This clip is from a 1979 interview between Iranian leader Ayatollah Khomeini and CBS journalist Mike Wallace. For decades, American propaganda has portrayed Iran’s leadership as irrational and aggressive. But the history is a lot deeper than that.
In 1954, the United States helped install the Shah, whose regime was known for brutal repression against the Iranian people. After the 1979 revolution, the Shah fled and was given refuge in the United States. President Jimmy Carter refused to send him back to Iran, where many believed he should have faced accountability for the harm done during his rule.
So when you hear talk about attacking Iran “for the sake of the Iranian people,” remember the history. This has long been about power and control, not liberation. Don’t let propaganda rewrite the facts.
