Part 4/8:
The 1979 revolution dramatically shifted Iran's alignment from being an ally of the U.S. to its primary antagonist in the region. The U.S. granted asylum to the deposed Shah, leading to the storming of the American embassy in Tehran and the taking of hostages—an incident that would culminate in severed diplomatic ties.
This hostility was exacerbated in 1980 when Iraq, under Saddam Hussein, invaded Iran. The subsequent Iran-Iraq War would last for eight years, supported by U.S. military aid towards Iraq while placing Iran on a list of state sponsors of terrorism due to attacks by Iranian proxies like Hezbollah.