The US, Israel, and Iran — How We Got Here
The triangle of alliances, betrayals, and wars that shaped the modern Middle East
A 10-chapter video course tracing the complex triangle between the United States, Israel, and Iran from the 1953 CIA coup to the 2026 strikes. Understand why these three nations are locked in a cycle of alliance, betrayal, and confrontation that has destabilized the Middle East for seven decades. Based on Treacherous Alliance by Trita Parsi and contemporary reporting.
Based on: Treacherous Alliance by Trita Parsi, Council on Foreign Relations, Britannica, NPR
Chapters
1:01
Chapter 1: The 1953 Coup — When America and Britain Overthrew Iran's Democracy
In 1953 the CIA and MI6 toppled Iran's elected prime minister Mohammad Mosaddegh to protect Western oil interests and re
1:16
Chapter 2: The Islamic Revolution — How Iran Became America's Enemy
In 1979 the Iranian Revolution overthrew the Shah and turned one of America's closest allies into its bitterest enemy. T
1:16
Chapter 3: Iran-Contra — America's Secret Arms Deal with Its Own Enemy
In the 1980s the Reagan administration secretly sold weapons to Iran — the same country holding Americans hostage — and
0:57
Chapter 4: The New World Order — Why Israel Turned Against Iran
When the Cold War ended and Iraq was defeated in the Gulf War, the strategic logic of the Israel-Iran partnership collap
1:15
Chapter 5: The Nuclear Crisis — Iran's Bomb and the World's Fear
In 2002 the world learned Iran had been secretly building nuclear facilities. What followed was two decades of sanctions
1:44
Chapter 6: The Iran Deal — Hope, Betrayal, and Collapse
In 2015 the JCPOA nuclear deal was signed — Iran froze its nuclear program in exchange for sanctions relief. Israel oppo
1:10
Chapter 7: The Proxy Wars — Iran's Network vs Israel's Reach
Iran built the most powerful proxy network in the Middle East — Hezbollah, Hamas, the Houthis, Iraqi militias. Israel fo
1:25
Chapter 8: October 7 and the Unraveling — How Gaza Changed Everything
The October 7, 2023 Hamas attack on Israel triggered a cascade: Israel's war in Gaza, Hezbollah opening a second front,
1:08
Chapter 9: The 2026 Strikes — When America and Israel Attacked Iran
On February 28, 2026, the United States and Israel launched massive strikes on Iran — targeting nuclear facilities, mili
1:17
Chapter 10: Where Do We Go From Here — The Future of the Triangle
Seven decades of coups, revolutions, secret deals, proxy wars, and now open strikes. The US-Israel-Iran triangle has sha
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