The Rest Is History | Revolutions: Iran, the Prague Spring, and Ceaușescu’s Fall | History in Photos

Episode Date: March 31, 2026
Hosts: Tom Holland & Dominic Sandbrook
Special Guest: Chris Floyd (portrait photographer)
Theme: Examining how iconic photographs have captured, shaped, and revealed the dramatic events of major 20th-century revolutions, beginning with Iran in 1979.

Episode Overview

This episode launches a miniseries on the power of photography as a historical tool, focusing on moments when an image defined revolutionary change. Dominic Sandbrook and photographer Chris Floyd discuss how photographs from Iran’s 1979 revolution illuminate both political tumult and deep societal emotions, and they promise future episodes covering Prague Spring, Romania 1989, music, and fashion through the photographic lens.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

The Role of Photography as Historical Witness

• Photography captures not just events, but the tension, emotion, and raw drama of history (“what photography tells us about history” — 00:25).
• Photographers can become both observers and participants, gaining entry to pivotal moments and influencing how those moments are remembered.
• Many historical images were captured under duress, sometimes requiring smuggling film out of rooms—or countries—to preserve the record.

Iran 1979: Abbas and the Shaping of Revolutionary Memory (01:15 – 14:16)

The Photographer: Abbas Attar (“Abbas”)

• Abbas is identified as the photographer most synonymous with capturing the Iranian Revolution. Born in Iran, lived in Algeria and Paris, focused his life’s work on “documenting the effect of religion on people” (Chris Floyd, 01:29).
• Abbas had unique access due to his Iranian and Muslim identity: “He has, you know, two cards to play with the regime, I guess, that a Western photographer would not have” (Dominic, 04:24).
• Despite this, his work led to exile; he did not return to Iran for 17 years.

Iconic Images & Their Significance

• Power Gatherings & Political Flux

  • Abbas photographed crucial political moments: Khomeini with other ayatollahs, showcasing the uncertainty of post-revolutionary Iran.
  • “The revolution is in complete flux. Nobody knows necessarily, the Khomeini is going to win and what role he's going to play in the new regime” (Dominic, 02:53).
  • The mood in the room, captured by Abbas, reflects both tension and the precariousness of the outcome.

• Operation Eagle Claw: U.S. Hostage Rescue Failure

  • Abbas photographed the wreckage of American helicopters in the desert after the failed U.S. rescue attempt.
  • “It’s an image of humiliation for the United States...best laid plans and all” (Dominic, 05:21).
  • The image’s desolation—wreckage against the empty desert—visually amplifies American failure.

• U.S. Embassy: The Mob and Western Fear

  • Photos of mobs in front of the U.S. Embassy became iconic in the West, encapsulating what was most unsettling for Americans:
    • “The thing about the mob…becomes the image certainly for the Americans of the Iranian revolution...it’s the sort of frenzy…for people, if you’re sitting in Wisconsin…that’s what people found unsettling” (Dominic, 06:30).
  • Religious symbolism—beards, clerics, and female attire—contributed to a sense of “otherness” and power.

• Women and Revolution: The Unexpected Prominence

  • Abbas’s photos highlight Iranian women, not just as passive figures but active participants (target practice, marches).
  • “It’s interesting how prominent women are often in these photos, isn’t it?” (Dominic, 10:45).
  • The prevalent “austerity...everything about that picture represents a form of austerity doesn’t it?” (Chris, 11:18).

Broader Historical Context

• Much of the revolution’s energy came from the interplay between fervent mass crowds and the self-controlled, austere presence of Khomeini:

  • “The crowds are vast, I mean, millions of people...he taps something...a yearning for traditional values, a sense of solidarity” (Dominic, 10:08).
  • Khomeini’s cold self-control enhanced his mystique: “Peter Jennings says, what do you feel? What are your feelings? And he says, I feel nothing. And there’s something about the sort of...coldness, the self-control...It makes him seem holy” (Dominic, 08:12).

• Revolutions often depend not just on popular support but a highly motivated minority:

  • “It takes quite a small percentage of people if they are fervent enough and motivated enough...passionate enough to really want to join a political party these days” (Chris, 09:37).

Technical & Philosophical Observations on Photography (11:39+)

• Black and White vs. Color

  • Most iconic images are black and white—not always due to artistic choice, but practicality:
    • “You could process and print black and white film much more easily. Build a darkroom in a hotel room bathroom...Color is much, much more difficult” (Chris, 12:19).
  • Newsprint constraints meant little demand for color until the mid-1980s.

• Purpose and Legacy

  • Most historic photojournalists were driven by events, not “making a book”—they sought to document, and only later were images collected and celebrated.
  • Abbas pursued photography as passion, especially relating to religious movements across faiths, and after 9/11 spent seven years documenting jihadism:
    • “Abbas is someone...drawn to religious projects his whole life...he did a seven-year project on militant Islam after 9/11...in 16 countries” (Chris, 13:41).

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Revolutionary Uncertainty:
  “It's obvious to us now, looking back, that we impose a pattern...But nobody knows this at the time.” — Dominic (03:23)

• On Khomeini’s Chilling Aura:
  “Peter Jennings says, what are your feelings? And [Khomeini] says: I feel nothing...It makes him seem holy.” — Dominic (08:12)

• On Revolutionary Crowds:
  “The crowds are vast...I think he taps something—a sense that the country had changed so much...They yearned for reassurance, traditional values, sense of solidarity.” — Dominic (10:08)

• On Black and White Imagery:
  “Because they are...monotonal scenes...everyone is in black...” — Chris (11:39)
  “You could process and print black and white film much more easily...Color was much more difficult to do.” — Chris (12:19)

Key Timestamps

• 00:25 – Introduction to series' theme: photography as a window into history
• 01:15 – Focus on Iran and the photographer Abbas
• 02:35 – Power struggles and uncertainty of post-revolutionary Iran
• 05:21 – Operation Eagle Claw: American humiliation captured on film
• 06:15 – The mob as a recurring revolutionary image, especially in Iran
• 08:12 – Khomeini's iconic return and mystique
• 10:08 – The scale and emotional energy of revolutionary crowds
• 10:45 – Representation of women in revolution photography
• 11:39 – Why iconic images are black and white
• 12:19 – Technical constraints and market for photojournalism
• 13:41 – Photographers driven by a mission beyond immediate news

Conclusion

This episode vividly illustrates how iconic images of revolution can encapsulate and even amplify the drama, confusion, and emotion of history—a process shaped by the photographers’ personal backgrounds, aesthetic choices, and sometimes sheer luck or courage. Through the story of Abbas and the Iranian revolution, listeners see how black-and-white images became the visual memory of seismic change. The ongoing series promises deeper exploration into photography’s essential role in witnessing and shaping modern history.