$79 at cardia.com or amazon surprise attack by hamas by land, by air and by sea. october 7, 2023 was a de, the change the world. >> terrorists the attack by hamas a brutal surprise attack by hamas in israel israel, who's firing back, was followed by a horrific retaliation in gaza now there are fears of a wider war on america has a target on its back the wrong rebels struck us own ship at the center of the fears of a wider conflict is iran it is linked to hamas or hezbollah to the hutus all part of its axis of resistance why is iran at the center of this conflict in so many ways? and why this relentless hostility to america to answer those questions, we need to go back decades and try to understand why iran hates america good evening. >> i'm fareed zakaria iran in the united states, shed deep psychic and emotional scars going back years but none is remembered more by americans than the hostage crisis of 1979 we watched what appeared to be an irrational, furious attack and wondered why or how anyone would act this way but to iran taking the hostages was completely rational, given the history that led up to that moment. in november 1979, iranian students stormed the us embassy in tehran turning it into a prison for american embassy staff the gang revolutionary spent months in the embassy these basement trying to piece together evidence of past american misdeeds why because decades earlier that basement was where american and british spies had plotted a coup against what had long been a close ally you're on and the us from 18, 50 to 1950 had the best relations. >> the man seen here shaking hands with president harry truman in 1951, was iran's prime minister, mohammad mossadegh he was very adept at the theater of politics, who was a great orator. he was incorruptible. >> four years mossadegh had complained about the agreement that had given the british control of iran's oil resources the vast majority of revenue for your running, you would go to the british government not to the people of iran. there was probably almost 9010 but in a momentous decision, the parliament voted to nationalize the oil industry. then 11 mossadegh as prime minister. one month later as soon as he nationalized the oil, the british decided that they want to overthrow him the truman administration has stopped him and said no, this has to have a diplomatic solution. >> so from 51 to 53, there is an effort by the us to broker diplomatic agreement between the british and iran. >> herrmann, along with us ambassador grady seeks to end the oil dispute between breton and iran. >> the agreement never materialized. >> the united states was in the early years of tensions with the soviet union, the cold war, among their battles for supremacy, the two superpowers were fighting for dominance in the middle east. >> oil deposits underlying iran's soil gave the soviet premier good reason for his designs on this militarily helpless nation there were many different political groups inside iran at that time. >> and one of the most powerful was called the to their party, which was basically iran's communist party, which was heavily funded by and the soviet union. and the united states worried about the possibility or ball said, siding with the two their party washington's russian embassy trolls are lavish index, but most important gas present as the premier of iran, mohammed motor deck the us was determined to keep communism out and to keep iranian oil flowing to the western world. so the british and the americans plotted to take down mahsa deck it was plotted in the british and american embassies. >> the british worked with agents of the cia a grandson of teddy roosevelt kermit roosevelt to under a coup against this government the us's involvement in the coup is detailed and government documents that malcolm burned shared with me at the non-profit national security archive, where he is deputy director and director of research. and these our documents that are original us government documents written at the time classified. and through a variety of way means you have managed to get them either declassified or some reporter. essentially got them leaked, right? that's what these documents are, right part three, covert and overt action. >> this is the coo. >> so eisenhower proves it 11 july 1953. prime minister of england approves it one july 1953 yeah, that's amazing. >> key to the plot was convincing. sharma mohammad reza pahlavi, the monarch who ruled iran, to personally take action to oust most sadeq. >> august 50 at midnight soldiers knock-on most adel store and deliver an letter to him dismissing him from the, role of the prime minister in the morning, he goes on the radio. he says there was a coup attempt against me. >> most of the uk refused to accept his dismissal from office and forth back and on his orders, troops occupied the shah's palaces, hands surrounded parliament the shaw, who was waiting to see what happens, fleas, you're on immediately on august 19, the tide turns against monsanto, former premier mossadegh. >> ruined house is a mute testimony, two or three days, a bloody rioting culminating in a military coup the shah, who had planned to rome comes home backed by a general zahedi military strongmen who engineered is returned to power after the coup succeeded. >> most of that was convicted of treason, sentenced to prison then spent the rest of his life under house arrest. >> as for the show ii started consolidating power, becoming more and more of an autocrat. >> he runs democratic experiment, was over throughout the decades of the shah's reign iran kept a very good relationship with israel. >> they traded oil that kind of relationship between a muslim country. and israel was, was very important just as a borden to america was continuing to limit soviet influence in inside iran. the united states were worried that in countries like you're on, where there was enormous wealth disparity, it was going to empower communism because people would see this wealth disparity and say, there should be a quality and so for that reason, the us government pushed the show to enact these different reforms. basically trying to promote more economic equality and gender equity inside iran the white revolution, as it was known, was not universally embraced in iran one of the most vocal critics was a shia cleric and future leader of another revolution ruhollah khomeini's he resented the land reform which was going to take land away from the clergy. >> and he in particular resented any gender equality khomeini's rhetoric would help foment wider dissent that lead to rioting government forces eventually quash the