The Rest Is History — Episode 637

Revolution in Iran: Rise of the Ayatollah (Part 2)
Hosts: Tom Holland & Dominic Sandbrook
Date: January 22, 2026

Episode Overview

In this riveting episode, Tom and Dominic explore the dramatic climax of the 1979 Iranian Revolution, tracing its seismic effects on Iran, the United States, and the wider world. Through gripping storytelling and nuanced analysis, they follow the downfall of the Shah, the rise and return of Ayatollah Khomeini, the paralysis of American leadership, and the oil-fueled fallout that shook global politics. The conversation is peppered with sharp wit, historical parallels, and vivid portraits of key figures, offering both depth and accessibility.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. The Triumvirate: Shah, Khomeini, and Carter (04:54–07:00)

• The Shah: Second in the Pahlavi dynasty, modernized Iran with oil wealth but reviled as a corrupt, oppressive, and ultimately weak American puppet.
  • “To be both repressive and weak, that's a terrible combination.” — Dominic (05:36)
• Ayatollah Khomeini: Erudite, austere cleric, fierce critic of Westernization, recently exiled from Iraq to Paris, intent on fusing Islamic jurisprudence with political power (“guardianship of the jurist”).
• Jimmy Carter: US President, Christian evangelical and technocrat — committed yet indecisive, out of his depth in Iranian affairs.

2. The Revolutionary Tensions in Iran (07:00–09:08)

• Diverse opposition: Bazaaris (urban bourgeoisie), students, rural migrants, and, uniquely, Shiite clerics undermined by the Shah’s modernization.
• Cinema Rex Fire (08:10): A deadly incident blamed on the Shah’s secret police sparked further outrage, deepening his paralysis—partly due to leukemia.
  • “The Shah said, ‘I am not a tyrant, despite what people say, I will not preside over a massacre.’” — Dominic (09:01)

3. The Dithering Superpower: US Confusion (10:31–15:32)

• Carter’s administration is paralyzed by internal rivalry:
  • Cyrus Vance (Secretary of State): Dovish, cautious.
  • Zbigniew Brzezinski (National Security Advisor): Hawkish, Realist, “very hard on Russia.”
• US underestimated the religious dimension, viewing the unrest through a secular, political lens.
  • “It’s constantly rearranging the deck chairs on the deck of the Titanic kind of stuff.” — Dominic (11:12)
  • Carter’s diagnosis of Khomeini as “nutty.” (29:09)

4. Khomeini in Paris: Master of Modern & Medieval (15:32–25:03)

• Khomeini’s exile in Neauphle-le-Château, Paris makes him a global media star: “He gives 130 separate interviews to the world's press.” (18:09)
• In media, moderates downplayed his Islamist agenda. For Iranians, he sent fiery sermons full of revolutionary zeal.
  • Notable quote (Ayatollah Khomeini’s smuggled message):
    “The month that the Imam of the Muslims will show us the path of strength against the tyrants... When Islam is in danger, you should unite, rise and sacrifice your blood.” (02:40)
• Core ideology: Velayat-e Faqih (“guardianship of the jurist”)—clerics as rulers, fusing mosque and state for the first time in Shiite history.
• Western leftists found echoes of anti-colonialism in his rhetoric, likening him to the “disinherited of the earth.”

5. Ashura and the Fall of the Shah (25:33–37:03)

• Ashura (December 1978): Massive apocalyptic protests; soldiers avoid massacres, saying “we will not preside over a massacre.”
• The US is divided: Sullivan (ambassador) urges outreach to Khomeini; Brzezinski demands crackdowns. Carter agrees with Brzezinski: “The Ayatollah is obviously a madman. We can’t do a deal with him.” (29:19)
• The Shah’s departure (19 Jan 1979): A poignant, chaotic exit, marking the collapse of the monarchy.
  • “He has always believed, weirdly, this thing about the Americans being puppet masters — he’s believed it too.” — Dominic (31:32)
• Oil production shuts down; global prices spike, with knock-on effects for Europe and the US.

6. Khomeini Returns: Theocratic Power and Nationalist Paradox (39:04–47:02)

• Khomeini’s arrival (1 Feb 1979) compared to Lenin’s return, greeted by massive crowds.
  • Memorable exchange:
    Peter Jennings (ABC): “What are you feeling at this moment?”
    Khomeini (implacable): “Nothing. I have no feelings.” (40:04)
• Khomeini announces, “Our final victory will come when all the foreigners are out.” (41:24)
• He quickly outmaneuvers liberal rivals; sets up a revolutionary council, appoints his own prime minister (Bazargan), and asserts, “Opposing this government means opposing…the Sharia…blasphemy.” (46:18)
• Tension between republican, democratic ideals and theocratic absolutism emerges.

