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Originally posted by GrandpaBernard
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Mosaddegh had sought to audit the documents of the Anglo-Iranian Oil Company (AIOC), a British corporation (now part of BP), to verify that AIOC was paying the contracted royalties to Iran, and to limit the company's control over Iranian oil reserves.[11] Upon the AIOC's refusal to cooperate with the Iranian government, the parliament (Majlis) voted to nationalize Iran's oil industry and to expel foreign corporate representatives from the country.[12][13][14] After this vote, Britain instigated a worldwide boycott of Iranian oil to pressure Iran economically.[15] Initially, Britain mobilized its military to seize control of the British-built Abadan oil refinery, then the world's largest, but Prime Minister Clement Attlee (in power until 1951) opted instead to tighten the economic boycott[16] while using Iranian agents to undermine Mosaddegh's government.[17]: 3 Judging Mosaddegh to be unamenable and fearing the growing influence of the communist Tudeh, UK prime minister Winston Churchill and the Eisenhower administration decided in early 1953 to overthrow Iran's government.
According to the CIA's declassified documents and records, some of the most feared mobsters in Tehran were hired by the CIA to stage pro-shah riots on 19 August.[5] Other men paid by the CIA were brought into Tehran in buses and trucks and took over the streets of the city.[23] Between 200[3] and 300[4] people were killed because of the conflict. Mosaddegh was arrested, tried and convicted of treason by the Shah's military court. On 21 December 1953, he was sentenced to three years in jail, then placed under house arrest for the remainder of his life.[24]: 280 [25][26] Other Mosaddegh supporters were imprisoned, and several received the death penalty.[14] After the coup, the Shah continued his rule as monarch for the next 26 years[13][14] until he was overthrown in the Iranian Revolution in 1979.[13][14][17]
In August 2013, the U.S. government formally acknowledged the U.S. role in the coup by releasing a bulk of previously classified government documents that show it was in charge of both the planning and the execution of the coup, including the bribing of Iranian politicians, security and army high-ranking officials, as well as pro-coup propaganda.[27][28] The CIA is quoted acknowledging the coup was carried out "under CIA direction" and "as an act of U.S. foreign policy, conceived and approved at the highest levels of government".[29] In 2023, the CIA took credit for the coup,[30] contradicted by previous scholarly assessment that the CIA had botched the operation.[31][32][33]
In August 2013, the U.S. government formally acknowledged the U.S. role in the coup by releasing a bulk of previously classified government documents that show it was in charge of both the planning and the execution of the coup, including the bribing of Iranian politicians, security and army high-ranking officials, as well as pro-coup propaganda.[27][28] The CIA is quoted acknowledging the coup was carried out "under CIA direction" and "as an act of U.S. foreign policy, conceived and approved at the highest levels of government".[29] In 2023, the CIA took credit for the coup,[30] contradicted by previous scholarly assessment that the CIA had botched the operation.[31][32][33]
All very well us spouting happy bullchit about spreading freedom and democracy but Iran is just one example of many just how much contempt we hold actual democracy in when mfers vote in leaders that won't kowtow to Western interests.
Over and above the oil of course Irans strategic location make it as big a prize today as Persia was during the Great Game of Empires even before oil was a big thing
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Great_Game
The US/UK have had a major hard on for it ever since cos they really don't like losing, particularly such a vital piece, which might also serve as a model for others. So much so of course that they were helping Saddam by providing weapons and strategic targeting information for gas attacks during the Iran - Iraq war.
Weird how many folks in the West seem utterly oblivious to the reasons why much of the world have issues with us.... hardly like Iran's experiences with the Anglos are unique.
ralex
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