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How the 1979 Iran hostage crisis still defines U.S.-Iran relations today

In this Nov. 27, 1979 file photo, demonstrators, including oil tank drivers with their vehicles, protest in front of the U.S. Embassy in Tehran, Iran. (Mohammad Sayad/AP)
Mohammad Sayad/AP
In this Nov. 27, 1979 file photo, demonstrators, including oil tank drivers with their vehicles, protest in front of the U.S. Embassy in Tehran, Iran. (Mohammad Sayad/AP)

Historian and Princeton University professor Julian Zelizer says the 1979 Iran hostage crisis reverberates in how the U.S. deals with the country today.

Host Robin Young speaks to Zelizer about his article in Foreign Policy, “How Iran helped bring Ronald Reagan to power.”

This article was originally published on WBUR.org.

Copyright 2026 WBUR

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