In 1953, the United States CIA and British Secret Intelligence Service (SIS) orchestrated a coup to depose democratically elected Iranian prime minister Mohammed Mosaddegh. The coup was carried out as a response to nationalization of... more
In 1953, the United States CIA and British Secret Intelligence Service (SIS) orchestrated a coup to depose democratically elected Iranian prime minister Mohammed Mosaddegh. The coup was carried out as a response to nationalization of Iran's oil. The British enlisted the assistance of the United States, invoking Cold War fears of Soviet expansion to persuade President Eisenhower to participate. Following the coup, the Shah of Iran was returned to absolute power as a Western backed dictator. U.S. involvement in Iran’s internal politics led to a sense of betrayal among Iranians. As a result, the 1953 coup has been political fuel for anti-Western/anti-U.S. policies in subsequent decades, and has contributed to the strained relations between the two nations that continues today.
