Two weeks ago BBC’s The World did a series on Iran. I’m not that fond of the world, because it preempted All Things Considered from 6 to 7, but it is a good program, and this series was excellent.

Most fascinating to me was part one, on the 1953 coup.

I’ve known for years that the US interfered in Iranian politics, and I knew that the US had held up the Shaw as a puppet regeime prior to the Iranian revolution. What I didn’t know was that Iranians (and most of the middle east to be honest) had good reason to be angry with the US, and to not trust the US, and that stems from the 1953 coup.

During WWII, the British and the Russians overthrew Shaw Raza Kahn because they feared he was supportive of Germany, and placed his son, Mohammed Reza Pahlavi on the throne.

The during the 1950s, Mohammed Mossadegh rose to become primer minister in Iran, and started arguing for Iranian independence. What happened next is, at least to me, absolutely stunning (But you really should read the whole thing).

He slipped clandestinely across the border and in a period of just three weeks, really through his own wits, Kermit Roosevelt organized the overthrow of the government of Iran. He was truly a real life James Bond.

Roosevelt started by tapping into the intelligence networks the British and Americans had built up inside Iran. A few key Iranians proved willing to do his bidding. They unleashed a ferocious propaganda campaign against Mossadegh. They bribed newspapers to print slander; they paid clerics to denounce him at Friday prayers. They hired thugs to organize mobs and riots. Meanwhile, Kermit Roosevelt had to persuade Iran’s young Shah, Mohammed Reza Pahlavi, to participate in the coup.
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So Roosevelt set about stage-managing that confrontation. He had copies of the decree dismissing the prime minister plastered around town. And he went back to the Iranians he was working with and had them organize fresh mobs says Stephen Kinzer.

Kinzer: He would have them surge through the streets of Tehran, break windows, beat up people, shoot their guns into mosques and shout “we love Mossadegh. Up with Mossadegh and communism. And as if that wasn’t enough he then hired another mob to attack this mob to show that Tehran was in such chaos that anarchy was threatening and that just to bring Iran back to a measure of stability, Mossadegh had to be overthrown.

The strategy worked. The demonstrations escalated. Clashes broke out between opposing military factions. On August 19, 1953, anti-Mossadegh forces seized power and Mossadegh went into hiding. An army general was installed as prime minister. The Shah made a triumphant return home. Mark Gasiorowski says the US action changed the course of Iranian history.

It is astounding to me that the US overthrew an elected prime minister and, then was shocked (shocked!) when Iran resented what had happened the threw the US out of the country.

Stephen Kinzer, who is quoted in this article, wrote a book called “All the Shaw’s Men” which I have not read, as well as a book, “Crescent & Star: Turkey Between Two Worlds”, which I have read and very much liked.

But regarding Iran, I strongly recommend that you read or listen to the series, while I go put “All the Shaw’s Men” on my wish list.

(I also enjoyed Elaine Sciolino’s book “Persian Mirrors The Ilusive Face of Iran”, which I read several years ago.)