
The Betrayal of the Kurds
In 1975, Iran and America abandon the Iraqi Kurds in their fight against Saddam Hussein
Witness History: Archive 2014 · BBC World Service
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Show Notes
As an agreement between the Kurds and Saddam Hussein in 1970 disintegrates into war, Iran and America support the Kurds with weapons and money. But in 1975 the Shah tells the Kurds they're abandoning them; he's a made a deal with Saddam instead. Witness talks to a Kurdish politician who was at that acrimonious meeting.
Picture: the veteran Kurdish leader Mullah Mustafa Barzani and Saddam Hussein celebrating the 1970 agreement, which quickly collapsed into war. (Credit:Central Press/Getty Images)