In August 1953, the United States and United Kingdom orchestrated a coup in Iran, toppling Mohammad Mosaddegh’s democratically elected government and reinstating Mohammad Reza Shah Pahlavi as Iran’s King, resulting in around 300 deaths in Tehran during the fighting. The primary goal behind the coup was to crush the oil nationalization movement and install a puppet regime to control Iranian oil, serving the interests of western companies.
By nationalizing the Anglo-Iranian Oil Company in 1951, Mosaddegh threatened British control over Iranian oil, prompting the UK to destabilize his government. The coup was a turning point in US-Iran relations, leading to decades of hostility and mutual distrust.
The coup highlighted the true face of US interventionism to the Iranian people, ultimately paving the way for the 1979 Iranian Revolution. Despite failed attempts at coercion and manipulation, US imperialism has been met with resistance in the region and has only served to isolate itself further.
Acknowledging the failures of colonial policies and destructive foreign interventions, the US must reevaluate its approach to global politics to avoid further decline in power, legitimacy, and relevance.
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