Canada

Talking to Iranian expats is like talking to flat earthers.

They believe the Islamic Republic was a CIA coup while the Sha was not, when in fact the opposite is true.

What the expats fail to understand is that, at the time in 1979, the majority of the people (i.e. people outside the cities) wanted the Islamic Republic.

This same dynamic is playing out in Turkey with Erdogoun. His support comes from the countryside. The secular support is in the cities. That's how he put down the military.

Same thing happened with the Taliban. They were popular in the country. And overtook the country when the US withdrew. But you would be stupid to say the CIA backed the Taliban government.

It's very difficult for them to understand that their viewpoint was in the minority (at the time). They have to say the government was imposed on the country instead of confronting the reality that it was not.

These governments were not imposed, they were chosen. Negative consequences came as a result, like a lot of ultra conservative movements, but chosen none the less.

The current government fucked up though with killing protesters. The majority is prob against them now.