7. The Army’s Neutrality and Full Revolutionary Takeover (47:31–49:43)

• Army declares neutrality (11 Feb 1979), handing power to Khomeini and his followers.
• US ambassador Sullivan is ordered (absurdly) to organize a coup, retorts: “Please tell Brzezinski to fuck off… Would you like me to translate it into Polish for you?” (49:31)

8. The US: Oil Shock, Malaise, and Presidential Decline (49:56–67:17)

• The US public initially shrugs off the Shah’s fall, but global oil markets plummet; American businesses with Iran (Pepsi, GM, etc.) face huge losses.
• Oil shocks: Prices more than double; inflation rockets, causing pain for Carter’s electorate: “No one expects the Iranian revolution.” — Dominic (53:37).
• Carter’s infamous “crisis of confidence” (Malaise) speech (Jul 15, 1979):
  • “We are suffering from a national crisis of confidence. Too many of us worship self-indulgence and consumption…” (61:17)
  • The nation is unmoved; approval collapses, and he becomes a symbol of weakness (“malaise forever”).
• Rabbit attack anecdote:
  • “A killer rabbit attacked President Carter on a recent trip to Plains, Georgia, penetrating Secret Service security and forcing the chief executive to beat back the beast with a canoe paddle.” (65:06)
  • “He can’t even stand up to a rabbit… No wonder we are losing Iran.” (66:02)
• Meanwhile, Iranian streets fall to paramilitaries; executions, returns to veiling, and new constitution pledge worldwide Islamic revolution.

9. Setting the Stage for Embassy Seizure (67:17–68:39)

• Khomeini’s regime sees threats everywhere: the exiled Shah wanders the globe; US embassy (the “den of spies”) becomes a fixation.
• Next episode preview:
  • The impending US embassy hostage crisis—“one of the greatest humiliations in American history.” (68:39)

Notable Quotes

• Dominic (repression and revolution):
  “Repression can work, right? It's not a lesson that people like to…tell ourselves. We like to think the people will always triumph. But repression can work.” (10:00)

• Tom (Khomeini’s paradox):
  “On one level, the Ayatollah is what he seems to be, a kind of bristling, bearded, beetle-browed conservative. On the other hand…he is proposing something incredibly radical and novel.” (19:43)

• Khomeini to crowd at Tehran Airport:
  "Our final victory will come when all the foreigners are out of the country. I beg God to cut off the hands of all evil foreigners and all of their helpers.” (41:24)

• Amb. Sullivan’s infamous retort to the coup request:
  “Please tell Brzezinski to fuck off. Would you like me to translate it into Polish for you?” (49:31)

• On Carter’s “malaise” speech and US mood:
  “Americans are not used to being lectured about crisis of confidence, moral failings. They don't like downbeat speeches, do they?” — Tom (62:25)

• Media satire:
  “When a statue of Jimmy Carter is unveiled in Springfield [Simpsons], it's inscribed with ‘malaise forever.’ And people in the crowd are shouting, ‘Look, it’s history's greatest monster, Jimmy Carter.’” — Dominic (63:51)

Timestamps for Important Segments

• Khomeini’s Muharram Speech & Beginning of Revolutionary Crisis: 02:40–04:54
• Portraits of the Main Players — Shah, Carter, Khomeini: 04:54–07:00
• US Policy Dithering (Vance vs Brzezinski): 10:31–15:32
• Khomeini in Paris, Velayat-e Faqih Explained: 15:32–24:14
• Ashura Uprising & Shah’s Final Proof of Weakness: 25:33–37:03
• Ayatollah’s Triumphant Return & Immediate Fallout: 39:04–47:02
• Army Neutrality & Full Revolutionary Takeover: 47:31–49:43
• US Oil Crises, Carter’s Malaise, and Leadership Collapse: 49:56–67:17
• Preview: Hostage Crisis Looming: 67:17–68:39

Tone & Style

The episode blends Tom and Dominic’s trademark lively banter—wry, irreverent, but always deeply informed—with moments of genuine pathos (the Shah’s tearful departure) and absurdity (the rabbit incident). Their style is accessible, engaging, and often darkly humorous, drawing sharp historical parallels and making geopolitics feel vivid and human.

Summary for New Listeners

This episode offers a sweeping, detailed, but entertaining account of the critical months before, during, and after the 1979 Iranian Revolution. It masterfully inhabits both the corridors of power and the tumult of the streets, showing how clashing personalities, ideological innovation, and global economics collided to reshape the Middle East and US politics—setting the stage for the hostage crisis to come.

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