While it has long been known that the US Central Intelligence Agency played a key role in orchestrating the fall of Iran s Mohammed Mossadeq, only recently has the agency admitted that doing so was a violation of democratic norms.
In August 1953, a CIA-backed coup toppled Iran’s prime minister, cementing the rule of Shah Mohammad Reza Pahlavi for over 25 years before the 1979 Islamic Revolution. The coup, carried out by allied members of its military and security forces, came after then-Prime Minister Mohammad Mossadegh had nationalized the country’s oil industry. At the time,…
AP WAS THERE: A 1953 CIA-led coup in Iran topples prime minister, cements shah s power washingtonpost.com - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from washingtonpost.com Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.
EDITOR'S NOTE — In August 1953, a CIA-backed coup toppled Iran's prime minister, cementing the rule of Shah Mohammad Reza Pahlavi for over 25 years before the 1979 Islamic Revolution. The coup, carried out by allied members of its military and security forces, came after then-Prime Minister Mohammad Mossadegh had nationalized the country's oil industry. At the time, Iran's Abadan refinery was the largest in the world and a key supply for Britain, which backed the coup to regain its access.