“It’s Always About Oil”: CIA & MI6 Staged Coup in Iran 70 Years Ago, Destroying Democracy in Iran

We look at the 70th anniversary of the August 19, 1953, U.S.- and U.K-backed coup in Iran, which took place two years after Iran’s democratically elected Prime Minister Mohammad Mosaddegh nationalized Iran’s oil industry that had been controlled by the company now known as British Petroleum. “If nationalization in Iran of oil was successful, this would set a terrible example to other countries where U.S. oil interests were present,” explains Ervand Abrahamian, Iranian historian and author of Oil Crisis in Iran: From Nationalism to Coup d’Etat and The Coup: 1953, The CIA, and the Roots of Modern U.S.-Iranian Relations. While the CIA has historically taken credit for Mosaddegh’s overthrow, “the British have not admitted their leading role,” notes Iranian filmmaker Taghi Amirani, whose documentary film Coup 53 uncovers the influence of MI6 agents who sought to preserve their imperial-era access to Iranian oil and pulled in the Americans by promising a “slice.” Seventy years later, says Amirani, “We are still living with the ripples of this disastrous event.”
Transcript: democracynow.org
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[@Bavafa1]

"The United States does not want democracy in the Middle East" The truest statement said about the US and Middle East

[@robertmarmaduke186]

Democracy is a fraud and we are immersed in oil & gas & plastics for survival. It was the British oil companies that overthrew Iran in any case,

[@emilio2647]

@Bavafa1 remember Henry Kissinger's words when he stated that America has no permanent friends nor allies only interests.

[@Bavafa1]

@@emilio2647 And it is really too bad that he has not faced justice for his crimes against humanity.

[@pepperprovasnik]

Why do we believe "democracy" is positive for anyone? It's clearly been outgrown in the US

[@boi9842]

liberal democracy is the weakest form of governance, all liberal "democratic" countries are US colonies, the only countries standing for their sovereignty are non liberal democracies and bonapartist regimes like China/Russia/Iran.

[@sxt4447]

Imagine what Iran would be like today if we didn’t meddle in their democratic process. They’d probably be the wealthiest democratic nation on the planet. The US couldn’t have that….

[@kaashlia]

The whole Middle East! Amazing ancient countries.

[@Social_Pugatory]

Not just the Middle East all over the world where we “support” dictators and undemocratic leadership in natural resource rich countries. If everybody just minded their business how much better off the world would be. It s like the fire nation attacked once now ever since each country has been trying to one-up the others.

[@LG-dj9qr]

And the Brits. Don't forget the UK. At one time they had their colonialized hands in a quarter of all nations.

[@richardh8082]

@@LG-dj9qr Yeah sorry about all that :(

[@terirea7743]

Now we have murderous, backward, ignorant, dictatorial Saudi Arabia as our ally. Another Republican win in massive stupidity and warmongering by president Dwight Eisenhower.

[@JZ2445]

It is NEVER about Democracy - it is about control of resources. Same thing happened to Iraq, Afghanistan and the complaints about 'less democratic countries' today.

[@louise_rose]

Ukraine, too. The US and NATO (essentially controlled by the US and its deputy the UK) wanted naval bases on Crimea, further military pushback against Russia and access to cheap oil, gas, fruit and wheat from Ukraine, so they installed the regime they wanted in Ukraine from 2014 on and used it as a battering ram against Russia. Without the heavy US investment - military, financial and geopolitical - in eastern Europe and Ukraine over the last twenty years, the current war wouldn't even have happened.

[@AwesomeBlackDude]

🤔

[@frostflower5555]

Of course. That is why Amereeka had its eye on Russia since the fall of the Soviet Union. The vast amount of resources that Russia has to rape makes USA's mouth water. Fill in the rest of the blanks...

[@bobneveln6359]

😢

[@johnd2058]

9/11 and the absence of US oil revenues from Iraq say hello.

[@greenarrow5594]

70 years later and the USA are still doing the same thing!!

