Photo Essay: Grudge Matches
Iran vs. the United States. Ethiopia vs. Eritrea. Russia vs. Georgia. Here’s a look at how some of the world’s fiercest national rivalries have played out at the Beijing Olympics.
United States vs. Iran
The grudge: Death to America has been a familiar catchphrase on Tehrans streets ever since the CIA helped remove the democratically elected Mohammad Mossadeq in the 1950s. Iran returned the favor by storming the U.S. Embassy and seizing 52 hostages during the 1979 revolution that overthrew the shah, a close U.S. ally. Given President George W. Bushs 2002 Axis of Evil speech, Iranian meddling in Iraq, and the standoff over Tehrans nuclear ambitions, relations havent improved much since.
The competitors: Daniel McCormick (blue) of the United States and Irans Mohammed Reza Rodaki (white) squared off in mens over-100-kg judo on Aug. 15.
The result: Rodaki pinned McCormick for the victory, something we can probably expect to hear about from Mahmoud Ahmadinejad soon.
Photo: Clive Brunskill/Getty Images
More from Foreign Policy

Saudi-Iranian Détente Is a Wake-Up Call for America
The peace plan is a big deal—and it’s no accident that China brokered it.

The U.S.-Israel Relationship No Longer Makes Sense
If Israel and its supporters want the country to continue receiving U.S. largesse, they will need to come up with a new narrative.

Putin Is Trapped in the Sunk-Cost Fallacy of War
Moscow is grasping for meaning in a meaningless invasion.

How China’s Saudi-Iran Deal Can Serve U.S. Interests
And why there’s less to Beijing’s diplomatic breakthrough than meets the eye.