
- 2002 - US President George Bush describes Iraq, Iran and North Korea as an "axis of evil.
- 2003 - Thousands attend student-led protests in Tehran against clerical establishment.