1. Cold War Divides the World
How is the Middle East influenced by the Superpowers?

2. US tries to influence Iran
1941: Mohammed Reza Pahlavi becomes Shah after his father’s death, embraces west, secular ideas & oil companies
1951: Muhammad Mossadeq is elected Prime Minister, he is backed by Iranian nationalists & Ayatollahs (religious leaders)
Mossadeq nationalizes Iran’s oil fields, Shah Pahlavi flees
1953: CIA sponsors a counter-coup  removes Mossadeq & puts Shah back in power
Shah begins to weaken the Ayatollahs’ powers
: Ayatollah Khomeini returns, starts a revolution, Shah flees, Khomeini creates Islamic theocracy
Overthrown!
Islamic students storm US embassy and hold Americans hostage for 444 days

3. Iran/Iraq War
After Iran Hostage Crisis, US worried Soviets will support Iran, US supports Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein
US backs Hussein because:
Hussein had established a secular government
was cracking down on Iraqi communists
Hussein goes to war against Iran.
US sends weapons (including poison gas) to Hussein to fight Iran
Fearing Hussein could gain too much power US secretly sends weapons to Iran during the war, war ends in 1988, no clear winner
Soviets Invade Afghanistan
Soviet leader Leonid Brezhnev puts puppet Communist Gov in Afghanistan
1979:Afghanis dislike “puppet” Communist Gov, rebels begin an Islamic Revolution

4. Dec 1979: Puppet Gov is losing, Soviets must send in troops
Soviets expect easy win, but rebels called the Mujahedeen are being aided by the US, Pres Carter cuts off grain supplies to Soviets
US aid is not enough, so US increases aid & weapons, Mujahideen start winning. Soviet economy is struggling due to costs of the war
Soviets withdraw in 1989
After war, US doesn’t send any more aid to Afghanistan. Mujahideen split into two groups Taliban & Northern Alliance each try to win control