Khomeini's 1979 Fatwa: A Turning Point in the Conflict Between Iran and Its Kurdish Minority

The events leading up to this fatwa were rooted in decades of tension between the central government and the Kurdish population in Iran's western provinces. The Kurds, a distinct ethnic group with their own language and culture, had long felt marginalized and oppressed by successive Iranian regimes, including the Pahlavi dynasty. With the collapse of the Shah's government, many Kurds saw an opportunity to press for their demands, which ranged from cultural rights to outright autonomy or even independence.