Beyond the Divide

Understanding Iran & America

How the war against the Islamic Republic helps both America and the Iranian people achieve freedom

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A Journey in Three Phases

Understanding the full arc of U.S.-Iran relations requires examining the past, confronting the present, and imagining a different future.

The Struggle

45 years of Islamic Republic oppression: 35,000+ martyrs, stolen elections, and a nation's fight for freedom

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Liberation

How U.S. military operations are helping dismantle the regime's ability to oppress the Iranian people

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A Free Iran

The Pahlavi movement, secular democracy, and Iran's future as a free nation and ally of the West

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Strategic Importance

The Strait of Hormuz

The world's most important oil transit chokepoint, controlled by Iran's northern coastline.

million barrels/day

Daily Oil Transit

Global Oil Share

LNG Transit Share

To Asia

Interactive Timeline

Key Historical Moments

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1953

1953 CIA Coup

In August 1953, the United States, in a joint operation with British intelligence codenamed Operation Ajax, orchestrated a coup to overthrow Iran's democratically elected Prime Minister, Mohammad Mosaddegh. The primary catalyst was Mosaddegh's 1951 nationalization of Iran's oil industry, which had been under British control. This intervention installed Mohammad Reza Shah Pahlavi as monarch and is widely seen in Iran as a profound violation of national sovereignty.

1957

Nuclear Program Begins

Under President Eisenhower's 'Atoms for Peace' initiative, the U.S. provided Iran with its first nuclear research reactor and technical training for Iranian scientists. The goal was to promote peaceful use of nuclear energy among American allies.

1979

1979 Revolution

Widespread popular protests, galvanized by Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini, culminated in the Islamic Revolution of 1979. The revolution was fueled by economic grievances, religious fervor, and nationalist anger at foreign influence. In January 1979, the Shah fled Iran. On February 1, Khomeini returned to Tehran and established the Islamic Republic.

1979

Iran Hostage Crisis

On November 4, 1979, radical Iranian students stormed the U.S. Embassy in Tehran, taking 66 Americans hostage. They demanded the Shah's return to Iran to stand trial. A botched military rescue mission in April 1980 killed eight American service members. The 52 remaining hostages were held for 444 days.

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Move past misconceptions. Understand the data. Imagine a different future.

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