Post-1979 Iranian Revolution’s Reign of Terror and State Violence: Kurdistan as a Centerpiece

Allan Hassaniyan

doi:10.66815/ejecs/2949

Authors

Allan Hassaniyan University of Exeter https://orcid.org/0000-0002-0868-844X

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.66815/ejecs/2949

Keywords:

Iran, Kurdistan, state violence, recasting nation-state, ethnic conflict, revolution

Abstract

Following the violent transition in power from an authoritarian monarchy to a theocratic despotism, the 1979 Iranian Revolution did not fulfil any of its promises of freedom and equality. Since the inception of the Islamic Republic of Iran (IRI) in 1979, state-sanctioned violence has consistently targeted all of Iran’s numerous national and religious communities, including the Kurdish people, resulting in a decade of massive violence and terrorisation of civilians. Showcasing this decade’s reign of terror in Kurdistan, this article argues that the Islamic regime’s extensive use of violence and collective punishment was not an accidental occurrence of post-revolutionary chaos. But it was a deliberate choice of measure in line with its worldview and ambitions of redefining and reforging the nation-state identity and ideology in Iran. The process is referred to as ‘the incomplete task of nation-state building’ and took place during the decade following the revolution. In this regard, the regime imposed multifaceted measures and strategies on the Kurdish people, including conducting a civil war and imposing economic sanctions. This article will elaborate on the 1980s state-Kurdish conflict in Iran and the way the Kurdish movement challenged the then-newly established regime from various angles, particularly its numerous redlines.

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Author Biography

Allan Hassaniyan, University of Exeter

is a Senior Lecturer in Middle East Studies at the Institute of Arab and Islamic Studies at the University of Exeter. He is the author of “Kurdish Politics in Iran Crossborder Interactions and Mobilisation since 1947” (Cambridge University Press, 2021) and “Iran’s Environmental Challenges and Movements on the Margins, Beyond the Centre” (Edinburgh University Press, 2026). Hassaniyan’s research focuses on state-society relations in Iran and Kurdistan, and on environmental movements and ecological security in the Middle East. His publications have been featured in different international journals, including Journal of Ethnic and Cultural Studies, Kurdish Studies Journal, Conflict, Security and Development, and Local Environment.

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