A Study of the Backgrounds of Preparations for Formation of Islamic Revolution in Shushtar

Shushtar, Khuzestan Province, is located in southwest Iran. It has chiefly been the provincial capital of Khuzestan Province during the post-Islamic period until 1924, when Ahvaz became the capital city of this province. During the Pahlavi reign, Shushtar was underdeveloped economically and in Pahlavi II reign, the city was the abode of the exiled dissidents. The dissidents, however, continued their political, social and cultural activities in Shushtar, making the people familiar with the Islamic movement under the clerics. There were distinguished scholars and clerics living in Shushtar who opposed the Pahlavi regime. They were uneasy with the critical situation in the city and the chaotic situation there. There was also a strong cooperation in revolutionary activities between the clerics and the merchant class and workers of the bazaar. The mosques close to the bazaar were the centers for the fight against the despotic regime of Shah. This research work intends to find an appropriate answer to this question: How did the clerics (the exiled, the invitees and the local clerics) promote public awareness in Shushtar in their fight against the Pahlavi monarchy in Iran? This research work has been developed based on a descriptive-analytical method, library sources and archived documents. It is hypothesized that clerics (the exiled, the invitees and the local clerics) did their best to promote public awareness among the deprived people of Shushtar during the Pahlavi reign. This made the revolutionary youths in this city turn into flag-bearers of revolution until final victory.