▁vis - a - vis ▁the ▁S ovi ets . ▁He ▁argued ▁for ▁strong ▁condem n ation ▁of ▁Soviet ▁activity ▁in ▁Africa ▁and ▁in ▁the ▁Third ▁World ▁as ▁well ▁as ▁successfully ▁lo bb ying ▁for ▁normal ized ▁relations ▁with ▁the ▁People ' s ▁Republic ▁of ▁China ▁in ▁ 1 9 7 8 . ▁As ▁Br ze zin ski ▁took ▁control ▁of ▁the ▁negoti ations ▁with ▁Be ij ing , ▁V ance ▁was ▁marg inal ized ▁and ▁his ▁influence ▁began ▁to ▁w ane . ▁When ▁revolution ▁er upt ed ▁in ▁Iran ▁in ▁late ▁ 1 9 7 8 , ▁the ▁two ▁were ▁divided ▁on ▁how ▁to ▁support ▁the ▁United ▁States ' ▁al ly ▁the ▁Shah ▁of ▁Iran . ▁V ance ▁argued ▁in ▁favor ▁of ▁re forms ▁while ▁Br ze zin ski ▁ur ged ▁him ▁to ▁crack ▁down ▁– ▁the ▁' ir on ▁f ist ' ▁approach . ▁Unable ▁to ▁receive ▁a ▁direct ▁course ▁of ▁action ▁from ▁Carter , ▁the ▁mixed ▁messages ▁that ▁the ▁sh ah ▁received ▁from ▁V ance ▁and ▁Br ze zin ski ▁contributed ▁to ▁his ▁confusion ▁and ▁inde c ision ▁as ▁he ▁fled ▁Iran ▁in ▁January ▁ 1 9 7 9 ▁and ▁his ▁regime ▁col lapsed . ▁After ▁V ance ▁res igned ▁in ▁ 1 9 8 0 , ▁Carter ▁appointed ▁Edmund ▁Mus kie , ▁a ▁well - res pected ▁Senator ▁with ▁whom ▁Carter ▁had ▁developed ▁friendly ▁relations , ▁to ▁serve ▁as ▁Secretary ▁of ▁State . ▁ ▁Cold ▁War ▁ ▁Carter ▁took ▁office ▁during ▁the ▁Cold ▁War , ▁a ▁sust ained ▁period