True History of the Middle East with Simon Sebag Montefiore

Historian Simon Sebag Montefiore discusses themes from his book on the modern Middle East, arguing that the region’s contemporary conflicts cannot be separated from the collapse of the Ottoman Empire and the First World War settlements. He disputes simplified readings of Sykes–Picot, emphasising later treaties and the League of Nations “mandate” system, which he characterises as imperial rule under a new label. Montefiore describes the rise of competing nationalisms and the formation of new states, including Turkey’s emergence under Atatürk and the population exchange with Greece.

On Palestine and Israel, he traces British policy shifts, Arab and Jewish leadership divisions, and the 1947 UN partition plan, which he calls militarily unworkable. He makes contested claims about the 1947–48 refugee flight, arguing that large numbers of Palestinian Arabs left before Israel’s declaration of independence, while also describing Israeli expulsions from Lydda and Ramle as an “atrocity”. He also recounts the role of Haj Amin al-Husseini, alleging ideological alignment with Nazism and describing wartime contacts with Hitler.

The discussion later turns to Iran: the Pahlavi state’s creation and reforms, Western and Soviet intervention during the Second World War, and the 1979 revolution. Montefiore depicts Ayatollah Khomeini as a shrewd political operator who forged a coalition before establishing a theocratic system, and he argues that post-2003 Iraq enabled Iran’s regional militia network.

• Turkey’s post-First World War creation under Atatürk is presented as central to understanding Ankara’s current regional ambitions.
• Montefiore argues the term “mandate” was adopted to make empire palatable under Wilsonian self-determination politics.
• He alleges Haj Amin al-Husseini sought Nazi support and embraced antisemitic ideology, later meeting Hitler.
• He calls the 1947 UN partition map operationally unworkable and says Britain largely abdicated responsibility as violence grew.
• Montefiore claims a large part of the 1947–48 Palestinian refugee flight occurred before Israel’s declaration, while also describing Lydda and Ramle expulsions as “cleansing”.
• On Iran, he argues Khomeini capitalised on the Shah’s brittle autocracy and used parallel institutions to consolidate power.
• He claims post-2003 Iraq opened space for an Iranian “web of militias” across parts of the region.