[@cindylacy]

They’ve been doing it since 1893 in Hawaii

[@erenyeagerist7681]

USA did that to my country in the Philippines in 1986. They planted a coup d'etat using the leftist and communist NPA to get rid of pres. Marcos, Sr. who was a threat to USA because pres. Marcos, Sr. wanted to establish a GOLD currency as a trade in Asia. USA was enraged at pres. Marcos, Sr. because USA was paranoid that their being no. 1 in the world would be reduced

[@Salman-sc8gr]

Latest one was in Pakistan.

[@salvadorvizcarra769]

@@cindylacy "In 250 years of existence as a nation, the US has fought against 29 sovereign countries. (In Fact, since 1785, we have been involved, for 231 years, in some kind of war. And this wars, against all varieties of nations. From going against the Sultan of Morocco, to invading the tiny island of Grenada, 1983. Well, this means that in our entire history, we have only had 17 years of peace, and even fewer, cuz here the almost 5 years of our Civil War (Union/Confed 1861‒1865), are Not counted, since this war was not with another country, but against us. And the wars against the Native Nations of America either are not counted, for the same reason). Anyway: We fought against 29 countries. We have "Grown" 711 the size of our territory from the original 13 colonies. Our Economic, Political and Military development was established thanks to the Piracy, the Slavery, the Massacres, the Opium Trade or Cocaine Traffic, and the Weakness of many abused sovereign nations. We have provoked with total impunity, 12 Genocides and 9 Massacres, ‒inside and outside our own borders‒, and Assassinations of Gov’t. Leaders, Coups d'État and Economic Blockades in 6 UN member nations. Between 1947 and 1989, the US tried to change other nations gov’ts 73 times. It includes 66 covert Ops. And 7 overt ones. In Civil Wars: The US has taken advantage of and intervened without justification in the following Civil Wars: In Marquesas Island. (Massacre. 1813). US Forces seize Nuku Hiva Island (French Polynesia 1813), and establish here «The First US Naval Base», in the Pacific. This historical fact is important, cuz in 1813, the US had NO Territorial Land nor Maritime Rights in the Pacific Ocean, until 1848, when the US seized California and other Mexican territories facing the Pacific. In Haiti. (1813 and 1901 and then 1915-1919-1934-1995-2001). In the Philippines. (1898-1902. Genocide. One Million people dead). In Hawaii. (1889 and 1890-1893 and 1901). In Cuba. (1898 and 1901-1902 and 1906 and 1913 and 1952 and again 1960). In Island Guam and Island Wake (1898-1899 and 1902-1905). In Island of Samoa. (1898-1899). In Puerto Rico. (1898-1902 to 2023 LOL). In Colombia. (1899-1902 and 1948). In Mexico. (1836 and 1847, and 1859-1861 “Cortina Wars”. And 1875 "Las Cuevas War”. And 1886 and 1904 and 1914 and again in 1916-1917 against “Pancho Villa”). In Russia. (1918-1920). In the "Republic Banana Wars" of Central America. (Massacre. 1912-1934-1943). In Dominican Republic. (1916-1924 and 1965-1966). In Honduras. (1903 and 1912 and 1919 and 1924-1925 and again 2009). In Venezuela. (1936 and 1945 and again in 1948). Military Coup in Peru. (1948 and 1967). In China. (1856-1859, and 1899-1901, and 1913 and 1933, and again in 1945-1946-1949). Military assistance to Chinese rebels in Taiwan. (1951-1952). In Korea. (1871 and 1950-1953). In Iran. (1953). Coup against Mohammad Mosaddegh. (Massacre). In Vietnam. (1959-1975. Massacre and Genocide.). In Laos. (Massacre. 1970-1974). The CIA “Bombing of Laos-Cambodia Ops” and the "Air America Op". (1971-1973). Attack on Cambodia. (Kampuchea. 1975). In Albania. (1949-1953 and 1955). In Panama. (1856, and 1903, and 1964-1968, and again 1989). In Brazil. (1950 and 1959 and 1964 and again in 2016). Coup and Intervention in Guatemala. (Massacre. 