United States Seeking New Adversaries
In the realm of international politics, the relationship between the United States and Iran has been marked by a complex history of hostility and mistrust. This narrative is explored in great detail by John Stockwell, a former CIA colleague, in his 1978 book In Search of Enemies: A CIA Story.
Stockwell's account sheds light on the U.S. hostility towards Iran as part of a broader pattern of covert actions and interventions by the CIA, aimed at undermining governments seen as threats to American interests. One of the pivotal events that set this pattern in motion was the 1953 U.S. and British-backed coup that overthrew Iran’s democratically elected Prime Minister Mohammad Mosaddegh. Mosaddegh had nationalized Iran's oil industry, challenging Western colonial-economic interests.
The coup reinstated the autocratic Shah and set the stage for decades of U.S. interference and mistrust from Iran’s perspective, as the U.S. prioritized control over Iranian resources and regional influence. Stockwell, drawing on his CIA experience, highlights how this early intervention entrenched a hostile U.S. posture toward Iran, which saw Tehran as an economic and strategic adversary.
The U.S. policy of backing the Shah’s regime, despite its authoritarianism and repression, contributed to domestic unrest that culminated in the 1979 Iranian Revolution. After the revolution, the U.S. regarded Iran more explicitly as an “enemy” because the new Islamic Republic declared opposition to U.S. influence and aligned against American interests in the Middle East.
The implications of this antagonism have been profound, fostering a decades-long cycle of mutual hostility, including covert operations, overt military confrontations, and wars involving proxy forces. The U.S. withdrawal from agreements such as the JCPOA and the imposition of sanctions have further strained relations, entrenching economic hardship in Iran and incentivizing Iran’s pursuit of nuclear capabilities as a deterrence strategy.
Moreover, this antagonism has drawn in allied actors, such as Israel, which views Iran as an existential threat. Their coordinated actions have further escalated tensions and risks of open conflict. The sustained enmity has made diplomatic solutions difficult but necessary, as experts note that long-term peace requires dialogue despite profound disagreements and historical antagonisms.
Stockwell’s account also underscores the U.S. government's tendency to create enemies for the purpose of justifying non-beneficial alliances and foreign arrangements. This trend is not limited to the U.S.-Iran relationship. For instance, the Minsk Agreement, intended to establish a non-aligned Ukraine, was a fraud, with NATO intended to arm and extend membership to Kiev despite pledges not to do so.
The legacy of this fraught relationship is a deeply troubled landscape marked by conflict risks, regional instability, and lost opportunities for cooperation. As we navigate the complexities of modern geopolitics, understanding this history is crucial in seeking paths towards peace and mutual understanding.
- The U.S.'s antagonistic relationship with Iran, as detailed by John Stockwell in his book In Search of Enemies: A CIA Story, is rooted in covert actions and interventions by the CIA, often aimed at undermining governments seen as threats to American interests, such as Iran's democratically elected Prime Minister Mosaddegh in 1953.
- The persistent hostility between the U.S. and Iran, as found in Stockwell's account, has significant consequences that extend beyond their relations, shaping global politics and general news, including the creation of enemies for the purpose of justifying questionable alliances and foreign arrangements, like the Minsk Agreement and NATO's involvement with Ukraine.
