Associate Professor, Political Geography, Institute of Police Research and Social Studies, Tehran, Iran.
10.22034/irsj.2026.243513
Abstract
This article examines the trajectory of Western political penetration in Iran from 1799 until the establishment of the First Pahlavi rule. Emphasizing the thought of Ayatollah Khamenei, the study explicates the gradual transition from penetration to structural domination.The research adopts a historical–analytical method grounded in primary sources and political developments during the Qajar era and the early Pahlavi period. Data are analyzed through a focus on key events and socio-political contexts in order to clarify the relationship between Western power politics and domestic vulnerabilities.The findings indicate that late eighteenth-century diplomatic relations and courtly connections laid the groundwork for Western political penetration. During the Qajar period, extensive concessions and contracts deepened this process and weakened Iran’s political independence. A turning point emerged during the Constitutional Revolution, where, despite increased political participation, conditions were created for the infiltration of Western ideas and institutions, and foreign powers consolidated their influence by exploiting internal divisions.Ultimately, the coup d’état and the establishment of the First Pahlavi monarchy—supported directly by Western powers—transformed penetration into structural domination and institutionalized a pattern of political–cultural dependency.The study concludes that neglecting internal weaknesses may once again pave the way for penetration and domination, and that conscious resistance constitutes a vital necessity for contemporary Iran.
Rajabi,M . (2026). A Historical Analysis of Western Political Penetration in Iran (1799–1925) With Emphasis on the Thought of Ayatollah Khamenei. Strategic Studies of the Islamic Revolution, 3(Special Issue), 155-185. doi: 10.22034/irsj.2026.243513
MLA
Rajabi,M . "A Historical Analysis of Western Political Penetration in Iran (1799–1925) With Emphasis on the Thought of Ayatollah Khamenei", Strategic Studies of the Islamic Revolution, 3, Special Issue, 2026, 155-185. doi: 10.22034/irsj.2026.243513
HARVARD
Rajabi M. (2026). 'A Historical Analysis of Western Political Penetration in Iran (1799–1925) With Emphasis on the Thought of Ayatollah Khamenei', Strategic Studies of the Islamic Revolution, 3(Special Issue), pp. 155-185. doi: 10.22034/irsj.2026.243513
CHICAGO
M Rajabi, "A Historical Analysis of Western Political Penetration in Iran (1799–1925) With Emphasis on the Thought of Ayatollah Khamenei," Strategic Studies of the Islamic Revolution, 3 Special Issue (2026): 155-185, doi: 10.22034/irsj.2026.243513
VANCOUVER
Rajabi M. A Historical Analysis of Western Political Penetration in Iran (1799–1925) With Emphasis on the Thought of Ayatollah Khamenei. Strategic Studies of the Islamic Revolution. 2026;3(Special Issue):155-185 (In Persian). doi: 10.22034/irsj.2026.243513
