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conservatives. Robert Gates had replaced Donald direction from the British, who had extensive oi Rumsfeld, and, while still sabre-rattling Iran, had to take _ interests in Iran. a more strategic position, as many military leaders in In 1951, Iran's first democratically elected the Pentagon felt that "bombing Iran is not a viable | government, led by Prime Minister Mohammad response to the nuclear-proliferation issue". The covert Mossadegh, announced the nationalisation of the operations that were approved ran at a cost o Anglo-lranian Oil Company (later to be re-named Britis approximately $400 million, and "...are designed to —_ Petroleum), which had a monopoly on Iranian oil. This destabilize the country's religious leadership. The naturally angered the British, who, in 1952, convinced covert activities involve support of the minority Ahwazi he CIA to help in a plot to overthrow Iran's government. Arab and Baluchi groups and other dissiden The idea to topple the Iranian government was born in organizations. They also include gathering intelligence —_ Britain, but it didn't take much to convince the CIA to about Iran's suspected nuclear-weapons program.” The aunch a joint operation with the British Secre operations were to be expanded under both the CIA and ntelligence Service (SIS). he Joint Special Operations Command (JSOC). The Government documents” were made public whic ocus was on "undermining Iran's nuclear ambitions and __ reveal that CIA "officers orchestrating the Iran coup rying to undermine the government through regime worked directly with royalist Iranian military officers, change", of which a major facet was "working with andpicked the prime minister's replacement, sent a opposition groups and passing money". stream of envoys to bolster the Shah's courage, directed Hersh elaborated: "Many of a campaign of bombings by e activities may be being Iranians posing as members of carried out by dissidents in the Communist Party, and ran, and not by Americans in ...the United States planted articles and editorial e field. One problem with : p : cartoons in newspapers". The ‘passing money’ (to use the orchestrated Its first foreign strategy was aimed at erm of the person familiar with coup with guidance and supporting an Iranian general e [Presidential] Finding) in a 0 9 oe and the Shah through CIA covert setting is that it is hard direction from the British, assets and financing, which o control where the money who had extensive oil would overthrow Mossadegh, goes and whom it benefits. 9 g “particularly if this combination Nonetheless, the former senior interests in Iran. should be able to get the larges' intelligence official said, ‘We've mobs in the streets.” got exposure, because of the The Shah was to play a pivota transfer of our weapons and our role, as he was "to stand fast as communications gear. The Iranians will be able to make _ the CIA stirred up popular unrest and then, as the the argument that the opposition was inspired by the country lurched toward chaos, to issue royal decrees Americans. How many times have we tried this without dismissing Dr Mossadegh and appointing Genera asking the right questions? Is the risk worth it?’ One Zahedi prime minister". CIA operatives stoked the possible consequence of these operations would be a pressure by pretending to be Iranian Communists, violent Iranian crackdown on one of the dissident threatening Muslim leaders with "savage punishment i groups, which could give the Bush Administration a _ they opposed Mossadegh" in an effort to stir anti- reason to intervene."” Communist and anti-Mossadegh sentiments in the Included in the strategy was to use ethnic tensions to __ religious community. The CIA even bombed the house undermine the government; however, this strategy is | of a prominent Muslim. flawed. Unlike Pakistan, Lebanon and Iraq: "Iran is an Further, the CIA was advancing a major propaganda old country—like France and Germany—and its citizens campaign, as a major newspaper owner was paid are just as nationalistic. The US is overestimating $45,000 to support the efforts. The CIA, once the coup ethnic tension in Iran." This turned out to be an was underway, used American media as propaganda in important point in regard to the election in the summer an attempt to legitimise the coup plotters, as the CIA of 2009. sent The Associated Press a news release saying that “unofficial reports are current to the effect that leaders Flashback to the 1953 Coup of the plot are armed with two decrees of the shah, one To understand the nature of American and British dismissing Mossadegh and the other appointing "democracy promotion" in Iran, it is important to. General Zahedi to replace him". The CIA also examine their historical practices regarding "democracy" _ disseminated this propaganda through Iranian media. in Iran. Specifically, the events of 1953 present a very Following the beginning of the coup, which began on important picture in which the United States 15 August 1953, Mossadegh suspended Parliament, orchestrated its first foreign coup with guidance and which ultimately played "into the CIA's hands". In orchestrated its first foreign coup with guidance and direction from the British, Flashback to the 1953 Coup To understand the nature of American and British "democracy promotion" in Iran, it is important to examine their historical practices regarding "democracy" in Iran. Specifically, the events of 1953 present a very important picture in which the United States orchestrated its first foreign coup with guidance and 30 * NEXUS ...the United States who had extensive oil interests in Iran. FEBRUARY - MARCH 2010 www.nexusmagazine.com