riots and imprisoned for mainly before exiling him the shot remained pro-western surrounding himself with an elite class that was western educated and oriented. many of his admittedly progressive reforms created friction with iran is more conservative muslim population and then there were many who are bitter about not benefiting from the white revolution reforms what's more there was growing resentment of the chars lavish lifestyle which was epitomized by one extravagant party in 1971 does huge celebration than honore the 2,500 years of monarchic rule. people from all over the world flew in and maxims and perez provided the food and they had the finest european crystal and it wasn't many ways that celebration of the monarchy that alienated so many. >> but any discontent would be put down by the chars ever more repressive regime could a generalist in iran? >> de, to criticize his majesty he could, but i don't think that he would and his secret police, the slovak were brutal hundreds thousands of iranians were executed and disappeared yet the shaw's mistreatment of his citizens did not deter thousands of americans who enjoyed living in iran. i first went to iran in 1973. there were casinos, fashion was at its height. what was a place where an american felt very comfortable, a place where an american president jimmy carter would give this toast on new year's eve they ran because of the great leadership of the shop is in ireland of stability and one of the more troubled areas of the world. before long, that illusion of stability would be shattered in december 1978. it's throngs of protesters demanded the removal of the show and the return of rahel la khomeini five weeks later, the shy and his family fled to egypt it's a de, a abbas melania remembers, well and that day i went to see what happening in the streets. there was joined the street. people when passing around. images of fleming then they got the real thing with khomeini's return to iran, watching khomeini step off the plane and he was so mob, they actually had to scurry him off still, there was unrest the us embassy was attacked. and although this time the mob eventually left, it was a harbinger of what was to come eight months later after president jimmy carter allowed the now exiled shah v. r1 to come to the us for cancer treatment. >> the shah had kept his sickness a secret. so some suspicion began to grow that the cancer issue is excuse. >> iranians did not believe the show was ill and worried that the us would return him to power i think there's a straight line that could be drawn from 1953 to 1979. the fact that the popular government of mohammad mosaddegh was toppled through a british and american crew created fears in 1979 that the us would try to do the same thing and admitting the shaw and to the us was the trigger for the revolutionaries to try to prevent that from happening by taking hostages coming up after the shot. that was hoped for democracy. >> but instead, what emerged was a brutal theocratic regime imagine a future where plastic is not wasted. >> but instead remade over and over into the things that keep our food fresher our families safer and our planet cleaner to help us get their america's plastic makers are investing billions ends of dollars to create innovative products and new recycling technologies for sustainable change. because when you push for smarter solutions they'd, things can happen i have type two diabetes, but i managing its little pill with the big story to tell i take once-daily jati please jordan's works, 24/7 in your body to flush out some sugar. >> and four adults with type two diabetes and known heart disease, giardia is can lower the risk of cardiovascular death serious side effects may include ketoacidosis that may be fatal, dehydration that can lead to sudden worsening of kidney function and genital yeast or urinary tract infections are rare, life-threatening bacterial infection in the skin of the perineum could occur, stuff jordi and some call your doctor right away if you have symptoms of this infection ketoacidosis, or an allergic reaction, you may have increased risk for lower limb loss call your doctor right away if you have symptoms of infection in your legs or feet, taking guardians, but this'll find your real or insulin may cause low blood sugar rallies i brought in a juror max protein with 30 grams of protein. >> those who tried me felt more energy in just two weeks. here, i'll take that i'm sure max protein, 30 grams protein one prime sugar, 25 vitamins and minerals, and a new fiber blend with a prebiotic if you spit blood when you brush, it could be the start of a domino effect new periodontics, act of gum repair, breath freshener, clinically proven to help reverse the four signs of early gum disease a new toothpaste from periodontics, the dom experts people forget that the trigger for the for the taking of the question to see was very specific decision that jimmy card domain in october 1979 president jimmy carter agreed to admit the show to the united states for cancer treatments the shah of iran is in a new york city hospital the tonight, an american government source and washington says the deposed a iranian monarchy because suffering from cancer and the blocked bile duct. >> but the iranians did not believe the show was sick. they had another more sinister theory there was a big fear among the revolutionaries that the united states and the shaw might try to pull another coup a coup that would involve the us placing the shop back in power and putting an end to the revolution iranian students took over the us embassy in tehran to look for direct proof of the american plot. >> and to demand that the us extradite the show to stand trial for what they considered worth his crimes against the iranian people and if president carter does not release the show yes, white fight nearly six months into the hostage crisis. >> the us launched operation eagle claw a covert mission to rescue the 52 hostages which ended in a devastating crash at us service members laid dead in the persian desert or humiliation for the american people hopelessness for the hostages. for romania and his disciples. the failed rescue attempt was a divine victory. and further proof that the americans could not be trusted lilly iranians had been caught completely by surprise. >> they capitalized on the failure of the rain. >> some of their leaders could not resist lording it over the americans, shot mad at me is widely runs religious hardliners were dead set against influence from the west. >> iran's moderates had been moving their country towards democracy with the support of