I think the “Jack Smith Gives Up” headline isn’t fair since it was other people’s fault he was appointed so late. But other than that I think conservative David Frum’s article pointing out that Trump got away with treason and this is a dangerous thing for the future of the country is spot on.
Iran’s motives included punishing Jimmy Carter for his support of the Shah and improving relations with Reagan, who they believed might offer concessions, such as arms deals or reduced aggression[3][4][8]. Additionally, with the Shah dead by mid-1980, Iran’s justification for holding the hostages weakened, and releasing them under Reagan could bolster their international standing and strategic interests[3][8].
Citations: [1] Iran hostage crisis https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Iranian_hostage_crisis [2] Iran-Contra Affair, Ronald Reagan, Cold War, Nicaragua, covert … https://billofrightsinstitute.org/essays/the-iran-contra-affair [3] Iran hostage crisis negotiations - Wikipedia https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Iran_hostage_crisis_negotiations [4] The Republican myth of Ronald Reagan and the Iran hostages … - Vox https://www.vox.com/2016/1/25/10826056/reagan-iran-hostage-negotiation [5] The Iranian Hostage Crisis - Short History - Office of the Historian https://history.state.gov/departmenthistory/short-history/iraniancrises [6] Iran–Contra affair - Wikipedia https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Irangate [7] Iran hostage crisis | Definition, Summary, Causes, Significance … https://www.britannica.com/event/Iran-hostage-crisis [8] Did Reagan bribe the Iranian government in 1979 … - Reddit https://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/1b5lna9/did_reagan_bribe_the_iranian_government_in_1979/
Iran had absolutely no reason to think Reagan would give them any weapons. He only did that 4 years later out of desperation to get money not authorized by congress to fund the Contras in Nicuragua. And Iran certainly had no reason to think Reagan would be less aggressive than Carter. Reagan was well known for being a hardliner on the USSR.
Revolutionary Iran believed they could work with the Reagan administration due to shared anti-Soviet interests. Despite mutual hostility, some Iranian leaders viewed the U.S. as a potential counterbalance to Soviet influence, aligning with Reagan’s Cold War strategy. This belief may have been reinforced by covert interactions, such as alleged negotiations during the 1980 hostage crisis, where Reagan’s campaign reportedly sought to delay the hostages’ release for political gain[1][7][8]. However, U.S.-Iran relations under Reagan ultimately oscillated between covert cooperation (e.g., Iran-Contra) and open hostility[2][5][9].
Citations: [1] Did Reagan Officials Bribe Tehran To Keep Embassy Hostages Until … https://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/7dwio3/did_reagan_officials_bribe_tehran_to_keep_embassy/ [2] Iran-Contra Affair, Ronald Reagan, Cold War, Nicaragua, covert … https://billofrightsinstitute.org/essays/the-iran-contra-affair [3] An Overview of the US Policies towards Iraq - Roy Casagranda https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BfPIT_Rn7mo [4] A Political History of Contemporary Iran - YouTube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4CsJPrHcaBs [5] The Reagan Administration | The Iran Primer https://iranprimer.usip.org/resource/reagan-administration [6] Iran , Oil and the British Empire - YouTube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iRopYedtVaw [7] U.S. Foreign Policy in the Middle East: Part 2 - YouTube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6ar41Lte7ts [8] Reagan’s Iran - MERIP https://merip.org/1988/03/reagans-iran/ [9] Iran–Contra affair - Wikipedia https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Iran/Contra