Why was the Regency Council unable to govern Iran after the shah left?

The Regency Council, established to govern Iran during the shah’s absence, proved unable to function because it lacked the authority and stability to manage the country amidst the escalating Iranian Revolution.

The council’s failure was compounded by the position of Prime Minister Shahpur Bakhtiar, who had been hastily appointed by the shah before his departure. Bakhtiar was unable to reach a compromise with either his former colleagues in the National Front or with Ruhollah Khomeini, who was coordinating the opposition from exile. As massive demonstrations in Tehran demonstrated the widespread public support for Khomeini, the government’s legitimacy collapsed. The situation reached a definitive end on February 11, 1979, when the country’s armed forces declared their neutrality, effectively dismantling the shah’s regime.1