In the Crossfire of War & Peace: An Iranian American Story

Fred Zandpour captures the essence of historical events that have shaped modern US-Iran relations, from the echoes of World War II to the birth of the Islamic Republic of Iran and its pivotal role in political tensions and regional conflicts with far-reaching implications. In this autobiography, Fred offers a captivating blend of historical insight, personal reflection, and inspiring themes of resilience and hope. Living through Vietnam War protests, simmering tensions of race relations, explosive counter-cultural revolution in the United States, and witnessing firsthand the Islamic Revolution in Iran in 1979, he offers a lens through which to view the world, In the Crossfire of War and Peace.

Fred was born in Tehran and grew up during a tumultuous period when Iran was struggling to update its identity and cul-ture through modernization and westernization under the shah-with the full support of the United States-while facing fierce resistance from a fanatic and powerful religious establish-ment. Additionally, there was a constant threat and interference from its northern communist neighbor, the Russians, who had a long record of invading Iran. Like most Iranians, Fred was gradually exposed to American entertainment and its lifestyle; during high school, he was attracted to the freedom, beauty, and glamour of America when he saw the movie A Summer Place. His dad, Fazlullah, was a civil servant, and his mother was a modern, poetic housewife; they were both fans of America, and even with their limited resources, helped Fred reach his dream of going to college there.

In 1960s America, Fred once again witnessed the struggle between traditional and modern forces. He was most curious about race relations, the Civil Rights movement, and Vietnam War protests. After five years of observing US counterculture, drifting away from his old values, and becoming somewhat confused and alienated, he returned to Iran while under finan-cial pressure without completing his education. His American dream was shattered; he disappointed his family. In the 1970s, he enjoyed a peaceful and prosperous Iran where the forces of modernity were dominant and Western movies, music, and fashion were taking hold. In major cities, he saw women in the Islamic hijab going shopping with their daughters in short skirts. Energized by the love and support of his family, Fred discovered talents and capabilities that he never knew he had, managed to earn a bachelor's degree while working in the nascent advertising industry, and was soon running an agency with clients like Exxon, Colgate Palmolive, and Bristol Myers, thanks to Iran's oil revenues and the language and social skills that he had picked up in America.

His agency, Admen-BBDO Advertising, partnered with BBDO (Batten, Barton, Durstine, and Osborn), one of the largest advertising conglomerates in the world. With his beautiful wife, Sherry, by his side and with the arrival of his handsome son, Mike, Fred felt absolutely blessed. However, life as he knew it ended abruptly with the 1979 Islamic Revolution. A smol-dering fire suddenly burst into flames channeled by the Shia clerics into the 1979 Islamic Revolution and toppled 2,500 years of monarchical rule. Once again, Iran's identity and culture changed significantly. The revolution disrupted Fred's life, his business, and the regional balance of power and peace in the region; its implications and reverberations are still felt around the world more than four decades later. Iran's peace and pros-perity have turned to plunder and poverty.