Why did the Iranian Revolution erupt in 1979? What was the nature of the relationship between President Carter and the ostentatious Shah Mohammad Reza Pahlavi? And, who was the Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini, a man whose militant vision for Iran would see it drastically remade? Join Dominic and Tom, as they launch into one of the most dramatic stories of all time, with such far reaching consequences, that they still reverberate across the Middle East today: the Islamic Revolution. As they delve into the events that set this cataclysmic event in motion, they will bring to life the three men at the heart of it all. Join this channel to get access to perks: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCUYK0BJZF3yNb2fw1EdAXUQ/join 0:00 Intro 0:29 Carter’s 1977 toast to the Shah 5:32 Tehran’s transformation 6:44 The Shah 12:30 1953 coup (Mossadegh) + the “foreign puppet” stigma 15:30 The Shah’s court 18:34 US backing & SAVAK 21:45 The rise of Jimmy Carter 30:00 Carter’s foreign policy 32:17 Why Carter goes all-in on the Shah 35:08 New Year’s Eve 1977 in Tehran 36:31 Who was Khomeini? 47:10 Clerics + bazaars: why the religious network has real power 49:46 Shah’s modernization vs clergy: Reza Shah to the “White Revolution” backlash 52:02 Khomeini enters politics 55:18 The oil boom’s dark side 1:01:44 January 1978 spark: anti-Khomeini newspaper attack → Qom protests and deaths 1:05:34 Shah’s illness + regime drift 1:10:17 Black Friday (8 Sept 1978) 1:11:28 Autumn 1978 1:13:53 The Rest Is Classified Twitter: @TheRestHistory @holland_tom @dcsandbrook Social channels: https://www.instagram.com/theresthistory/ https://www.tiktok.com/@theresthistory https://x.com/TheRestHistory https://bsky.app/profile/theresthistory.bsky.social https://www.threads.com/@theresthistory Video Editor: Jack Meek Social Producer: Harry Balden Producers: Aaliyah Akude & Tabby Syrett Executive Producer: Dom Johnson Head of Digital & Social: Sam Oakley