Thread by @ShahanshahCyrus

🧵 The Mossadegh Myth:

One of the biggest modern historical distortions repeated.

Why the late Shah of Iran was NOT installed by a coup in 1953 and Iran NEVER had a democratic government.

In 1953, the Shah had already been king for 12 years. He became king through constitutional succession, following his father.

He was crown prince before 1941. This wasn't a foreign installation.

Before Mossadegh, there was already a sitting PM named Haji Ali Razmara.

In 1951, he was assassinated by the same radical Islamist group that had tried to assassinate the Shah in 1949.

The Shah and parliament were under violent political pressure to appoint Mossadegh.

They appointed him through parliamentary procedure, and the Shah had to formally approve him as Prime Minister per the Iranian constitution.

What did Mossadegh do after becoming Prime Minister?

He pardoned the Islamist assassin who killed his predecessor.

Let that sink in.

Mossadegh is called a "champion of democracy" in the west today but he was the opposite.

In 1952, a popular election was held for parliament members. When his side started losing, Mossadegh CANCELLED the election.

Mossadegh was never elected by popular vote himself AND cancelled a popular vote because he was losing.

How is that democratic?

Who did Mossadegh run against?

A quick google search shows there was NO public election for PM where Mossadegh beat another candidate.

This fact is conveniently left out by academics who love this false distortion made against the Shah.

Modern historians say he was great because he "nationalized" Iran's oil.

But he didn't nationalize anything.

Mossadegh just cancelled a contract with Anglo-Iranian Oil Company and claimed it was for nationalisation.

This caused a sudden 90% decrease in Iranian oil sales.

In this poorly calculated move he devastated the Iranian economy.

The industry was being operated by Europeans who were also training Iranians, and they were suddenly being kicked out.

Iran couldn't produce oil

Here's what's also conveniently left out:

Mossadegh was himself a member of the QAJAR royal family.

The failing dynasty that preceded the Pahlavis. He was from an opposing royal family which left Iran destitute and was trying to reclaim power.

Reza Shah the Great, the father of the late Shah, had replaced the Qajars through constitutional procedure, winning a supermajority in parliamentary elections.

Mossadegh represented the old, failed regime.

The Shah already had calculated plans for better nationalisation of Iranian oil.

By suddenly cancelling oil contracts, Mossadegh created economic crisis and turmoil in Iran.

He used this chaos to claim "dictatorial powers", in his own words.

Mossadegh then illegally attempted to abolish the Senate, which was a constitutional power assigned solely to the Shah.

This was an unconstitutional power grab.

Seeing this chaotic power grab, Shah Mohammad Reza Pahlavi used his constitutional authority to dismiss Mossadegh.

Using what’s called a "farman"

A royal decree written into the constitution.

The Shah had the constitutional power to dismiss the PM, and he did it in the interest of Iran's economy and its people from economic devastation.

"But Operation Ajax proves there was a coup!"

Your only source for this idea IS THE CIA. This CIA narrative was seen as positive with the US government at the time and was popularised at the time to solidify the agency.

The constitutional power was solely in the Shah's hands.

Kermit Roosevelt (spy & grandson of ex-US President Roosevelt) had just $150k from CIA and British support to pull of Operation Ajax.

But even the US/UK asked Kermit to halt and leave as their operation was largely ineffective.

As one of the CIA's early covert operations, embellishing operations Ajax as a success was crucial for establishing the agency's credibility, securing positions and justifying its methods.

The IRANIAN ARMY under General Zahedi ultimately carried out Mossadegh's arrest, not the CIA.

Tehran witnessed significant violence as Iranian demonstrators and military units clashed with Mossadegh's men in suits.

The Iranian armored column surrounded and anti-Mossadegh civilians surrounded Mossadegh's residence.

Crowds chanted "Zendebad Shah!" ("Long live the Shah!") as Mossadegh was overthrown for treason.

Iranians brought their own dictator to justice.

Today this democracy lie is promoted in Western academics and those with anti-West sentiments as a way to present their case against Western "imperialism."

Mossadegh was never a widely popular figure inside Iran and most regular Iranians had little care for him as a figure.