Dive into one of the most pivotal and misunderstood geopolitical events of the 20th century: the 1979 Iranian Revolution. Based on Scott Anderson's book, King of Kings, this podcast explores the dramatic collapse of Shah Mohammad Reza Pahlavi's monarchy and the shocking rise to power of Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini.

Through the lens of hubris, delusion, and catastrophic miscalculation, we unravel how an incredibly wealthy, U.S.-backed regime disintegrated seemingly overnight. We take you inside the isolated, sycophantic world of the Shah's Niavaran Palace, exploring his absolute grip on power, his heavy reliance on court minister Asadollah Alam, and his complicated partnership with a succession of American presidents, culminating in the fateful administration of Jimmy Carter.

Discover how the United States—blinded by its need for a Cold War ally and a well-armed policeman in the Persian Gulf—fundamentally failed to see the revolution coming. You will hear the astonishing accounts of those on the ground, from foreign service officers in remote villages to diplomats trapped inside the besieged American embassy, witnessing the explosive divide between Iran's modernizing elite and its deeply conservative, religiously devout working class.

At the same time, we track the strategic brilliance of Ayatollah Khomeini and his Western-educated lieutenants, like Ebrahim Yazdi, who masterfully manipulated the international media from a small French village to consolidate power, sideline moderate politicians, and establish the modern world's first successful religious counterrevolution