CONFLICTED The Crisis in Iran: The History Behind US-Iran Tensions
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Jan 6, 2026 The podcast dives into the historical roots of US-Iran tensions, beginning with the Iran Hostage Crisis. It examines recent protests in Iran fueled by economic struggles, while discussing perspectives on Trump's warning of being 'locked and loaded.' Listeners learn how the embassy takeover represented 'revolutionary entrepreneurship' and why Khomeini endorsed it. The conversation shifts to modern geopolitical dynamics, exploring the Iran-Venezuela-Hezbollah nexus and implications of potential US actions in the region.
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Hostage Crisis Was Grassroots, Then Politicized
- The 1979 Iran hostage crisis began as a student-led act of "revolutionary entrepreneurship," not a direct Khomeini plot.
- Khomeini quickly endorsed it to harness anti-American sentiment and remobilize revolutionary support.
Sanctions Replaced Diplomacy With Iran
- Freezing $12 billion of Iranian assets in November 1979 marked when sanctions became America's primary tool versus Iran.
- Cutting diplomatic relations in April 1980 ended official channels and made sanctions central to U.S. policy.
Swiss Mediation Was A Softeners' Role
- A retired Swiss diplomat told Aimen Dean the Swiss softened Iranian rhetoric before passing it to the U.S. for clarity.
- The Swiss often acted as mediators who wrapped extreme messages in "Swiss logical rationality."