In August 1953, a covert operation orchestrated by the United States and the United Kingdom helped overthrow Iran’s democratically elected prime minister, Mohammad Mossadegh. The event — known as Operation Ajax — reshaped the Middle East, strengthened authoritarian rule in Iran for decades and continues to influence tensions between Tehran and Washington today.
Understanding what happened requires stepping back into the geopolitics of the early Cold War — and the global fight over oil.
A Popular Leader Challenges Western Oil Power
Mossadegh came to power in 1951 with strong nationalist support after Iran’s parliament voted to nationalize the country’s oil industry. For decades, Britain — through the Anglo-Iranian Oil Company (now BP) — had controlled Iranian oil, paying Iran only a small share of the profits.
Nationalization was wildly popular inside Iran but unacceptable to Britain, which responded with sanctions, a global boycott of Iranian oil and covert efforts to undermine Mossadegh’s government.
Britain soon sought help from the United States.
Cold War Fears and Operation Ajax
At first, the Truman administration hesitated to intervene. But by 1953, U.S. officials under President Dwight Eisenhower feared instability in Iran might open the door to Soviet influence — a major concern during the Cold War.
The CIA approved a covert plan with British intelligence (MI6) to remove Mossadegh from power. The operation included propaganda campaigns, funding protests, bribing officials and coordinating with military officers loyal to Iran’s monarch, Shah Mohammad Reza Pahlavi.
On Aug. 19, 1953, after several chaotic days of demonstrations and violence in Tehran, Mossadegh’s government collapsed. The shah — who had briefly fled the country — returned to power, and General Fazlollah Zahedi became prime minister.
About 200 to 300 people were killed during the unrest.
From Constitutional Monarchy to Authoritarian Rule
Before the coup, Iran functioned as a constitutional monarchy with an elected government. Afterward, the shah consolidated power, ruling with increasing authoritarian control supported by U.S. military and intelligence assistance.
His regime lasted until 1979, when the Iranian Revolution overthrew the monarchy and established the Islamic Republic that still governs Iran today.
Many historians consider the coup a turning point that fueled anti-American sentiment in Iran. Iranian nationalists saw it as proof that Western powers would undermine democracy to protect strategic and economic interests.
U.S. Acknowledgment — Decades Later
For years, the CIA’s role was denied or downplayed. But declassified documents and official statements eventually confirmed U.S. involvement.
In 2013, internal CIA records acknowledged that the coup was carried out “under CIA direction” as U.S. foreign policy.
More recently, the agency has described the intervention itself as undemocratic.
Why the Coup Still Matters
The 1953 coup remains central to how Iranians — across political factions — view the United States.
It shapes debates over:
- Nuclear negotiations
- Sanctions and diplomacy
- Regional conflicts
- Iranian distrust of Western intentions
Many experts argue that ignoring this history makes it harder to understand current tensions.
A Complicated Legacy
The coup was not solely driven by oil or imperial ambition; Cold War fears of communism were also real factors for U.S. policymakers at the time. But the outcome — removing an elected leader and empowering an autocratic monarchy — has led many scholars to rank the intervention among the most consequential and controversial decisions in American foreign policy.
More than 70 years later, the consequences are still unfolding.
Thank you for this reporting. No wonder Iranians hate the US.