In 1979, Mohammad Reza Shah Pahlavi, the last Shah of Iran, was overthrown as a result of the Iranian Revolution, ending centuries of monarchy rule and giving rise to the Islamic Republic. This week, host Elisa is joined by Iran expert, Ray Takeyh, to discuss the history of Iran's governmental structure and its transition from western ally to enemy. How did oil transform Iran's relationship with the west? And how did Ayatollah Khomeini go from exile to leader?

Ray Takeyh is Hasib J. Sabbagh senior fellow for Middle East studies at the Council on Foreign Relations:

https://www.cfr.org/expert/ray-takeyh

References:

Takeyh, Ray. The Last Shah: America, Iran, and the Fall of the Pahlavi Dynasty. Yale University Press, 2021:

https://yalebooks.yale.edu/book/9780300264654/the-last-shah/