The 1953 Iranian Coup d’Etat
In 1953 the United States CIA and British Intelligence agency MI6 conspired with the Shah of Iran to overthrow the Prime Minister of Iran, Mohammad Mosaddegh, and allow the Shah to assume greater authority over the Iranian government. The covert operation was known as Operation Ajax in American circles, Operation Boot by the British, and was initially opposed by the Shah. When the Prime Minister took steps to dissolve the Iranian Parliament and give his cabinet full power over the Iranian government the Shah agreed to support the coup. After receiving the Shah’s support the CIA created documents for the Shah’s signature known as Firmans.
One of the documents signed by the Shah dismissed Mosaddegh as Prime Minister. Under the Iranian constitution at the time the Shah appointed the Prime Minister after the latter demonstrated that he had the support of the Parliament to form a government. When the firman dismissing Mosaddegh was delivered he rejected it and was placed under arrest by the Imperial Guard. Under the constitution of the time the Shah’s action was legal. Mosaddegh’s supporters initiated rioting and violent protests in the streets, and the Shah and his wife fled to Iraq, and later to Italy.
Shah loyalist General Zahedi declared that he was the rightful Prime Minister but remained on the run as Mosaddegh, once again free, began rounding up Iranian coup supporters and allies of the Shah. He also ordered the CIA to leave Iran but the CIA officer in charge, Kermit Roosevelt Jr. (grandson of Theodore Roosevelt) either did not receive the message or ignored it, though some researchers believe MI6 delayed its delivery. Meanwhile, General Zahedi began using CIA supplied money to initiate protests in the streets which were disguised as “communist” and were directed to destroy the bazaars and other businesses. At the same time other paid supporters of the Shah were directed to deploy in the streets peacefully.
General Zahedi led army troops to remove the “communist” demonstrators from the streets and Mosaddegh surrendered to the army for his own protection on August 19, 1953. That day the Army under Zahedi was in control of the streets of Tehran and Zahedi proclaimed himself Prime Minister. When the Shah returned from Italy his monarchical authority was greatly enhanced. The staged peaceful demonstrations during the coup compared to the violence of the Mosaddegh supporters and the “communist’ demonstrations helped ensure his welcome was a warm won, but supporters paid by the CIA supplemented the cheering crowd.
The coup, which had been according to most researchers authorized by President Eisenhower, was successful from the point of view that Britain and the United States no longer had to fear Iranian nationalization of oil drilling and refining assets as Mosaddegh had been wont to do. US General Norman Schwarzkopf Sr. was sent by the CIA to “persuade” the Shah to return to Iran and remained there for a time to train the Shah’s security forces, the SAVAK. In his book describing the coup from his perspective, Kermit Roosevelt admitted that the CIA paid demonstrators to destroy symbols of the Shah while chanting pro-Mosaddegh slogans during the coup.