Cabinet of Mehdi Bazargan (Interim Government of Iran)
InterimCabinet ofIran
Mehdi Bazargan and his cabinet in 1979
Date formed	4 February 1979 (1979-02-04)
Date dissolved	6 November 1979 (1979-11-06)
People and organisations
Head of state	Ruhollah Khomeini
Head of government	Mehdi Bazargan
Deputy head of government	None
No. of ministers	18
Ministers removed	7
Totalno. of members	27
Member party	Freedom Movement National Front (Iran Party,Party of the Iranian People,Nation Party) JAMA
History
Election	None
Legislature term	None
Predecessor	Cabinet of Bakhtiar
Successor	Interim Cabinet of Revolutionary Council

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History ofIran
Prehistoric period BCE / BC Baradostian culture c. 36,000–18,000 Zarzian culture c. 20,000–10,000 Shulaveri–Shomu culture c. 6000–5000 Zayandeh River Culture c. 6th millennium Dalma culture c. 5th millennium
Ancient period Kura–Araxes culture 3400–2000 Helmand culture/Jiroft culture c. 3300–2200 Proto-Elamite 3200–2700 Lullubi Kingdom/Zamua c. 3100-675 Elam 2700–539 Marhaši c. 2550-2020 Oxus Civilization c. 2400–1700 Akkadian Empire 2400–2150 Kassites c. 1500–1155 Avestan period c. 1500–500 Neo-Assyrian Empire 911–609 Urartu 860–590 Mannaea 850–616 Zikirti 750-521 Saparda 720-670
Imperial period Median Empire 678–550 BC Scythian Kingdom 652–625 BC Anshanite Kingdom 635 BC–550 BC Neo-Babylonian Empire 626 BC–539 BC Sogdia c. 6th century BC–11th century AD Achaemenid Empire 550 BC–330 BC Kingdom of Armenia 331 BC–428 AD Atropatene c. 323 BC–226 AD Kingdom of Cappadocia 320s BC–17 AD Seleucid Empire 312 BC–63 BC Kingdom of Pontus 281 BC–62 BC Fratarakas 3rd-century BC–132 BC Parthian Empire 247 BC–224 AD Elymais 147 BC–224 AD Characene 141 BC–222 AD Kings of Persis 132 BC–224 AD Indo-Parthian Kingdom 19 AD–224/5 Paratarajas 125–300 Sasanian Empire 224–651 Zarmihrids 6th century–785 Qarinvandids 550s–11th century
Medieval period CE / AD Rashidun Caliphate 632-661 Umayyad Caliphate 661–750 Abbasid Caliphate 750–1258 Dabuyids 642–760 Bavandids 651–1349 Masmughans of Damavand 651–760 Baduspanids 665–1598 Justanids 791 – 11th century Alid dynasties 864 – 14th century Tahirid dynasty 821–873 Samanid Empire 819–999 Saffarid dynasty 861–1003 Ghurid dynasty pre-879 – 1215 Sajid dynasty 889–929 Sallarid dynasty 919–1062 Ziyarid dynasty 930–1090 Ilyasids 932–968 Buyid dynasty 934–1062 Rawadid dynasty 955–1070 Hasanwayhids 959–1095 Ghaznavid dynasty 977–1186 Annazids 990/1–1117 Kakuyids 1008–1141 Nasrid dynasty 1029–1236 Shabankara 1030–1355 Seljuk Empire 1037–1194 Khwarazmian dynasty 1077–1231 Eldiguzids 1135–1225 Atabegs of Yazd 1141–1319 Salghurids 1148–1282 Hazaraspids 1155–1424 Pishkinid dynasty 1155–1231 Khorshidi dynasty 1184-1597 Qutlugh-Khanids 1223-1306 Mihrabanids 1236–1537 Kurt dynasty 1244–1396 Ilkhanate Empire 1256–1335 Chobanid dynasty 1335–1357 Muzaffarid dynasty 1335–1393 Jalayirid Sultanate 1337–1376 Sarbadars 1337–1376 Injuids 1335–1357 Afrasiyab dynasty 1349–1504 Mar'ashis 1359–1596 Timurid Empire 1370–1507 Kar-Kiya dynasty 1370s–1592 Qara Qoyunlu 1406–1468 Aq Qoyunlu 1468–1508
Early modern period Safavid Iran 1501–1736 (Hotak dynasty) 1722–1729 Afsharid Iran 1736–1796 Zand dynasty 1751–1794
Modern period Qajar Iran 1789–1925 Pahlavi Iran 1925–1979
Contemporary period Iranian Revolution 1979 Interim Government 1979 Islamic Republic 1979–present
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This article is part of a series about Ruhollah Khomeini
Personal Family Death and state funeral Books Islamic Government Tahrir al-Wasilah Kashf al-Asrar Forty Hadith Islam and Revolution The Greatest Jihad Iranian revolution Life in exile 1963 demonstrations Engagement with Jimmy Carter Return to Iran 1st Supreme Leader of Iran 1979 Islamic Republic referendum Interim Government Hostage crisis Iran–Iraq War Satanic Verses controversy Legacy Khomeinism Execution of Imam Khomeini's Order Fajr decade Homafaran Allegiance Imam Khomeini International Airport
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TheInterim Government of Iran (Persian:دولت موقت ايران,romanized: Dowlat-e Movaqat-e Irân) was the first government established inIran after theIranian Revolution. The regime was headed byMehdi Bazargan, one of the members of theFreedom Movement of Iran,^[1] and formed on the order ofAyatollahKhomeini on 4 February 1979. From 4 to 11 February,Bazargan andShapour Bakhtiar, theShah's lastPrime Minister, both claimed to be the legitimateprime minister;Bakhtiar fled on 11 February.^[2]Mehdi Bazargan was theprime minister of theInterim government and introduced a seven-member cabinet on 14 February 1979.Ebrahim Yazdi was elected as theForeign Minister.^[3]

