ABSTRACT
Nationalism was a central component of the Constitutional Revolution, since the abolition of despotism and the formation of an effective state based on the rule of law were deemed essential for enabling Iran and Iranians to stand up to foreign powers. While cautious regarding events in Tehran, the Isfahani elite took advantage of the events in the capital to force in December 1906 the local governor, Zell al-Sultan to set up a local provincial assembly (anjoman-e velayati). Secularist nationalists in Iran turned the pre-Islamic period into the lost golden age as a rhetorical device against the present and often against the ulama establishment. The Isfahan Anjoman and the local merchants supported the Majles resolution of 1 December 1906 to establish a national bank that would compete with the British-controlled Imperial Bank. Protection of local textiles and the boycott of foreign goods remained important features of national activity throughout the constitutional period.
