Several left-wing guerrilla groups attempting to overthrow the pro-Western regime of Shah Mohammad Reza Pahlavi were notable and active in Iran from 1971 to 1979.
To break the spell of our weakness and to inspire the people into action we must resort to revolutionary armed struggle...[5]The background of the guerrillas was overwhelming educated middle class.
[6] The event from which most historians mark the beginning of the guerrilla era in Iran was the February 8, 1971 attack on a gendarmerie post at Siahkal on the Caspian Sea.
[10] By late 1978 however, the massive demonstrations, return of oppositionists from abroad, and pressure on the monarchy's security forces from the revolutionary movement revived the groups.
Guerilla groups became active "both in killing Iranian military and police leaders and participating in oppositional demonstrations ... in the course of 1978 ... the Fedaiyan and the Mojahedin were able to ... become sizable movements, largely of young people.