USA and Iran Conflict

In 1953, the CIA engineered an ouster of a democratically-elected but fiercely anti-Western Iranian Prime Minister, throwing control of the country to the very pro- Western Shah of Iran.

Many in Iran resented what had happened, especially the religious community. It plotted against the Shah for years, and in 1979, overthrew him. Iran overnight was transformed from a Westernized and secular country into a theocracy, led by the Ayatollahs.

During the coup, the revolutionaries surrounded the US embassy in Tehran and took prisoner nearly 100 US embassy personnel. They also raided the embassy for secret papers detailing CIA influence.

Thus began a long hostage crisis that set Iran and the US against each other. The US tried to negotiate the release of its people with no success. President Carter finally sent in a military rescue mission, which failed to free a single hostage. Eventually, Iran freed the hostages on the day Ronald Reagan became President.

Since then, Iran’s leadership has seen the US as “the Great Satan,” not just because of the CIA’s interference, but because of America’s firm support of Israel, which the Islamic theocrats who led Iraq saw as their blood enemy.

When it became clear that Israel had nuclear weapons, and after a number of Israeli military successes against its Arab neighbors, Iran decided to develop its own nuclear weapons. It had just two enemies it might use them against: “the Great Satan”—the US, that is, and Israel.

Both America and Israel were very concerned by this development. Israel threatened to bomb the Iranian nuclear plants—and spark a regional war in the Middle East. The US convinced Israel to hold off—it would take care of the problem.

America (and other nations) instituted all kinds of economic sanctions against Iran, in an effort to get them to stop their nuclear development or at least negotiate. The sanctions were sufficiently painful to get Iran to the negotiating table. A deal was struck. Iran would suspend nuclear development if the sanctions were lifted.

Israel was furious with this deal. It feared Iran would cheat. It feared facing a nuclear-armed Iran. It put all kinds of pressure on the US, but the US did not yield. It made the deal. Israel wanted to bomb Iran’s nuclear facilities, but it has held off and the attack now seems unlikely.

Trump sees Iran as one of America’s greatest enemies. He hates the treaty. He strongly supports Israel. So now, we are in a new situation. What happens now is impossible to say, but scary. It’s all up to Trump now.

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MANISH GOYAL

INBA INTERN