In August 1953, the CIA organized a coup, which overthrew Prime Minister Dr. Mohammad Mossadegh. Iran’s foremost democratic leader. Mossadegh had nationalized the oil which was controlled by the Anglo Iranian Oil Company (now BP), instituted free elections, allowed full freedom of the press, and made a minor land reform and other progressive and democratic reforms. The U.S. helped the Shah to consolidate his dictatorship after the coup. This coup ensured the hostility of Iranian democrats who were brutally repressed since.
The communists were already hostile to the U.S., but this coup and the continued American support for the Shah provided fertile environment for them to spread their ideas and recruit members and supporters.
Despite the propaganda by Islamic fundamentalists, the hostility of the conservative religious forces against Americans was not due to the 1953 coup. Actually, Islamic fundamentalist forces were among the groups that were either mobilized by the CIA and the Shah supporters for the coup, or publicly supported the Shah after the coup. The fundamentalists opposed Mossadegh and collaborated with the CIA in 1953 as well as with the subsequent regime until 1961. Among those who closely worked with the CIA and the Shah during and after the coup are: Ayatollah Abolqassem Kashani, Kashani’s son who was one of the very first persons who talked at Radio Tehran as soon as it was captured by the coup plotters, Ayatollah Mohammad Behbahani, Hojatolislam Mohammad Taqi Falsafi, and Grand Ayatollah Brujerdi.1
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