In the 50’s, Iranian prime minister Mohammad Mossadegh presaged a different future for the country. But he made a crucial mistake: he nationalized oil and attempted to lift his people out of poverty through social programs. This led to a CIA- and MI6-led coup and years of tumult for the country that has long been an American boogeyman. Julian Feeld and John Gabrus explore.

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Research and writing by Séamus Malekafzali. Editing by Ty Wood. Theme song by Thiago França. Cover art by Ruben Gerard. Super Structure selection of the week is Saraabe Toe by Kourosh Yaghmaei.

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Bibliography

• All the Shah’s Men by Stephen Kinzer
• The Coup by Ervand Abrahamian
• A History of Modern Iran by Ervand Abrahamian
• The Iran National Front and the Struggle for Democracy by Masoud Kazemzadeh
• Khomeinism by Ervand Abrahamian
• Iran’s Political Economy Since the Revolution by Suzanne Maloney
• Mossadegh in Military Court by Jalil Bozorgmehr
• Musaddiq and the Struggle for Power in Iran by Homa Katouzian
• https://www.nytimes.com/1952/09/28/archives/mossadegh-prophet-or-buffoon-his-place-in-history-may-be-determined.html
• https://www.iranicaonline.org/articles/fedaian-e-esla/
• https://www.mohammadmossadegh.com/news/indian-express/mossadeq-wants-monarchy-to-stay/
• https://dayan.org/content/worker-street-mosaddegh-street-struggle-over-collective-memory-iranian-prime-minister
• https://www.democracynow.org/2017/7/24/newly_declassified_documents_confirm_us_backed
• https://www.iranicaonline.org/articles/afgani-jamal-al-din/