A brief history of 20th century Iran
Till mid 20th century, Iran was a Monarchy with the Shah (Pehlavi) wielding absolute power. During the 1940s, there was a movement in favour of reforms & an increasing influence of the Majlis (Parliament). As a result of these reforms, Iran experimented with constitutional democracy (as opposed to direct, ballot democracy) - where the Prime Minister will be selected by the Shah but subject to vote of confidence from the Majlis. Many political parties emerged in the political landscape including the National Front. In 1951, Mohammed Mosaddegh of the National Front was elected the Prime Minister & Head of State. Mosagdeh’s party was not religion-based. The first & major step Mosagdeh took as PM was to nationalise Iran’s oil reserves - wresting control from the British owned Anglo-Iranian Oil Company which held major stakes in the Iranian Oil Industry. Britain (yes the British again!) reacted strongly by imposing an economic embargo on Iran leading to a crippling economy & domestic instability. The West didn’t stop with that. In 1953, the US CIA & British MI6 orchestrated a coup to overthrow Mosaddegh. The Shah was re-instated as Head of State & the oil industry was de-nationalised & reorganised with USA holding 40% stake! The Shah ruled for 25 years which was marked by modernisation drive as well as an autocratic snuffling of any form of dissent. The Shah was unpopular for being a puppet & acceding to Western demands at the cost of national interest. Also while the middle & upper middle class progressed, the poor were ignored. The dissent against the Shah constituted various groups from political opponents, Islamists & leftists. During the end of his reign however, the Shah started going against the West, wanting more powers for himself. The West took cognisance & seeing him as a trouble maker, encouraged the revolution against him - what we call as the Islamic revolution (although it consisted of revolt from various parties). The Ayatollah Khomeini who had been given refuge in France (the West 
) called for Iranians to revolt through the French radio. The west hoped to replace the Shah with another puppet & installed the Islamists in power. But after the government was formed, the Islamic regime gained power, & brought draconian laws against human rights which was vociferously opposed & political opponents, Shah loyalists, leftists were prosecuted by the thousands.
One really feels for the people of Iran. 
To be exploited by the West for its oil wealth, being denied the right to self-determination, shackled by the Islamic Regime for decades & now being bombed by USA & Israel. Time & again they have risen up against power be it the Shah or the Ayatollah or the West - only to be snuffed out every time. May Iran find peace, strength & freedom!
maybe he spoke deliberately 
Anupamaa
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