The death of former U.S. President Jimmy Carter at the age of 100 has sparked a wave of criticism from many Iranians who view his presidency as pivotal in the rise of Iran’s Islamist regime. Iranians, particularly those opposed to the country’s current government, have expressed their discontent over Carter’s role in the events leading up to the 1979 Islamic Revolution and the subsequent fall of the U.S.-backed Shah, Mohammad Reza Pahlavi. While some acknowledge his humanitarian efforts post-presidency, the majority of voices on Iranian media outlets such as VOA Persian have focused on the lasting negative consequences of his policies.
Carter’s presidency, particularly his handling of Iran, remains a contentious chapter in U.S.-Iran relations. The overthrow of the Shah and the rise of Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini’s Islamic Republic in February 1979 were direct consequences of the Carter administration’s support for the Pahlavi regime. Iranians calling into VOA Persian’s On the Line live audience call-in show on Monday voiced strong criticism of Carter, accusing him of enabling Khomeini’s rise to power. Of the 12 audience members featured, 11 were calling from within Iran, with the majority expressing the belief that Carter’s abandonment of the Shah during a critical time directly facilitated the establishment of the Islamic Republic.
Carter’s decision to admit the deposed Shah into the United States for medical treatment in October 1979 angered many in Iran. The Shah’s exile and his subsequent stay in the U.S. played a key role in provoking Islamist militants, who stormed the U.S. Embassy in Tehran on November 4, 1979. The militants held 66 American diplomats hostage, with 53 being kept captive for 444 days. This event would define much of Carter’s final year in office and leave a deep scar on U.S.-Iran relations.
The Iranian callers to VOA Persian did not shy away from labeling Carter as a “betrayer” of the Shah, accusing him of failing to prevent the collapse of the monarchy and the rise of Khomeini. “Carter abandoned the Shah at his weakest moment,” one caller remarked. “This inaction opened the door for Khomeini’s radical regime, which has led to decades of hardship for the Iranian people.”
Prominent Iranian figures, including those from the opposition camp, also used the platform of social media to criticize Carter’s legacy. Journalist Behnam Amini tweeted, “The man responsible for the misery of the Iranian nation has died. Soon, the downfall of the regime that he nurtured will come as well.” Monarchist voices like Saman Sarraf went further, calling Carter the “founder of the Islamic Republic” and predicting the collapse of the Islamic regime with his passing.
However, the reaction from those in the Iranian diaspora is not entirely negative. The National Iranian American Council (NIAC), a U.S.-based nonprofit critical of the Pahlavi dynasty, provided a different perspective. The group emphasized that the 1979 Islamic Revolution was primarily driven by Iranians themselves and not by the United States. NIAC President Jamal Abdi argued that Carter’s policy of supporting the Shah, despite his brutal crackdown on opposition, was one of the major catalysts for the revolution.
