Iranian and United States
History
STARTS IN 1953,
THEN AGAIN IN 1979
LEADING UP TO PRESENT DAY
U P D A T E D 2 0 1 4 , 2 ND S E M E S T E R
U.S. - Iranian Relations!
Iranian -President
Ahmadinejad
President Bush
 Pres. Bush the devil!
 Called him Evil!
U.S. & Iran have NOT had diplomatic relations
since 1979?
Why did the U.S cut off relations during the
1979 Iranian Revolution?
Women in Iran
Before and After the Revolution
1970’s in Iran
After 1979, women must
be covered in public.
The Iranian’s were
protesting against
their King, the Shah!
Most Iranian’s knew
the U.S. & Britain had
put the Shah into
power 26 years
earlier.
The Shah was seen as
an American ‘puppet”
government.
Persepolis reading
start’s with this
protest!
Why did the revolutions attack the
U.S.? The revolution was against
their King the Shah!
The revolutionist wanted to overthrow the Shah
and bring a democracy to Iran!
Shah was an ally to the
U.S….
The Shah was corrupt &
rigged elections…
New Religious
leader after 1979Ayatollah
President Jimmy
Carter during the
Iranian
revolution
The Shah (Reza )
that the U.S had
supported for 26
years!
Religious fundamentalist took over
the revolution and created a
theocracy instead of a democracy!
Iran became a theocracy, the Ayatollah is the
“supreme leader”!
Because Iranians had taken over the American
Embassy in Tehran!
 Fifty-two US citizens
were held hostage for
444 days from November
4, 1979 to January 20,
1981, after a group of
Islamic students and
militants took over the
Embassy of the United
States in support of the
Iranian Revolution.
Affect on America!
Now that we know how the
Theocracy began in Iran…
WHY DID THE U.S. EVEN GET INVOLVED IN
IRAN IN 1953?
WHY DID WE PUT THE “SHAH” IN POWER?
DO WE HAVE THE RIGHT TO INSTALL A
LEADER IN ANOTHER COUNTRY?
The U.S & British did not like the democratically
elected leader of Iran in 1953.
 CIA & British sponsored
coup against the Iranian
leader - Mossadegh
 Prime Minister
Mossadegh in 1951
What did Mossadegh do to upset
America & Britain?
 In 1951, Mosaddegh
nationalized the Britishowned Anglo-Iranian Oil
Company- today’s BP gas.
 Even though AIOC was
“highly profitable,” “its
Iranian workers were
poorly paid and lived in
squalid conditions.
 Britain owned 51% of the
company, Iranian’s wanted
control of their resources.
Once the U.S. & British removed Mossadegh,
they placed the Shah in power in Iran.
 The CIA & British put
Shah Reza Pahlavi in
power.
 Shah Pahlavi ruled as an
authoritarian monarch
for the next 26 years,
until he was overthrown
in a popular revolt in
1979.
Resentment in Iranian for U.S.
involvement in 1953 & supporting
the Shah.
AFTER THE THE STALEMATE BETWEEN IRAQ
& IRAN…
SADDAM HUSSEIN OF IRAQ CONTINUES TO
ATTACK AND INVADE NEIGHBORING
COUNTRIES
Iraq invades Iran in 1980!
Saddam used chemical weapons against Iranians.
 100,000 Iranian victims
of Iraq's chemical
weapons during the
eight-year war
 Use of chemical weapons
is against International
Law- Geneva
If Iran is our enemy, who becomes are friend!!!
 Iraq invades Iran in 1980
 The enemy of my enemy
is my friend!!
 U.S. supports Iraq and
its leader Saddam
Hussein during the
Iran/Iraq War.
 President Reagan and
Donald Rumsfeld
 Rumsfeld & Saddam
How did the U.S. help Iraq during the 8-year
war?
 CIA Operation
 Supplies Money,
weapons and technology
to the Iraqis.
 Spies on the Iranian
military and reports back
to Iraq
US begins selling weapons to Iran
Iran Contra Affair
 1985 U.S. government
sells arms to Iran
(ignores arms embargo)
 Profits used to fund
“Contra’s” in Nicaragua.
 US is selling and
supporting both sides
during the war.
 Creates resentment
toward the U.S.
Who was the American President that authorized
CIA involvement & later sold weapons to Iran!!
8- year war ends in stalemate! No winner!
 1988- The war came at a great cost in lives and
economic damage—half a million Iraqi and Iranian
soldiers as well as civilians are believed to have died
in the war with many more injure.
 The U.S./ CIA help to fund and aid both sides of the
war!
Iraq has 4th largest army in the world & W.M.D.
with help of CIA.
 Chemical, Nuclear,
Radiological, Biological
Which country did Saddam invade next?
Iraq invades Kuwait!
Persian Gulf War 19901991
U.S. petitions for help from the Untied Nations
 1991- U.S. led The Persian
Gulf War (August 2,
1990 – February 28, 1991)
 A war waged by a U.N.authorized coalition force
from thirty-four nations led
by Britain and the United
States, against Iraq.
 Within 100 hours, the Iraqi
army was pushed out of
Kuwait;
 American troops did NOT
invade Iraq
 United Nations
Who was the American President?
George H. W. Bush
Iraqi forces torch Kuwaiti
oil fields!
Rumors that U.S. will invade Iraq!
 Kurds and Shia revolt
against Iraqi
government.
 Saddam responds
harshly with chemical
weapons!
 U.S. does not invade and
rebellions were stopped.
What happened to Iraq after the Gulf War?
 Sanctions against Iraq- full trade embargo
(excluding food & humanitarian goods)
 Oil for Food program, 1996 to help ease devastation
from embargo
 Iraq to agree to an inspection to insure that Iraq
dismantled its WMD programs and did not take
actions to reconstitute them
 No Fly Zone’s , patrolled by U.S. & Britain
Saddam plays games with weapons inspectors.
President G. W. Bush & Iraq
 By 2002, President Bush
and Britain believe Iraq
has rebuilt their WMD.
 Saddam’s deceptions
suggested he had WMD.
 U.N. did NOT support
the 2003 invasion of
Iraq.
Saddam is executed for Crimes against Humanity
 December 30, 2006-
found guilty by Iraqi
Special Tribunal for the
murder of 148 Iraqi
Shi'ite in the town of
Dujail in 1982.
2003 U.S. attack on Iraq
 In contrast to 1991, Saudi
Arabia did not permit
U.S. on their soil.
 Turkey did not help in
this conflict.
 Kuwait & a few small
countries allowed bases.
Iran Contra Affair
 1985 U.S. government
sells arms to Iran
(ignores arms embargo)
 Profits used to fund
“Contra’s” in Nicaragua.
Who was the American President that authorized
CIA involvement?
The country of
Israel will not
confirm or deny
they have WMD,
while the world
knows they have
the weapons!
From the Iranian
perspective, they
are not happy
that Israel has
weapons…
The country of Israel has nuclear
weapons
STOP HERE
 Jon Stewart Clips
 Images of Photos of Iran before the revolution
 Video: what do Iranians think of Americans?
 Israel Loves Iran – Facebook campaigns