The historical record since Iran’s 1979 revolution contradicts the narrative put forward by Abbas Araghchi, the Iranian foreign minister (You’ll never defeat us in Iran, President Trump: but with real talks, we can both win, 30 December).
From its inception, the Islamic Republic defined itself in opposition to the United States and western values, chanting “Death to America” while holding 52 US diplomats hostage for 444 days. This was not a misunderstanding; it was a founding act. Since then, the Islamic republic has consistently used violence, proxies and coercion to attack US interests while denying direct responsibility.