much of the population the overwhelming sense. >> and the day of the revolution was that this was the beginning of a democratic era democracy system based on islamic values and there were individuals that people hoped could emerge as leaders of a democratic country. one such leader was a popular moderate who was appointed to be first prime minister of the provisional government. has named mehdi bizarre gun and later the moderate able hasan bunny sadler became the islamic republic's first president the two were devout muslims and advocates of islamic democracy human rights, and social justice but it did not take long for her many and his religious hardliners to turn against this liberal vision. >> they were not going to let this provisional government turn iran into a secular democratic state for many use, the hostage crisis and the showdown with the united states to isolate and sideline the new provisional government to consolidate authoritarianism pan tilt the country even further against the us and it was very machiavellian about it. prime minister bizarre gun, who was opposed to the hostage-taking recognized that the momentum was with khamenei and he resigned shortly after the embassy was seized president bonnie sadler was impeached in june 1981 and i think everyone under estimated khomeini, i think people thought that he was going to be this pacifist religious leader and once the monarchy was overthrown in iran, he would simply retreat to form and become a spiritual later instead, it was just the beginning of khomeini's reign of terror. a government takeover marked by repression and brutality have zero tolerance, theocratic regime under the rule of a religious leader philosopher king, who would guide society and tell people how to live according to islamic values khamenei and his new government ruthlessly consolidated their power targeting official those from the shas, former administration revolutions eliminate the old order by putting it to the source it's oftentimes individuals who are most effective in mobilizing violence, who prevail and khomeini was that person and iran. >> and if he calls you to fight a holy war, what will you do? >> i do eat. >> but how will you do it? do you have the weapons? >> yes, we have khamenei created revolutionary committees to purge key figures accused of being enemies of the revolution they all wanted to eliminate all the top bureaucrats, technocrats political appointees, political activists, journalists who, who were accused of being close to the monarchy armed citizen militias were organized, empowered to carry out summary justice. >> of revolutionary court was established to adjudicate cases in a bogus legal system. the newfound revolutionary government under khomeini was really in the business of retribution, not justice. >> the western press dub the notorious head of the court that hanging judge who swiftly declared individuals guilty and sentenced many to death. >> after the purge of the monarchists, khamenei turned on the leftists and socialists there was imprisonment torture, and public hangings, firing squads, mass executions and false confessions hundreds of arrests and executions not only of mujahideen, but also of marxist leninist and maoist monarchists and members of ethnic and religious minorities iranian exiles estimate up to 30,000 people were killed during that countries period of repression this created an atmosphere of terror among iranians who quickly had buyer's remorse they started to realize that this new revolutionary government was going to be far more brutal than the government which they helped to overthrow overnight everyday iranians lost their freedoms and were forced to conform to khomeini's radical brand of islam he wanted to control all aspects of people's lives inside your on how you can dress, what you can eat, what you can drink, what music you can listen to, what movies you in, watch, whether you can go out with your boyfriend or girlfriend same-sex relationships became a capital offense a big part of the cultural revolution in iran was the role of women under khamenei. >> women were relegated to a life of quote, motherly duty all of a sudden, women weren't allowed to show their hair they had to cover their bodies. >> and that really was an obsession for the islamist in some ways, the hijab, the mandatory veiling a women became the flag of the islamic republic, the chief way to distinguish post-revolutionary iran from pre-revolutionary iran marriage, divorce, custody of children and the like inheritance. >> they all became much more favorable to men in accordance to religious law a special police force was established to enforce islamic laws. >> they set up these morality police. they could read people's homes to check and see if there was alcohol to check and see if there are watching contraband movies or reading contraband books. and they could essentially arrest and intimidate people that will many of these laws and their effects still exist in iran today. >> look i think if you had portrayed the reality of islamic republic today to people who were on the streets and 1979, the revolution would not have succeeded. >> there's still willing to kill young women and beat young women who go to the streets showing too much hair. and even when it triggers a national uprising, they are still not willing to make any meaningful political reforms the islamophobic cation of iranian society after 1979 became known as he runs cultural revolution. khomeini's economic policies, which included the government takeover of key sectors of the economy, stunted growth and sometimes line the pockets of the new regimes, elite all this was too much for many in iran's middle-class. and iran saw the greatest exodus of people in its modern history. up next, the ayatollah's regime was barely one 1-year-old when its very existence was threatened by a surprise attack. saddam hussein invades iran coming up the sirens are going off and playing the tornado here. i'm thinking, i'm going to die and i thought that was violin earth with liev schreiber premieres tonight at nine on cnn. >> if you spit blood when you brush, it could be the start of a domino effect new periodontics act of gumbert pair breath freshener, clinically proven to help reverse the four signs of early gum disease a new toothpaste from periodontics, the gum experts did you know sling has your favorite news programs for just $40 a month. my favorite news for just $40 a month. >> my favorite. the star just $40 a news for $40 a month. sling lets you do that a new group does assignments in my bag 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