Empire: World History 342. Iran: The Three Ayatollahs – From Revolution to Dynasty
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Mar 17, 2026 
Ali Ansari, historian and author specializing in Iranian history and politics, gives a concise tour of Iran’s modern turmoil. He traces revolutionary instability and the roots of anti-Western paranoia. He maps the rise of Khamenei, the grooming of Mojtaba, and the IRGC’s role as a politicized, kleptocratic force. He surveys recent repression, economic collapse, and the main possible futures for Iran.
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Crisis Rooted In Decades Not Months
- Iran's current crisis is decades in the making, shaped more by long-term internal trends than by recent external actions.
- Ali Ansari argues US-Iran relations, domestic mismanagement, and historic patterns created a trajectory toward the present conflagration.
Khomeini United Diverse Forces Then Broke Promises
- Khomeini consolidated disparate anti-Shah forces but never intended liberal democracy for Iran.
- Ansari notes many leftists joined Khomeini in 1978–79 then discovered his theocratic aims after the revolution.
Khamenei's Rise Created Paranoia And Rigidity
- Khamenei rose unexpectedly and felt insecure; that insecurity hardened him into a more dogmatic leader.
- Ansari links Khamenei's late elevation, rapid clerical promotion, and paranoia to his subsequent rigid policies.