Episodes

Kermit Roosevelt was on a mission that night. To overthrow Iran’s prime minister and take back control of its oil. Listen to new chapters from January 28th 2026. In book three of The Lion and the Sun, we look at how Iran’s bid to nationalize its oil pulled the CIA into Iranian politics and set the stage for a covert operation that removed its democratically elected leader. A coup that became a model for American interventions for decades and reshaped Iran’s relationship with the United State...

After Reza Shah’s abdication, the young Mohammad Reza Pahlavi takes the throne. As Iran struggles with the aftermath of the Anglo-Soviet invasion, Allied leaders gather in Tehran to plan the next phase of the war. Book Two Recap Book One Recap Follow us on Instagram, TikTok or X (Twitter). For early access to episodes, become a supporter on Patreon. Episode Summary In 1941, following the Allied invasion of Iran, Reza Shah was forced to abdicate and leave the country. His departure secured Bri...

As World War II ends, Iran becomes the first battleground of the Cold War. After Stalin reaches for northern oil, a calculated gamble in Tehran determines whether the country will split or survive. Follow us on Instagram, TikTok or X (Twitter). Support this show on Patreon. Episode Summary As World War II ended, the world shifted. Britain weakened. The United States and the Soviet Union rose. And oil, now the lifeblood of modern power, moved to the center of global politics. In Iran, the Sov...

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. Follow us on Instagram, TikTok or X (Twitter). Support this show on Patreon. Episode Summary In February 1949, there was an assassination attempt on Mohammad Reza Shah Pahlavi at the University of Tehran. A gunman posing as a photographer fired several shots at close range. The gunman wounded ...

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. Follow us on Instagram, TikTok or X (Twitter). Support this show on Patreon. Earlier Chapters of The Oil Dispute: Book One – Episode 8: Anglo-Persian Oil Company Book Two – Episode 4: Anglo-Iranian Oil Company Episode Summary Abadan was not just a refinery. It...

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. Follow us on Instagram, TikTok or X (Twitter). Support this show on Patreon. Earlier Chapters of The Oil Dispute: Book One – Episode 8: Anglo-Persian Oil Company Book Two – Episode 4: Anglo-Iranian Oil Company Book Three – Episode 4: Paper City Episode Summary In the early 1950s, Iran entered a period ...

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. Listen to part one of Nationalization here. Episode sources Follow us on Instagram, TikTok or X (Twitter). Support this show on Patreon. Episode Summary With nationalization passed, Britain’s response came not at the negotiating t...

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. Follow us on Instagram, TikTok or X (Twitter). Support this show on Patreon. Earlier Chapters of The Oil Dispute: Book One – Episode 8: Anglo-Persian Oil Company Book Two – Episode 4: Anglo-Iranian Oil Company Episode Summary In the spring of 1951, Mosaddegh’s oil nationalization law took Iran’s oil industr...