Inside The Long Breakdown Between Iran And America

War headlines make U.S.-Iran relations feel like a brand-new emergency, but the roots run straight through 1979 and the decades of habits that followed. We sit down with Professor Mansor Farhang, former Iranian ambassador to the United Nations during the hostage negotiations, and Ambassador John Limbert, a veteran U.S. diplomat who was held hostage in Tehran, to map how a revolution that seemed impossible to predict became a resilient theocratic state and a permanent American fixation. We talk about Khomeini’s rise from exile in Paris, the gap between the promises many people heard and the system that was built, and why Washington’s Cold War lens pushed intelligence and policy toward the wrong threats. From there, we bring the story forward to today’s negotiations, where years of broken contact make both sides interpret even basic proposals as traps. When distrust becomes identity, factions can sabotage diplomacy because conflict helps them crush rivals or maintain power. We also dig into the role Israel plays in the region’s polarization, and why extreme rhetoric can end up serving hardliners across borders. Finally, we ask the practical question: what should the United States actually do? The answers center on “do no harm,” defining realistic policy goals around the nuclear program and regional security, and avoiding actions that weaken moderates and strengthen the coercive state inside Iran. If you find this useful, subscribe, share the episode, and leave a review so more people can find the conversation.Support Our WorkThe Center for Demographics and Policy focuses on research and analysis of global, national, and regional demographic trends and explores policies that might produce favorable demographic results over time. It involves Chapman students in demographic research under the supervision of the Center’s senior staff.Students work with the Center’s director and engage in research that will serve them well as they look to develop their careers in business, the social sciences, and the arts. Students also have access to our advisory board, which includes distinguished Chapman faculty and major demographic scholars from across the country and the world.For additional information, please contact Mahnaz Asghari, Associate Director for the Center for Demographics and Policy, at (714) 744-7635 or [email protected] us on LinkedIn:https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-feudal-future-podcast/Tweet thoughts: @joelkotkin, @mtoplansky, #FeudalFuture #BeyondFeudalism #centerfordemographicspolicy #chapmanuniversityLearn more about Joel's book 'The Coming of Neo-Feudalism': https://amzn.to/3a1VV87Sign Up For News & Alerts: http://joelkotkin.com/#subscribeThis show is presented by the Chapman Center for Demographics and Policy, which focuses on research and analysis of global, national and regional demographic trends and explores policies that might produce favorable demographic results ov...