Some background info on Iran leading up to the revolution:

Marvin Zonis teaches at the University of Chicago, expert on Iran and the Iranian revolution, frequently consulted by national security agencies.

Zonis profile: https:// en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marvin_Zonis

Zonis on fall of Shah: https:// archive.fo/12T6E

During Carter's first term the administration set Shah Mohammed Reza Pahlavi up for overthrow… to hear Zonis tell it, the Shah used to bounce ideas off the American ambassador for what policies to put in place. I'm paraphrasing from memory of a Zonis class but it went something like this:

>Shah: "Mr. Ambassador, thank you for joining me today. I have a vision for Iran with grand boulevards and fountains in the streets. Will the Americans join me in creating this vision?"

>American Ambassador: "Most powerful Shah, this is a wonderful vision. I wonder first if you would entertain basic electric services for your people, who then would have the pleasure to enjoy the grand boulevards that they can create with the help of your Shah's electricity plants. The American people would be most happy to help you in this vision."

Zonis states the guidance of the Americans was very key to him staying in power.

This all changed when Carter came into office. Career foreign service professionals were replaced with crony ambassador appointments. Carter's new ambassador went to Iran and treated the meetings like this:

>Shah: "Mr. Ambassador, I have a grand vision for Iran with swimming pools in every city."

>American Ambassador: "What do I care? You're the Shah, do what you want."

>Shah: "Yes, I am the Shah. I will build my swimming pools."

Context of all this was leadership study, and Zonis' point was the Shah was as weak as his father Reza Khan had been strong… Zonis talked about the Shah's dependence on others such as his sister and a boyhood friend, both of whom were removed in some fashion. His loss of American advice was the final straw.

CIA involvement in Iran is not secret… CIA and British SIS helped the Shah depose prime minister Mohammad Mosaddegh in 1953. Bill Clinton apologized to the Iranian people for that in 1997.

https:// en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mohammad_Reza_Pahlavi

Connect all this with the digging on Strzok… chiefly that the revolution was "several groups".

Peter Strzok was likely a 'community organizer' in Iran, setting up the structures so they were ready when the top guy was ready to be plucked.

Having a hard time believing that after years of support CIA just up and left Iran when the revolution happened. That would be out of character for a clandestine organization.

What was US policy towards Iran since… containment or regime change? Could use a dig.

I suspect Russia policy towards Iran (e.g., offering to refine uranium for them) was preventative and a means to fudge up deep state plans for Iran going nuclear. The fiction could not play out that Iran was alone on a world stage.

Very curious what comes of the Trump-Putin summit.