انقلاب مشروطه ایران (۱۲۸۵) — نخستین دموکراسی ایران
The Iranian Constitutional Revolution (1905–1911) was one of the most significant events in modern Iranian and Middle Eastern history. Sparked by popular anger at Qajar misrule, foreign loans, and European interference, the revolution forced Mozaffar ad-Din Shah to sign a constitution in August 1906, establishing Iran's first National Consultative Assembly (Majles).
The revolution produced the first parliamentary democracy in the Middle East and Asia. The constitution limited royal power, guaranteed civil liberties, and created a separation of powers. The revolutionaries included merchants, clerics, intellectuals, and ordinary Iranians united by a vision of a modern, accountable government.
Heroes of the revolution include Sattar Khan and Bager Khan of Tabriz, who led armed resistance when the royalist Mohammad Ali Shah bombarded the Majles in 1908. The revolution ultimately succeeded, with the deposition of Mohammad Ali Shah in 1909, but was later undermined by Russian and British interference and the 1921 Reza Khan coup.
It established Iran's first elected parliament (Majles), created a constitutional monarchy limiting royal power, guaranteed civil liberties, and produced the first parliamentary democracy in the Middle East.
The revolution was undermined by Russian military intervention in northern Iran, British support for royalist forces, foreign loans that compromised Iranian sovereignty, and the eventual coup by Reza Khan in 1921.