Armed Conflict Foreign Relations & International Law

Lawfare Daily: Beyond the Headlines: A History of U.S.-Iran Relations

Ariane Tabatabai, John Ghazvinian, Jen Patja
Thursday, April 2, 2026, 7:00 AM
What are the key events that have shaped the U.S.-Iran relationship?

In this episode, Ariane Tabatabai sits down with historian, John Ghazvinian, the author of, “America and Iran: A History, 1720 to the Present,” to discuss U.S.-Iran relations. They take a step back from the current conflict to talk about the key events that have shaped the relationship between the two countries and their perceptions of one another. 

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Dr. Ariane Tabatabai is a Public Service Fellow at Lawfare. Previously, she served in a number of roles in the U.S. Departments of State and Defense, including most recently as the Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for Force Education and Training. She is the author of No Conquest, No Defeat and the co-author of Triple Axis, as well as a number of peer-reviewed articles.
John Ghazvinian is a historian and the author of, “America and Iran: A History, 1720 to the Present."
Jen Patja is the editor of the Lawfare Podcast and Rational Security, and serves as Lawfare’s Director of Audience Engagement. Previously, she was Co-Executive Director of Virginia Civics and Deputy Director of the Center for the Constitution at James Madison's Montpelier, where she worked to deepen public understanding of constitutional democracy and inspire meaningful civic participation.
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