Episode 71—Formation of the Islamic Republic of Iran (1979)

A lesson on Iran wasn’t exactly on my radar for a summer podcast. But here we are in June (2025) with the recent U.S. bombing of Iranian nuclear sites! While there are layers to this story that may not be understood in my lifetime, there is background to this story that has made the pages of history. In fact, the reason we study history is for weeks like this—when we’re desperate to better understand the heavy headlines of today. So, to provide you with some historical context of Iran, please join me with your mature students for this prerecorded audiobook excerpt from The Mystery of History Volume IV. The lesson is titled, “Ayatollah Khomeini Forms the Islamic Republic of Iran.” Written in the year 2013, it won’t answer all your questions about current events, but it’s a good start and will provide a powerful teaching moment for your students as to WHY we study history!