The second episode of “Liberating Iran” deals with the 1953 CIA coup that overthrew Iran’s leadership and how that event provides better context for Washington’s relationship with Tehran—not the 1979 U.S. Embassy takeover. 

Historian Pouya Alimagham helps us understand how devastating the West’s role in undermining has been to fostering better relations with Tehran’s leadership and why Americans have been fed a false narrative on Iranian people and its history.

Please go and buy Pouya’s book, “Contesting the Iranian Revolution: The Green Uprisings.”

This is the second of five episodes that will publish each Saturday, with the final show airing September 2. Next week’s episode will feature Nahid Siamdoust, who’ll talk about the role of women in Iranian history and the role music has played in the current protests.

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Notable links to stories used in episode:

CIA involvement in 1953 Iranian coup (CNN)

U.S. Secretly Gave Aid to Iraq Early in Its War Against Iran (NYT)

Iran is surrounded by US military bases and facilities. Here’s a snapshot (ABC)