The U.S. and Iran have a long and fraught history, including the 1979 hostage crisis in Tehran. Dr. Michael Khaghany, a retired cardio thoracic surgeon in Kalamazoo, and native of Iran says Iranians don’t trust the U.S. or British governments. He says that’s because they helped orchestrate a coup against Prime Minster Mohammad Moassdegh in 1953.
Khaghany and retired Unitarian Universalist Minister Harold Beu discussed the history of U.S. and Iran. Beu has also taught history and is a member of Kalamazoo Non-Violent Opponents of War. He says it’s not in the interest of the U.S. to be in a constant state of war. Beu says too often the American foreign policy has tilted in the director of military action rather than diplomacy.
Khaghany says he doesn’t want Iran to have nuclear weapons. But he says the U.S. should have stuck with the Iran Nuclear agreement signed during the Obama administration. Both Khaghany and Beu say they favor abolishing nuclear weapons for all nations. But Beu says Americans should consider why Iran would want a nuclear weapon. He says countries with nuclear arms don’t have to worry about being invaded.
The NPR podcast Throughline told the story earlier this year of the 1953 coup in Iran.
