Iranian history, life under the Islamic Republic, the current conflict and hHope for redemption

In the wake of Israel’s remarkable attack on nuclear facilities, military and other strategic targets, and leaders of the Islamic Republic regime in Iran, I have received many questions about the situation, informally from people on social media, and in a variety of media interviews. Allow me to share some important background and perspective.

Before the 1979 Islamic Revolution, Iran was a monarchy under the Pahlavi dynasty, with Reza Shah (1925–1941) remembered as a respected modernizer who fostered ties with nations like Israel and the United States. His deposition in 1941, orchestrated by A...