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COLD WAR: 1953-60 (5 of 18)

Mohammad Mosaddegh, an overthrown democrat

Mohammad Mosaddegh had a Bachelor of Arts and a Masters in International Relations from the University of Paris and a Doctorate in Law from the University of Neuchâtel in Switzerland. Since the early twenties he had risen in Iranian politics as a heroic man of principles. In 1944, at the age of 52, while a member of parliament, he joined with nineteen others in founding the National Front of Iran, which aimed at establishing democracy and ending the foreign influence in Iran's politics. On April 28, 1951, parliament named him prime minister, and Iran's young constitutional monarch, Mohammed Reza Pahlavi, recognized Mosaddegh's popularity and approved his premiership.

Since early in the 20th century, British Petroleum had enjoyed a monopoly on the production and sale of Iranian oil. Mosaddegh wanted to nationalize British Petroleum in Iran, with compensation, He noted that Britain at the time was nationalizing some of its industry. Iran was broke, and Mosaddegh had requested financial assistance from the United States with little success.

The British believed Iran's compensation inadequate. "Persian oil," said Britain's foreign secretary, Herbert Morrison, "is of vital importance to our economy." [note]. 

Stephen Kinzer writes that one British diplomat scoffed at the idea of Mosaddegh's nationalization and said, "We English have had hundred of years of experience on how to treat the natives" and added that, "Socialism is all right back home, but out here you have to be the master." [note]. 

Mosaddegh closed the British embassy and forced British agents out of the country. No one was left to organize a coup, so the British turned to the U.S. for help. President Truman, in the words of Stephen Kinzer, had "contempt for old-style imperialists ... Besides, the CIA had never overthrown a government, and Truman did not wish to set the precedent." [note]. 

A Republican, Dwight Eisenhower, became U.S. president in 1953, and he followed the urging of his Secretary of State, John Foster Dulles, and his brother, Allen Dulles, head of the CIA. Brits had convinced them that Mosaddegh was close to Communists, and fighting communism was a moral crusade for John Foster.

Actually Mosaddegh disliked communist doctrine and excluded communists from his government. But, a believer in democracy, Mosaddegh allowed Iran's Communist Party, the Tudeh, to function politically. And, as one would expect of them, they favored Mosaddegh's nationalization policy.

John Foster saw the overthrow of Mosaddegh as a "rollback" of communism. The operation was code-named Operation Ajax. It happened in mid-August 1953, made possible by the CIA's ability to spread money around to win hearts and minds in favor of replacing Mosaddegh's legal government with an illegal grab of power by Iran's king, Mohammed Reza Pahlavi. The money inspired monarchists and crucial people in Iran's military -- people with guns -- and people who could put mobs in the streets to create an appearance of disorder and a pending communist takeover.

About 200 people were killed in the coup. Mosaddegh was arrested and tried by a military tribunal for high treason. The Shah (king) was generous and spared his life. Mosaddegh was sentenced to three years in solitary confinement at a military jail and was exiled to his village, where he remained under house arrest on his estate until his death in 1967.

Book

All the Shah's Men: an American Coup and the Roots of Middle East Terror, by Stephen Kinzer