1953 Coup

Nationalisation of oil

March 1951: Mossadeq nationalised oil via a bill in the Majlis, cancelling the concession of the AIOC, seizing its assets and removing the 20-80 split of profits in favour of the British

Mossadeq's letter to Truman

11 June 1951 - nationalisation of oil would allow the people "to utilise the natural wealth of their country and put an end to the unfair activities of the Company"

1952 CIA assessment

"Mossadeq will probably try to sell oil to the Soviet bloc or seek assistance in another form from the USSR", presenting the risk of "the loss of Iran to the West" during the blockade

1954 CIA Clandestine Document

By coup architect Donald Wilber: "the Mossadeq government in Iran was incapable of reaching an oil settlement with Western countries" and there was a "real danger of falling behind the Iron curtain"

Negative equilibrium

Mossadeq's ideology of political independence: rejection of foreign concessions, and that the Shah should "reign not rule"

Mossadeq's 1952 resignation

Resigned in July 1952 when the Shah restricted his control of the Ministry of War, but was sworn back in due to riots

Mossadeq's referendum

August 1953 - attempted a national referendum to dissolve the 17th Majlis, breaking the 1906 constitution under which only the Shah had that power

Operation Ajax

A CIA and MI6 joint cooperative involving the Dulles brothers (Secretary of State and CIA Director), with Churchill convincing Eisenhower; planned in Cyprus

Black propaganda tactic

Aligned Mossadeq with the Communist Tudeh Party, creating opposition from the landowning class (fear of land redistribution) and clerics (secularism)

Paid crowds tactic

Paid crowds to protest both for and against Mossadeq to create civil dispute

Economic sabotage tactic

Printed currency to exacerbate economic faults from the Royal Navy's blockade and the Abadan Crisis (refinery left without technicians)

Royal decree tactic

Made the Shah use firmans (royal decrees) to denounce Mossadeq and instate Zahedi; the Shah was convinced to follow the coup through his sister Princess Pahlavi, and a presentation emphasising the Communist threat over oil made him suggest Zahedi as Premier

Anti-imperial sentiment after the coup

CIA doc December 1953: Tudeh accused Nixon of coming "to rob Iran of its oil" and claimed "Anglo-American imperialists had already agreed among themselves a solution of the oil problem"

Violence against Americans

More than a dozen explosive devices were set off during Nixon's 1972 visit to Tehran; between 1973-76 leftists gunned down 3 US Air Force Colonels and 3 civilian contractors

Robert Komer to the NSC (1962)

"No one believes we aren't really pulling the strings" - showing the transparency of intervention

Lingering desire for sovereignty

National Front leader Karim Sanjabi called for a referendum to establish a "national government based on the principles of Islam, democracy and national sovereignty"