Frontiers of Discourse Studies
FDS, Vol. 1, No. 1, 2026, pp. 74-84.
Print ISSN: 3106-809X; Online ISSN: 3106-8103
Journal homepage: https://www.fdsjournal.com
DOI：Https://doi.org/10.64058/fds260106psaeu
The Persistent Shadow of American Exceptionalism on U.S.-Iran Relations: A Review of The Last Shah: America, Iran, and the Fall of the Pahlavi Dynasty
He Dongqing
Abstract: This paper critically examines Ray Takeyh’s The Last Shah: America, Iran, and the Fall of the Pahlavi Dynasty (2021). Structured into nine chapters, the book traces the rise and fall of the Pahlavi dynasty using extensive primary archival materials and chronological analyses of key events in modern Iranian history, providing valuable resources for the study of U.S.-Iran relations. However, the work is deeply permeated by American exceptionalism. Takeyh implicitly justifies U.S. intervention in Iran, downplays America’s hegemonic ambitions, applies a double standard in comparing U.S. and Soviet involvement, but disregards Iran’s legitimate security concerns, all of which weaken the book’s academic credibility. Nevertheless, the book remains practically valuable for understanding the 2026 U.S.-Israel-Iran conflict, as it reveals striking historical parallels between Pahlavi-era relations and contemporary tensions, offering a historical lens to interpret the recurring dynamics of bilateral confrontation amid U.S. global decline.
Keywords: U.S.-Iran relations; Pahlavi Dynasty; American Exceptionalism
Author Biography: He Dongqing, doctoral student at School of Foreign Languages, South China University of Technology. Her research focuses on foreign literature and area studies. E-mail: bonnieacademic@163.com
题目：美国例外论对美伊关系的恒久影响——评《最后的沙阿：美国、伊朗与巴列维王朝的覆灭》
摘要：本文批判性地评议雷・塔基2021年出版的著作《末代沙阿：美国、伊朗与巴列维王朝的覆灭》。全书共九章，作者基于大量原始档案文献，按时间线梳理伊朗现代史中的重要事件，全面追溯巴列维王朝的兴衰历程，为美伊关系研究提供了颇具价值的参考。然而，该书深受美国例外论思想的渗透影响，作者以隐晦的方式为美国干涉伊朗的行为作辩护，对美国的霸权野心轻描淡写，在对比美苏对伊朗介入行为时采取双重态度，无视伊朗正当的国家安全关切，导致本书的学术可信度受影响。尽管如此，该书对于理解 2026 年美以伊冲突仍具有现实关照意义，本书揭示出美伊关系在巴列维时期与当代出现了惊人的历史相似性，为解读美国全球相对衰落背景下美伊对抗反复出现的内在逻辑提供了历史视角。
关键词：美伊关系;巴列维王朝;美国例外论
作者简介：何东清，博士研究生，华南理工大学外国语学院，研究方向：外国文学，国别和区域研究。电邮：bonnieacademic@163.com
Received: 13 Apr 2026 / Revised: 24 Apr 2026 / Accepted: 09 Jun 2026 / Published online: 15 Jun 2026 / Print published: 30 Jun 2026
