History repeating? This is how US engineered Iran’s 1953 coup and why it still matters
On 19 August 2013, the CIA officially acknowledged its role in the coup that removed Iran’s elected Prime Minister Mohammad Mossadegh.
CIA's Coup Admission
Amid the ongoing Israel-Iran conflict, the calls or regime change in Iran have intensified. Earlier, both, US President Donald Trump and Israeli Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu openly suggested that Iran leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei could be a legitimate target. The US's intervention in the conflict echoes the foreign interference during the 1953 coup in Iran. On 19 August 2013, the CIA officially acknowledged its role in the coup that removed Iran’s elected Prime Minister Mohammad Mossadegh. The admission came through the declassification of internal documents, later published by the National Security Archive. Earlier, former US President Barack Obama had already recognised America’s involvement in the matter during a 2009 speech in Cairo.
Mossadegh’s Nationalisation Drive
Mossadegh was a popular figure in Iran, known for nationalising the Iranian oil industry, which had long been under British control via the Anglo-Iranian Oil Company. His refusal to allow further British involvement in Iran’s oil sector was seen as a threat to Western economic interests, especially during the Cold War.
Britain and the CIA Join Forces
Unable to reverse the nationalisation through negotiations, Britain turned to the United States. Working with Shah, the CIA and British intelligence began to engineer a plot to overthrow Mossadeq. The CIA and the British Secret Intelligence Service (SIS) collaborated to stage a coup. They spread anti-Mossadegh propaganda and rallied support for Shah Mohammad Reza Pahlavi. Protests were orchestrated and joined by the Iranian army.
Regime Change and US Funding
General Fazlollah Zahedi was installed as the new Prime Minister. To ensure his government’s stability, the CIA made $5 million available within two days of the coup. This marked a turning point in Iran–US relations and helped cement the Shah’s control, who would later become a close US ally.
Public Backlash and Long-term Fallout
While the coup restored the Shah, it created lasting resentment among Iranians. Mossadeq was arrested, served three years in prison, and died under house arrest in 1967. Many viewed the US-backed monarch as authoritarian and corrupt. This discontent culminated in the 1979 Islamic Revolution, which overthrew the Shah and ushered in clerical rule under Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini.
From Khomeini to Khamenei
Following Khomeini’s death in 1989, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei became Iran’s Supreme Leader. The US’s past role in the coup remains a key source of mistrust between Tehran and Washington, influencing today’s geopolitics and public opinion within Iran. As the Israel–Iran conflict intensifies, Donald Trump has echoed past regime-change rhetoric. He has warned Tehran to evacuate, blocked Israeli plans to assassinate Khamenei, and insisted Iran “cannot win this war.”
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