I never claimed Iran was a primitive society before 1979 under the Shah. My claim is that they are primitive NOW, in part because they use Sharia law. They did NOT use Sharia law under the Shah!
But yes I am also very well aware that the Shah was instated by what was practically a coup against a democratically elected government.

Germany was absolutely also primitive during WW2, because it devolved to violence and extermination of minorities.
Russia is a bit more complicated, but very definitely a society that has not evolved as well as it could have.

I don’t really care that “they” used other terms, first it’s a false equivalence, and why should I be bound by false standards?

“stupid” and “primitive” are not synonyms.

No they are not, why would you think I used it as such? Iranian society is both stupid and primitive, both mostly a result of social religious insanity.

After islamic extremists came to power in the 1979 revolution

I agree, Iran was a better society in some ways before the revolution, and if USA hadn’t messed up their democracy, Iran would likely have been a way better society today.

they broke down Iranian society in many directions. Executions were widespread, terror was used to subdue opposition, women’s rights were trampled on,

You are basically making my point here. Mind you this was by the wishes of the population. Much to the frustration of Iranians that had to flee, that had hoped for a socialist revolution. I have actually known Iranian people here in Denmark, and they are very good people, BUT!!! They are not Muslims!!! Iran today is an Islamic country, and the population is overwhelmingly Muslim, and they overwhelmingly condoned what the new regime under the Ayatollah was doing. Including all of your above points.

Iran is a former empire

What they used to be is completely irrelevant to what they are today, also being an empire does not exclude being primitive. Russia today is an empire, and they are primitive compared to what they could have been, without a super corrupt dictator that has undermined Russian society for 30 years.

Despite I’m disagreeing with you, I have upvoted your post, in part because of the effort, but also because many of your points are correct, the only problem is, they don’t logically lead to the conclusion you want to arrive at.