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Revolution Day in Iran Splits Populace
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Revolution Day in Iran Splits Populace

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On the thirty-first anniversary of the Islamic revolution, Iran is marked by ongoing turmoil. There's pressure within from a protest movement that wants regime change, and pressure without from an international community that wants to curb Iran's nuclear ambitions. Guest host Sara Terry explores how the revolution has changed Iran and Iranians. What role do the clerics who led the revolution play in the country today? Also, a new poll shows historic dissatisfaction with Washington, and South Africa's Nelson Mandela walked out of prison twenty years ago today, signalling the end of apartheid.

Banner image: Iranian men carry national flags and portraits of Supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei (R) and his predecessor, the founder of the Islamic revolution Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini (C) during a mass rally held in Tehran on February 11, 2010 to mark the 31st anniversary of the revolution. Photo: Atta Kenare/AFP/Getty Images


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Two-thirds of Americans are "dissatisfied" or actually "angry" about the way government is working, according to a new Washington Post-ABC News poll. That dissatisfaction with Washington, DC is at its highest in more than a decade of the Post-ABC poll. Gary Langer is Polling Director for ABC News.

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Main Topic

Revolution Day in Iran Splits Populace ()

Thirty-one years ago today, Islamic clerics in Iran shook the world, leading a revolution fueled by hatred of the West. The Islamic republic itself now faces unrest -- from within, as a protest movement continues to build. Today, thousands of demonstrators flooded the streets of Tehran, in shows of both support and protest. What legacy has more than four decades of Islamic rule left on the country and the region? What options does it have for coping with pressure from within and from Iranians outside who are pushing for change? What options does the West have in dealing with Iran's nuclear ambitions?

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Reporter's Notebook

Twenty Years Since Mandela Was Released from Robben Island ()

Today marks another anniversary that rocked the world: it was 20 years ago that Nelson Mandela was released from a prison on Robben Island. The most famous political prisoner in the world was held for 27 years by a South African government built on apartheid. Mandela's release signaled the end of apartheid and ushered in an era of change. At the time, everything seemed possible for a new South Africa. Scott Baldauf is Africa Bureau Chief for the Christian Science Monitor.

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