The US has toppled an Iranian government before. Here’s what happened

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"Historical Context of U.S. Involvement in Iranian Regime Change"

The US has toppled an Iranian government before. Here’s what happened analysis cover image CNN 7.9
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Original Article Source: https://edition.cnn.com/2025/06/18/middleeast/us-toppled-iranian-government-before-hnk-intl
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The current geopolitical tensions surrounding Iran have reignited discussions about the United States' historical involvement in regime change within the country. This scrutiny has intensified following Israel's military actions against Iran, with prominent leaders like U.S. President Donald Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu suggesting potential targets within the Iranian leadership, particularly Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. Many Iranians, however, carry personal memories of the 1953 coup that the U.S. orchestrated to dismantle the democratically elected government of Prime Minister Mohammad Mossadegh. Mossadegh's decision to nationalize Iran's oil fields was viewed as a direct threat to Western interests, particularly those of the United States and Great Britain, who were heavily reliant on Middle Eastern oil. The coup aimed to reinforce the rule of Mohammad Reza Pahlavi, the Shah, and to replace Mossadegh with a pro-Western leader, General Fazlollah Zahedi. The CIA and British intelligence played pivotal roles in inciting public dissent against Mossadegh, employing propaganda and organizing protests, which ultimately facilitated military intervention against him.

The aftermath of the coup significantly altered Iran's political landscape, solidifying U.S. support for the Shah's regime. This foreign intervention, however, bred deep-seated resentment among the Iranian populace, contributing to a pervasive anti-American sentiment that has persisted for decades. The Shah, initially positioned as a strong ally of the U.S., faced immense opposition from various factions, including secular and Islamist groups, who criticized his authoritarian rule and modernization policies. This internal strife culminated in the 1979 Islamic Revolution, which not only ousted the Shah but also marked the end of a Western-backed monarchy, leading to the establishment of the Islamic Republic and clerical governance. The historical context of U.S. involvement in Iran serves as a cautionary tale as contemporary leaders consider similar paths, highlighting the complexities and potential repercussions of foreign intervention in sovereign nations' affairs.

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Source URL: https://edition.cnn.com/2025/06/18/middleeast/us-toppled-iranian-government-before-hnk-intl

Since Israel began its concerted attack on Iran, calls for regime change have grown louder, withUS President Donald TrumpandIsraeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahuraising the possibility of targeting Tehran’s all-powerful leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.

Many Iranians have firsthand experience with the United States enforcing a regime change in their country.

Oil fields:In 1953, the UShelped stage a coupto overthrow Iran’s democratically elected prime minister Mohammad Mossadegh.

He had pledged to nationalize the country’s oil fields – a move the US and Great Britain saw as a serious blow, given their dependence on oil from the Middle East.

Height of the Cold War:The move to nationalize wasseenas popular in Iran and a victory for the then-USSR.

Strengthen Shah rule:The coup’s goal was to support Iran’s monarch, Mohammad Reza Pahlavi, to rule as Shah of Iran, and appoint a new prime minister, Gen. Fazlollah Zahedi.

The coup:Before the coup, the CIA, along with the British Secret Intelligence Service (SIS), helpedfoment anti-Mossadeghfervor using propaganda. In 1953, the CIA and SIS helped pull pro-Shah forces together and organized large protests against Mossadegh, which were soon joined by the army.

US cash:To provide Zahedi, the country’s new prime minister, with some stability, the CIA covertly made $5,000,000 available within two days of him taking power, documents showed.

US acknowledgement: In 2013, declassified CIA documents were released,confirmingthe agency’s involvement for the first time. But the US role was known: Former President Barack Obamaacknowledgedinvolvement in the coup in 2009.

It backfired:After toppling Mossadegh, the US strengthened its support for Pahlavi to rule as Shah. Iraniansresented the foreign interference, fueling anti-American sentiment in the country for decades.

Islamic Revolution:The Shah became a close ally of the US. But in the late 1970s, millions of Iranians took to the streets against his regime, which they viewed as corrupt and illegitimate. Secular protesters opposed his authoritarianism, while Islamist protesters opposed his modernization agenda.

The Shah was toppled in the 1979 Islamic revolution, which ended the country’s Western-backed monarchy and ushered in the start of the Islamic Republic and clerical rule.

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Source: CNN