The roots of mutual incomprehension: anti-Europeanism and anti-Americanism in Iran (1945-2005)

Anti-Europeanism and anti-Americanism are particular sentiments that cross the traditional geographic boundaries of the West and places itself a cultural dimension affected by the era of decolonization, by the ideological struggle typical of the Cold War period and of the ambitions of the Third Way. So, it will be in Africa and Asia, in its south-eastern and Indian offshoots, but also in one of the most dichotomous countries of the western part of this continent: Iran, in which an initially pro-American sentiment will be opposed to anti-British impulses. It will then turn into a vibrant anti-Americanism, which will become an anti-western icon and an important political tool through which a new Republic will be built. The levels of these particular sentiments will be manifold, functional both to the internal dimension, in order to consolidate the fragile political power that emerged from the 1978-79 Iranian Revolution, and to an external dimension, in attempt to identify a common enemy to fight, to coagulate the various militant components that had led to the ruinous fall of the Pahlavi monarchy. Through an accurate use of propaganda, of sermons, slogans, posters and murals, the regime will try to keep this feeling alive. This will represent a constant which will characterize part of the Iranian narrative of the last sixty years.

Keywords: Iran, Islamic Revolution, Anti-Americanism, Anti-Europeism, propaganda.

Michele Brunelli, Alle radici della mutua incomprensione: antieuropeismo ed antiamericanismo in Iran (1945-2005) in "STORIA URBANA " 167/2020, pp 33-61, DOI: 10.3280/SU2020-167004