How Historical U.S.-Iran Tensions and Global Events Influenced Today’s Middle East Crisis

Veteran tech executive and geopolitical commentator Maury Blackman connects today’s crisis in the Middle East to decades of failed deterrence

SAN FRANCISCO, CA, UNITED STATES, June 16, 2025 /EINPresswire.com/ -- In a compelling new opinion piece, Maury Blackman argues that the escalating conflict between Israel and Iran is not an isolated flare-up, but rather the latest chapter in a story that began in 1979 — when Iranian extremists seized the U.S. Embassy in Tehran and held 52 Americans hostage for 444 days.

According to Blackman, the international community’s failure to confront that act of aggression set the tone for decades of appeasement and strategic delay, during which the Islamic Republic built its power through manipulation, terror proxies, and nuclear ambition — all while pretending to negotiate in good faith.

“This war didn’t begin last week,” Blackman writes. “It began the moment Iran took American hostages in 1979 and faced no meaningful consequences. That was the spark. Everything else — from Hezbollah to drone warfare — grew out of the West’s refusal to draw a real line.”

Blackman traces a direct line from those early events to today’s headlines. Israel’s preemptive strikes on Iranian nuclear and military infrastructure were not an act of sudden escalation, he argues, but the inevitable response to a regime that has spent decades expanding its reach under the cover of diplomatic stall tactics and strategic ambiguity.

Crucially, Blackman identifies a modern accelerant: Vladimir Putin’s war in Ukraine. He argues that Russia’s full-scale invasion — and the West’s tentative, delayed response — served as a signal to authoritarian regimes like Iran that the cost of aggression had plummeted.

“Putin’s war in Ukraine sent a signal to every rogue regime on Earth: the West is slow, divided, and afraid of escalation,” Blackman writes. “Iran took that signal and doubled down — selling drones to Moscow, enriching uranium, and launching missiles at Israeli cities. The only thing they didn’t expect was real resistance.”

Blackman argues that the consequences of appeasement — both in 1979 and in the aftermath of Russia’s invasion — are now fully visible. Iran has mastered the art of negotiating without ever intending to resolve, buying time while advancing its military ambitions. The regime, he says, is not misunderstood — it is unrelenting, ideologically rigid, and fundamentally opposed to peace.

“This might not be the end of the war,” he writes, “but it is the beginning of the end of the illusion that the Iranian regime can be reasoned with.”

The opinion piece concludes with a call to stand with the Iranian people, most of whom were born after the 1979 revolution and have never been given a true voice in their country’s future. Blackman emphasizes that long-term peace can only come when the regime is replaced — peacefully if possible, but inevitably.

“History will record that this war was seeded in 1979, nurtured by appeasement, and inflamed by Putin. But history might also record that 2025 was the year the free world — finally — drew the line.”

Read complete article here: https://www.mauryblackman.com/post/the-long-shadow-of-1979-how-putin-influenced-the-ongoing-conflict-with-iran

About Maury Blackman

Maury Blackman is a veteran technology executive and investor with more than 25 years of experience building and scaling high-growth companies across civic technology, market intelligence, and consumer protection. He currently serves as President & CEO of The Transparency Company, an AI-driven platform dedicated to restoring trust in the digital marketplace. Under his leadership, the company is tackling the $500 billion global crisis of fake reviews and fraudulent business listings through advanced verification technology and the TrueReview™ Certification program.

Before leading The Transparency Company, Maury served as CEO of Premise Data, where he transformed the company into a global market intelligence leader. He also served as Chairman & CEO of Accela, where he helped modernize digital government services for hundreds of public agencies worldwide. During his time at Accela, he was named Ernst & Young’s Northern California Entrepreneur of the Year in 2016.

Maury began his career as an officer in the United States Army Reserves after graduating from the University of Houston, an experience that shaped the leadership principles he brings to every venture. He is also an active investor, board member, and advisor to early-stage startups in the GovTech, AI, and FinTech sectors.

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maury@pierpiontventures.com
www.mauryblackman.com

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