The Revolutionary President Betrayed by His Own Revolution

Added: 2026-05-24

[00:00:00]The revolutionary who created a theocracy [music] was destroyed by the theocracy he created. It's 1979, Tehran, Iran. The Shah has fled [music] and Islamic revolutionaries control the streets. Abolhassan Banisadr helped plan the revolution from exile [music] in Paris. He's an Islamic scholar and economist who dreams of mixing faith with democracy. When Iran holds its first presidential [music] election, he wins with over 75% of the vote. The people trust him completely. He begins building [music] democratic institutions and promises a government that serves both God and the people. For months, he seems unstoppable. But Ayatollah Khomeini and the Revolutionary Guards [music] watch nervously. This president believes in elections and parliaments, not absolute clerical rule. They strip [music] away his powers one by one. They accuse him of betraying the revolution he helped create. Revolutionary Guards surround government buildings. His allies [music] abandon him. Impeachment papers are signed. He disguises himself as a woman, boards an [music] Air France flight, and flees into exile. The revolutionary who brought down a king was [music] Abolhassan Banisadr.