The numbers increased rapidly as the Shah's regime became increasingly repressive. From Migration Information Source (online):
In the 1977-1978 academic year, about 100,000 Iranians were studying abroad, of whom 36,220 were enrolled in US institutes of higher learning; the rest were mainly in the United Kingdom, West Germany, France, Austria, and Italy. In the 1978-1979 academic year, the number of Iranian students enrolled in the United States totaled 45,340, peaking at 51,310 in 1979-1980. According to the Institute of International Education, more Iranian students studied in the United States at this time than students from any other country.Most of the students I taught during that volatile period expressed both fear and hatred of the Shah's regime. They also expressed horror at what they perceived as America's depravity. Did these young men--for almost all of them were men--visit strip bars and the like? A lot of them did. Seeing the worst of American culture made them hate us at least as much as they hated the Shah.
I don't buy your premise. I worked at the US Embassy form 1977-79. There was no correlation I am aware of between the number of Iranian students in the US and the amount of repression by the Shah who assumed power in 1941. In fact, at the advice of Carter and Vance, the Shah became less oppressive during the period you cite of increased enrollment. The Shah was counseled by us to restrain the use of Savak against the opposition during the last years of his regime. The Iranian government permitted the students to leave and study in the US. They demonstrated against the Shah in the US with paper bags over their heads.
Most of the students I taught during that volatile period expressed both fear and hatred of the Shah's regime. They also expressed horror at what they perceived as America's depravity. Did these young men--for almost all of them were men--visit strip bars and the like? A lot of them did. Seeing the worst of American culture made them hate us at least as much as they hated the Shah.
Nonsense. The educated elite of Iran were embracing American and Western culture. In Tehran alone, there were more than 70,000 Americans working and living there. There were Kentucky Fried Chicken franchises, bars, etc. You could buy Playboy on the newsstands. Many government officials, professors, etc. were educated in the US. To blame the downfall of the Shah on the "depravity" of America is simply wrong.
The opposition to the Shah came from a number of different factions. Without going into the rationale and reasons for all of the groups that opposed him, the ecomonic and social reforms of the White Revolution in the 1960s engendered the hatred of land owners and the mullahs. Extending the right to vote to women, land reform, privatization, etc. affected their power. Iran was the first Muslim country to recognize Israel. The Baazaries were unhappy about the payoffs they had to make to corrupt government officials. I could go on and on. The point is that America's depravity had little to nothing to do with the downfall of the Shah.