11. The Coup Led to High Anti-American Sentiments
One of the first things that Mohammad Mossadegh did as prime minister was to nationalize the Anglo-Iranian Oil Company. He canceled all the British concessions, which were not due to expire until 1993 so that Iran now had complete control over its oil assets. Winston Churchill, who was then prime minister of Great Britain, was distressed over these events and sought the help of the United States to regain its influence in Iran. President Eisenhower reluctantly agreed and enlisted the help of the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) in what came to be known as Operation Ajax.
The goal of Operation Ajax was to get the Shah to dismiss Mossadegh from his place as prime minister voluntarily. The CIA created rumors and spread them throughout Tehran, fueling protests against Mossadegh. One of the tales was the threat of severe punishment for any who dissented with him. He came to be viewed as an autocratic dictator and not a popular politician who had been elected through a democratic process. In August of 1953, the Shah officially stripped Mossadegh of his position and went into hiding, fearful of possible repercussions.
Mohammad Mossadegh was the first leader of Iran elected through a democratic process, and the world’s two leading democracies – the United States and Great Britain – had him overthrown. Ayatollah Khomeini was one of the intelligentsia which was keen on what had actually happened, and he was furious at what America had done. America’s continued support of the monarchy was like a slap in the face. He decried American imperialism at every turn and wanted to take Iran back from Western interests.