Empire: World History 331. The Iranian Revolution: Will The Shah Return To Iran? (Ep 2)
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Feb 5, 2026 
Ramita Navai, Tehran-born documentary-maker and journalist, offers first-hand reporting on modern Iranian society. Scott Anderson, author and historian, traces the 1979 revolution and its echoes in 2026. They compare market-driven protests then and now. They examine the Shah's isolation, US intelligence failures, women's roles across eras, the IRGC's entrenchment, and regional stakes and outcomes.
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Revolution Speed Has Compressed
- The 2026 protests feel massively accelerated compared with 1978–79, compressing months into days.
- Scott Anderson warns casualty numbers are already far higher than during the original revolution.
Farah Pahlavi's Unheeded Warning
- Scott Anderson interviewed Farah Pahlavi and describes her as charismatic with a common touch.
- He notes she warned the Shah that 'the people are getting tired of us' before he ignored her.
Intelligence Blindness From Language Gaps
- The US embassy and CIA in Tehran lacked domestic-language capacity and relied on SAVAK for intelligence.
- That blind spot made Washington dramatically unaware of internal unrest before 1979.
