The United States vs. Iran - Fareed Zakaria GPS - Podcast on CNN Podcasts

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Fareed Zakaria GPS

Fareed Zakaria GPS takes a comprehensive look at foreign affairs and global policies through in-depth, one-on-one interviews and fascinating roundtable discussions.

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The United States vs. Iran
Fareed Zakaria GPS
Aug 31, 2025

Fareed Zakaria hosts a detailed special tracing the historical conflict between the United States and Iran, starting with a dramatization of a B-2 bomber strike on Iran's nuclear facilities. The narrative revisits the pivotal 1979 Iranian hostage crisis, emphasizing its roots in a 1953 CIA-led coup against Iran’s Prime Minister Mossadeq. The documentary explores the complex history between the two nations, focusing on Iran's Islamic Revolution, the rise of Ayatollah Khomeini, and the subsequent brutal consolidation of power into a theocratic regime. It details the eight-year Iran-Iraq war, the rise of Iran's proxy forces, and the U.S.'s shifting policies towards Iran. The final segment speculates on the potential for future U.S.-Iran relations, highlighting the difficulties in achieving either regime change or friendship and suggesting the possibility of an uneasy coexistence while acknowledging the deep national pride and ancient civilization of Iran.