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Eps 8. Khomeini’s Jews

JL;DR SUMMARY In the 1980s, following the Iranian Revolution, a paradoxical situation emerged where thousands of Iranian Jews fled the regime while Israelis paradoxically engaged in arms deals to support Ayatollah Khomeini's military. A way out west there was a fella, fella I want to tell you about, fella by the name of Jeff Lebowski. At least, that was the handle his lovin' parents gave him, but he never had much use for it himself. This Lebowski, he called himself the Dude. Now, Dude, that's a name no one would self-apply where I come from. But then, there was a lot about the Dude that didn't make a whole lot of sense to me. And a lot about where he lived, likewise. But then again, maybe that's why I found the place s'durned innarestin'.

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Tags

Middle EastIranian RevolutionJewish Emigration1980sIranian JewsAyatollahGeopolitical TensionsIsrael Iran RelationsArms DealsKhomeini

Places mentioned

Iran
"As a new Iran showdown looms, history reminds us of the devil's bargain of the 1980s as thousands of Jews fled revolutionary Iran, and hundreds of Israelis moved in to build Khomeini's army."
Israel
"As a new Iran showdown looms, history reminds us of the devil's bargain of the 1980s as thousands of Jews fled revolutionary Iran, and hundreds of Israelis moved in to build Khomeini's army."
United States
"Do Israel and America really understand the land of the ayatollahs?"

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Cairo Item ID 73591
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Retrieved 2026-01-27 18:00:34 UTC
Curated 2026-01-27 19:00:34 UTC