• Source:JND
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As military operations against Iran intensify, the prospect of "regime change" has returned to the forefront of international discourse. With US President Donald Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu suggesting that the era of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has ended, many Iranians are looking back at a historical precedent that defined their modern distrust of Western intervention.

Operation Ajax And Fall Of Mossadegh

In 1953, more than twenty years before the Islamic Revolution, the CIA and the British intelligence agency MI6 coordinated the overthrow of Mohammad Mossadegh, Iran’s democratically elected Prime Minister.

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The conflict began when Mossadegh moved to nationalise the Iranian oil industry, which was then controlled by the British-owned Anglo-Iranian Oil Company. While this move was celebrated within Iran, it caused significant anger in the West. During this peak Cold War period, US officials also worried that Mossadegh’s administration might move closer to the Soviet Union.

To execute the coup, known as "Operation Ajax," the US and UK used several tactics:

Orchestrated Unrest: They provided funding for local protests.

Media Manipulation: Propaganda was planted in Iranian newspapers.

Military Alignment: They supported military officers who remained loyal to the Shah, Mohammad Reza Pahlavi.

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On August 19, 1953, Mossadegh was successfully removed from office. The Shah, who had briefly left the country, returned to take full control with Western backing. Across the Global South, this event is still viewed as a moment where Western powers prioritised oil and influence over democratic principles.

The Reign Of Shah And Path To Revolution

Following the 1953 coup, the Shah governed as a staunch ally of the United States. While he implemented the "White Revolution", a program focused on secular reforms, infrastructure and education, his rule became increasingly repressive.

Political opposition was systematically crushed by his secret police force, SAVAK. The era was defined by:

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Human Rights Abuses: Arbitrary arrests and the use of torture became widespread.

Growing Inequality: Economic disparities worsened across the population.

Cultural Alienation: The Shah’s close ties with Washington alienated the religious establishment and the general public.

The 1979 Revolution

By the end of the 1970s, public anger led to massive nationwide protests demanding the Shah’s removal. In January 1979, the Shah fled the country. Shortly after, Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini returned from exile to lead the Islamic Revolution, resulting in the collapse of the monarchy and the establishment of the Islamic Republic of Iran.


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