Show Notes
How a religious ban on tobacco jump started the fight for Persia's democracy. The story of the Qajar dynasty, their attempt at auctioning Persia's resources and how Iranians came together to fight foreign influence and protect their right to smoke.
More from The Lion and The Sun: A Modern History of Iran
With British warships looming off Abadan and an economic war squeezing Iran, Britain drags the oil dispute before the United Nations, and Mosaddegh crosses the ocean to fight it himself.
With nationalization signed and Mosaddegh in office, Britain cuts off Iran’s oil exports and moves warships into the Gulf. Secret documents expose decades of political interference, American mediation fails, and Iran finds itself in a standoff it cannot easily win.
Failed negotiations, assassination, and a vote that changed Iran’s history. As pressure builds and compromise collapses, Mohammad Mosaddegh leads a united nation towards oil nationalization.
Iran’s oil had enriched Britain and left its workers in shanty towns. When a deadly strike erupts and the Anglo-Iranian Oil Company refuses to yield, a veteran constitutionalist steps forward to fight for control of the nation’s oil.
As Cold War tensions rise, Iran and the United States become unlikely allies. After surviving an assassination attempt, Mohammad Reza Shah moves to consolidate power and reshape Iran’s political order.