In 1954, the CIA wrote a classified report about Iran and coined a word: blowback. Then they filed the warning in a vault and spent seventy-two years proving it right. This video traces the 72-year paper trail from the 1953 coup against Mossadegh to Operation Epic Fury. How a peace deal was on the table the day the president ordered strikes. Why the Strait of Hormuz broke the global economy. What $20,000 drones do to $4 million missiles. Who made $580 million in oil futures fifteen minutes before a presidential tweet. And what any of us can actually do about it.
Also available on Nebula: https://nebula.tv/videos/stepback-whats-happening-in-iran-is-so-much-worse-than-you-think/
A bit of a beast in terms of the amount of information communicated, but it’s the best video I’ve seen in terms of providing the historical context behind the relationship between the US and Iran. I wasn’t aware of the insider trading bits but am 0% surprised.
I’ve tried to avoid day to day news on the war for my own mental health but have found long form videos/documentaries as a good alternative to staying informed without being subjected to rage bait type content.
I watched this video over a couple days of chores. I found it incredibly helpful for understanding the situation. Thanks for the recommendation! Step Back is someone I’ll definitely be looking to for credible reporting in the future, especially considering his ties to Bellingcat
I’m so glad you find it helpful! This is the first time I’ve watched something from Step Back, but it was an immediate follow for me too.
I too had to take a step back from daily updates, but i found Touré on YouTube to be the right amount of informative and snarky.
Thanks for the rec! Subscribed. If you can afford it, I also recommend Nebula which specializes in more long form videos. The UI still needs some TLC compared to YouTube, but there’s a vast improvement in content quality.
Thanks back atcha! I’ll check it out.

