The Iran before the Coup
Iran during the early fifties was a nation that was striving to own its resources and destiny. Its extensive oil resources were dominated by the Anglo-Iranian Oil Company (AIOC), a British firm that only provided Iran with nominal profit, whereas the main part of the oil resources was exported to Europe. This stirred a lot of grievance amongst the common folk in Iran who believed that foreign powers were robbing the wealth of their nation and making the citizens within the country poor.
In this context of frustration, a respected politician and nationalist, Mohammed Mossadegh, came to power. Taking office as the Prime Minister of Iran in 1951 with the great backing of the parliament (Majlis) and the people. People interpreted Mossadegh as an icon of independence, honesty, and resistance to foreign subjection. At such, the arrival of Mossadegh to power symbolized not only a novel face of leadership, but a newfound optimism towards the independence and sense of dignity in Iran.
Oil Nationalization & Western Backlash
Among the most daring moves of the Prime Minister Mossadegh was the nationalization of the oil business in Iran in 1951. He claimed that people had the freedom to share the treasure of their resources in Iran. His move was very popular back home and turned him into a hero in the eyes of many Iranians.
Such a decision, however, caused an uproar in the West. The nationalization was perceived as an economic and political threat to the British government. Britain answered by withdrawing its laborers from Iranian oil installations and instituted an international oil embargo, which starved Iran of its primary means of revenue. This started to harm the economy of this country since it could not conveniently sell oil in the international market.
At the very beginning, the United States was not part of it like Britain. However, during the height of the Cold War, U.S. leaders feared that their former Persian ally would be tempted to gravitate toward the Soviet Union because of the crisis. The threat of communism indeed played a major role that ultimately saw Washington ally with London in hatching the conspiracy against Mossadegh.
You May Like To Read: Gulf Economies’ Diversification (Vision 2030): What it Means for Pakistani Labour Exports
Operation Ajax: Coup Planning
When the economy of Iran weakened, leaving it with poor resources due to the oil embargo, Britain and the United States resolved to act with greater force. Their mantra was that Mossadegh had to be removed so that their interests could be guarded and Iran did not fall into the hands of the Soviets. This gave rise to a secret operation code-named Operation Ajax, a joint CIA (U.S) – MI6 (U.K.) operation. They organized a broad system of politicians, military, religious, and street gangs in Iran, who were willing to take action against Mossadegh. Bribes, protests, and propaganda in newspapers and radio were funded, and they poured money into Iran.
Another centerpiece of the strategy was to demonize Mossadegh, a menacing figure, an irresponsible ruler who was leading Iran on the road to communism. In this manner, the CIA and MI6 were hoping to intimidate not only the Iranians or the Western allies but also the people to take their side on the removal process. Meanwhile, they welcomed Shah Mohammad Reza Pahlavi, who had run out of the country following tensions with Mossadegh, to take center stage in the legitimization of the coup.
August 19, 1953: The coup against Mossadegh
Tehran went into turmoil in the morning of August 19, 1953. The streets were filled with crowds, some of them sincerely angered at the economic crisis, and some of them incited by CIA and MI6 agents hollering against Mossadegh. Armed groups fought, and soon there was disorder in the capital.
The coup had been bumped a couple of days earlier when at first attempt of the plot to overthrow Mossadegh was thwarted. By afternoon, there was more fighting around the home of Mossadegh. Later, the army raided his house, and he was detained while attempting to escape across a garden wall. The CIA’s preferred replacement was General Fazlollah Zahedi, who proclaimed himself the new Prime Minister as the Shah returned to power triumphantly.
Aftermath: The Consolidation of the Shah
Shah Mohammad Reza Pahlavi came back to Iran after the coup with the complete backing of the United States and Britain. When Mossadegh was out of the way and General Zahedi was the new Prime Minister, the Shah got very strong indeed. Shah was strongly dependent on Western support. To maintain grip, he was provided with finances, arms, and political favors by the U.S. and Britain. Iran, in its turn, opened its oil industry again under a new deal, where the Western companies regained considerable parts of the Iranian oil revenues.
The reign of the Shah was accompanied in the short term by stability, modernization projects, and close relationships with the West. Yet in the long term, the authoritarianism, corruption, and foreign patronage aggravated the people.
Significance in the Long Run
August 19, 1953 coup not only marked the turning point of Iran, but it also joined the ranks of the most significant events in modern world politics. To Iranians, it spelled the loss of democracy and independence.
Short-term stability was achieved at the expense of repression and Western dependency with the tide of the Shah’s back to power. The monarchy became a puppet regime, which focused on the interests of foreigners, as seen by many Iranians. This betrayal and sense of anger endured over decades, and it was one of the contributing factors behind the Iranian Revolution in 1979, when Iranians at last dethroned the Shah and put in place an Islamic Republic under Ayatollah Khomeini.
The coup was seen as a success, especially by the United States and Britain. During the Cold War, it had shielded their oil interest and won a loyal ally in a strategic region. However, it had a backfiring effect in the long run. Coupling the dethronement of Mossadegh bred a strong suspicion against the West among the Iranians. This distrust has influenced the relations between the U.S and Iran ever since, which has led to several decades of animosity, sanctions, and war.
You May Like To Read: Hamas Agrees to New Gaza Ceasefire Proposal Amid Mounting Military Pressure and Humanitarian Crisis