Theconstitution of theIslamic Republic of Iran was adopted by referendum on 24 October 1979. Before it could come into force on 3 December 1979, however, the government resigned on 6 November soon after thetaking over of the American embassy.^[4] TheCouncil of the Islamic Revolution then formed theInterim Government of Iran (1979–80) until the formation of the firstIslamic Consultative Assembly on 12 August 1980.Mehdi Bazargan was elected to the firstIslamic Consultative Assembly representingTehran.^[5]

WhenAyatollahKhomeini, the leader of theIranian revolution, came back to Iran after his 15-year exile, he appointedMehdi Bazargan as the head of theInterim government.^[6] On 4 February 1979,Ruhollah Khomeini issued a decree appointingBazargan as theprime minister of "The Provisional Islamic Revolutionary Government" (PRG).

His decree stated:

Based on the proposal of theRevolutionary Council and in accordance with the canonical and legal rights which originated from the vote of overwhelming majority of Iranian nation for leadership of the movement which has been represented in the vast gatherings and wide and numerous demonstrations across Iran and because of my utmost trust on your firm belief in the holy tenets of Islam and my knowledge of your precedent in Islamic and national struggles, I appoint you the authority to establish the interim government without consideration of any affiliation to any parties or dependence on any factional groups, for formation of temporary government to arrange organizing of country affairs and especially perform a referendum and refer to public vote of nation about turning the country into Islamic republic and formation of "The Council of the Founders" from the representatives of people to approve of constitution of new regime and to hold elections of representatives of parliament of nation on the basis of the new constitution. It is necessary that you appoint and introduce the members of the temporary government as soon as possible in concordance with the conditions I have clarified. All public offices, the army, and citizens shall furnish their utmost cooperation with yourinterim government so as to attain the high and holy goals of this Islamic revolution and to restore order and function to the affairs of the nation. I pray to God for the success of you and yourinterim government in this sensitive juncture of our nation's history.

— Ruhollah Al-Musavi al-Khomeini.^[7]

Elaborating further on his decree,Khomeini made it clear that Iranians were commanded to obeyBazargan and that this was a religious duty.

As a man who, though theguardianship [Velayat] that I have from the holy lawgiver [the Prophet], I hereby pronounceBazargan as the Ruler, and since I have appointed him, he must be obeyed. The nation must obey him. This is not an ordinary government. It is a government based on thesharia. Opposing this government means opposing thesharia of Islam ... Revolt against God's government is a revolt against God. Revolt against God isblasphemy.^[8]

Khomeini's announcement came days before the army's official statement announcing the army's (Bakhtiar's last hope) neutrality in conflicts betweenKhomeini's andBakhtiar's supporters.Bakhtiar fled on the same day, 11 February, the day that is officially named asIslamic Revolution's Victory Day.

The PRG is often described as "subordinate" to the Revolutionary Council, and having had difficulties reigning in the numerous committees which were competing with its authority.^[9]

According to Mohammad Ataie, the cabinet was made up of two main factions, moderates and radicals.^[10] Most of cabinet members were nationalist veterans and sympathizers of theFreedom Movement of Iran and a few from theNational Front.^[11]

Bazargan reshuffled his cabinet several times because of resignation of ministers that were unable to cope with parallel sources of power. In several cases a ministry was supervised by anacting minister orBazargan himself.

List of members ofBazargan's cabinet was as follows:

ThePrime Minister and all members of his cabinet resigned en masse on 6 November 1979 after theAmerican Embassy officials were takenhostage two days earlier on 4 November 1979. In his letter toKhomeini,Bazargan stated that"...repeated interferences, inconveniences, objections and disputes have made my colleagues and me unable to continue [meeting] our duties ...".

Power then passed into the hands of theCouncil of the Islamic Revolution.Bazargan had been a supporter of the original revolutionary draft constitution rather than theocracy by Islamic jurist, and his resignation was received byKhomeini without protest, saying "Mr.Bazargan ... was a little tired and preferred to stay on the sidelines for a while."Khomeini later described his appointment ofBazargan as a "mistake".^[15]Bazargan, on the other hand, described the government as a "knife without blade."^[16]

• Interim Government of Iran (1981)
• Iranian Revolution
• Iran hostage crisis

• 1979 establishments in Iran
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• Government of the Islamic Republic of Iran
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