politics
March 14, 2026
I had a ringside seat for the Iranian revolution. Foreign meddling didn’t work then either
Even as the first western journalist to interview Ayatollah Khomeini, I had no inkling of what was to come. Perhaps we should have learned from history
TL;DR
- The author was the first Western journalist to interview Ayatollah Khomeini before the 1979 Iranian Revolution.
- He compares the revolution to the French and Russian revolutions, noting how foreign aggression can strengthen a revolution internally.
- The article criticizes foreign interference in Iran's destiny, citing historical examples of US-UK coups and current interventions.
- The author questions whether current foreign attempts at regime change are repeating past errors.
- He reflects on the complexities of the revolution, including the initial hopes for social justice and the eventual consolidation of power by Shia clerics.