A Bit of History

Abstract

Each country has its own version of history. The differing views of the relationship between the United States and Iran made negotiating a long and complex agreement even more difficult. Iran remembers that the CIA support for the overthrow of Prime Minister Mossadegh in 1953 and American support for Iraq in a war cost over a million Iranian lives. For Americans, the takeover of the embassy in Tehran and the holding of its staff for 444 days are the most memorable events. The negotiations were also made difficult by the fact that the negotiating partners of the United States—China, France, Russia, Great Britain and Germany—all had their own priorities, and Israel also felt it had vital interests at stake.