Diplomacy was never intended to become a sanctuary for terrorism, nor was diplomatic immunity designed to shield those who threaten the security of nations. Yet for nearly half a century, the Islamic Republic in Iran has stood accused of exploiting the privileges of international diplomacy while pursuing an absurd ideology rooted in hostility toward the United States, Israel, and the Western democratic order.

To understand how embassies and consulates allegedly became instruments of intelligence gathering, intimidation, and terrorist operations, one must return to the ideological origins of the 1979 Khomeinist revolt, examine the forces that brought Khomeini to power, and confront a question that Western governments have repeatedly failed to resolve: Where does legitimate diplomacy end, and the machinery of state-sponsored terrorism begin?