via The Iran Crisis, a footnote in History. Posted by the author of Rogue Journey and Vietnam Journey.
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Greetings Readers,
Some readers may not know or care, but prior 1950 the American public knew little about Iran and the ancient Persian Empire. Most folks could not find the country on a world map, even if they wanted to. But after World War II the British continued to indirectly controlled the oil rich Middle East country through captured markets and the extremely profitable oil concession.
The country was ruled by the Royal Pahlavi family and had become moderately progressive through European financing, i. e. new roads and railway, and improved public facilities, yet minus a vigorous democracy. This was in fact a political climate the British enjoyed. However, a serious difficulty arose, a visible discontent by the Iranian people who could upset the arrangement with the Iranian status quo. Our British ally needed and asked U. S. assistance in quelling a potential uprising and to solve a serious mounting political problem.
Enter the famous secret meeting between the British oil lobby, MI-5, Allan Dullas, Director of the CIA, and most importantly John Foster Dullas, Secretary of State, concerning the potential loss of the profitable British oil concession to a rising perhaps communistic sentiment of Nationalism, which asked for a significant reduction of fees which left the Iranians with only four percent of the profit from their own oil production and export efforts. (Hmm, doesn’t seem fair to me either) The British desperately needed help to retain their hold on the country.
Enter the fox, John Foster, along with his brother Allan foreseeing a great opportunity for American business, Wall Street oil business, in assisting the war-weary Bits in continuing the concession as well as enhancing control of Persian Gulf ship traffic, an energy chokepoint to the oil hungry world. Dullas agreed to help in the overthrow of a newly democratic election parliament headed by Mohammed Mosaddeq who by the way, was known as the weeping Prime Minister because he became emotional during political speeches. (A fact not of little importanc, I know)
The assistance came via the CIA quickly as a crisis was in development. The organization threw everything it had into the program to support the British request to retain it profitable concession.
Marshalling the CIA, the U. S. embassy, and the Miliary Advisory Contingent staff, the U. S. began the nefarious coup by paying for phony press release, providing remuneration for pro-British and American street demonstrations, and of course anti-Mosaddeq and parliament articles. Sources report a half to one million dollars was well spent on the activity. The program was successful. Mosaddeq was placed under house arrest, later house arrest for life, while others members of parliament and nationals were jailed for extensive periods for their “own protection.” The country became barely functional and leaderless.
Simultaneusly the CIA called forth a 27-year-old Palaiev prince who at the time was undergoing military flight training in Texas to return and become the a new ruling puppet Shah taking orders from the British, but by this time also the Americans. Within months the British were out from guiding the country and controlling the oil concession. That’s the very reason I identified Cold War Warrior Dullas as a fox. From the overthrow the U. S. gained control of the Persian Gulf and new markets; from then on Iran became a powerful pawn in the Middle East and the U. S.’s largest arms purchaser for two decades.
Let’s not take the overthrow of the democratically elected government too damatically although it was the first one after WWII, the U. S. accomplised others frequently sometimes casually thereafter. The move was frankly commercially inspired in the U.S.’s best short-term interest. The intrusive Iran coup had its blowback however. Infuriated crowds stormed the Tehran embassy and incarcerated its operational staff for 444 day. The invasion marked the beginning of mutual dislike and hatred for the Islamic Republic.
Forgotten by most people was the grasping deception and overthrow of the Iranian government by the CIA during 1952-53 and the placement of a compatible Shah and his regime who would absolutely do the U. S.’s bidding.
Let the reader paraphrase this coup in an example: A large number of Iranians hate the U. S. … But wait, what if Russia in league with China suddenly capture the New York financial street and interfered with our political and economic stability, our sovereignty, of course without our consent or approval, would we not hate them?
Even worse, let us suppose Russia and China undermined the GOP and attempted to overthrow President Trump? Oh, my God how would the stock market respone? Up or down?
Food for thought.
All the Best to you.
Ron miller
PS. Much in this post can be found on Wikipedia, and better yet, in Stephen Kinzer’s excellent book titled Overthrow listed on Amazon books.
