For over a century before 1953, Iran and the U.S. shared a mostly friendly relationship based on education and medical aid. British and Russian imperial control caused lasting harm, while Americans were seen as honest helpers. The 1953 CIA-backed coup ended this friendship, leading to decades of conflict, but deep connections still remain.
ORIGINAL LINK: https://theconversation.com/decades-of-hostility-between-iran-and-the-us-were-preceded-by-a-little-remembered-century-long-friendship-279636