Vol. 41, No. 14
08/01/2025
Iran and the Shah: What Really Happened
AT A GLANCE
• Shah Reza Pahlavi was a reformer who worked to modernize Iran.
• In 1979, the U.S. foreign policy establishment helped topple the shah and install Ayatollah Khomeini.
• Thus began the Islamic republic under the ayatollahs that the U.S. government deplores.
• If the U.S. did not topple the shah, the terrorist Iranian regime would not have come into existence.
This article originally appeared in our May 25, 2009 issue.
Americans have been hearing for several years about potential war with Iran. For instance, on September 17, 2006, Time magazine reported, “The U.S. would have to consider military action long before Iran had an actual bomb.” On October 10, under the heading “A Chilling Preview of War,” Time warned: “As Iran continues to enrich uranium, the U.S. military has issued a ‘Prepare to Deploy’ order.”
In September 2007, U.S. News & World Report stated: “Amid deepening frustration with Iran, calls for shifting Bush administration policy toward military strikes or other stronger actions are intensifying.” And in June 2008, President-to-be Barack Obama declared: “The danger from Iran is grave, it is real, and my goal will be to eliminate this threat.”
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The full article includes detailed analysis of Massie's legislative strategy, exclusive quotes from the interview, and insider information about upcoming votes.
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