In the direct aftermath of the 1979 revolution, that sought to dethrone the Shah, the political climate that was left by the Pahlavi regime was chaotic and disorganised. Prior to the American hostage crisis, it was not clear to what extent the formation of a clerical and purely Shi’a Islamic regime could take place. Arguably, the hostage crisis played an important role in the consolidation of the clerical regime: it allowed for one single cause to rally behind; shaped and characterised the religious and clerical nature of the regime; and provided a means of catalysing subsequent events that would be crucial in the development of the Islamic Republic.

The consolidation of the clerical regime can be attributed to three national catastrophes …show more content…
One such mentality is the harsh anti-Western and anti-American sentiment. After the hostage crisis, the cultural climate found was one of unforgiving imposition of authority over all aspects of Iranian society and culture as a “war against Western culture” began, a public one. Cinemas were both closed and burned by clerics, Iranian films and foreign films banned, and pop music, again both Iranian and Western, were “forbidden”, seen as popularising and emulating Western culture. It can be seen as the direct result of the hostage crisis, a crisis that was characterised as fiercely anti-Western. This was lent to the regime, that too had an anti-Western foundation, and was further highlighted by the push to make all aspects of society more Islamic, from communication, such as Iranian radio and television that was now only allowed to broadcast religious and official programmes, to education, where religion became a fundamental part of curriculum. The Shah Mosque was renamed the Imam Mosque, indicating the change from autocratic and monarchical rule to a clerical regime. Newspapers, movies, books were rewritten to destroy favourable depictions of the monarchy, all as part of censorship dictated by Khomeini. It is clear that Khomeini wanted to avoid the intrusion …show more content…
Further events that can be seen as directly following the hostage crisis, in terms of attitude and mentality, is the reaction to the Iraqi invasion of Iran on the 22nd of September 1980 which triggered the Iran-Iraq War. Lasting from September 1980 until August 1988, the war was seen with the same violent enthusiasm for revolution as the hostage crisis had, and adding to the growing resentment towards America, the same resentment that had begun the hostage