1944, and 1954, and 1966, and again 1982-1985). Coup against Patrice Lumumba and Intervention in Republic of the Congo. (Massacre. 1960- 1961). Coup and subsequent Fascist regime in Greece. (1967). The Hunting for Che Guevara, in Bolivia. (1968). US Military assistance in the Coup in Bolivia (Copper Mining Co. 1971). Terror in Uruguay. Support for the regime of Juan María Bordaberry. (Genocide. 1973). Support for the regime of Moboth, in Zaire (Genocide. 1974). Democratic Republic of the Congo “Simba Rebellion”. (Massacre. 1964-1967 and 1975). Entry of US Troops into Nicaragua. (1928-1932 against Augusto Sandino, and 1937 and 1972-1973, and 1984-1987 and again 1995). Coup in Chile against Salvador Allende. (Genocide. 1973-1976). Argentina (1976-1986). Armed conflict between the Saharawi Arab Republic and between Morocco. (1976-2002). Support for the cannibal Jean-Bédel Bokassa, in Central African Republic. (Genocide. 1979). Military assistance to the rebels of Yemen and Oman. (Massacre. 1978-1979). Military assistance in El Salvador, special operations. (Genocide. 1980-1992). Liberia. (Massacre. 1978-1980-1983). Coup in Honduras. Support General Polycarpo Paz Garcia. “Cocaine State”. (Genocide. 1979-1980-1982). Military assistance to Iraq. (1983-1990). We, the US, assistance Saddam Hussein against Iran. (More than half a million deaths in ten years. 1980-1990). Support and funding of the Khmer Rouge of Pol Pot. (Genocide 1980-1982). In Angola-Namibia. (Massacre. 1980-1981-1984). Intervention in Grenada (1983). Here, in Grenada, the US Rangers attack lasted 6 hours, since the tiny Island has no Army, no Navy nor Air Force. The Ranges fought against 287 fearsome Police Officers. Actually, half of these Cops, cuz the other half had not yet come to work the afternoon shift. LOL. In Chad, support the Dictator and Genocide François “Ngarta” Tombalbaye. (1960-1972 and Intervention 1982-1986 and 2007). In Egypt, in the “Arab Spring” (2010-2012). In Myanmar (2015-2017). Coup in Equatorial Guinea. (1994-1997-2007 and 2021). In Bosnia. (1994-1995 and 2006). In Gambia. (CIA-CEDEAO. 2017). In Burkina Faso. (Massacre. 2014-2015 and 2021). Coup in Peru against Pedro Castillo. (2022-2023)… In Libya, Niger, Chad, Mozambique, Zambia, in Gabon (Gabon It is a small country at the western end of Central Africa. In just 4 years, 2019-2022, Gabon has suffered 9 Coups d'état. In 8 of these Coups, the US has intervened in one way or another). In Kenya, Oman, Palestine, Lebanon, Somalia, Sudan, Syria, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Mali, Jordan, in Kosovo, Kiribati, Iraq, Iran, Yemen, in Afghanistan, etc. And… Oh! Yeah: In Ukraine. In 70 years, that is, from 1950 to 2020, we, the US, have participated in 80% of all global armed conflicts. In 80%!!! What's so "Proud" about being a nation of Looters and Criminals? .

[@angaleejones]

Wish was not controlled against copying....

[@farhadfarhadian1111]

The true face of USA

[@Houthiandtheblowfish]

it is not only that half of the population were killed by manufactured famine agriculture hoarding and ports being blockaded to feed the soldiers stationed in iran during ww1 nearly 9 million people died out of 20 million it was the persian holocast since history is written by victorors it never gets recognized

[@TheBalterok]

Have you never benefited?

[@seejayfrujay]

I guess what elder Bush said just keeps ringing true: "If the American people knew what we have done, they would string us up from the lamp posts."

[@a.person1723]

I dont think our lamp posts are going to be tall enough to be sufficient at this point

[@namelessjedi2242]

Have done, and are still doing today…

[@davidcbr0wn]

America people are going to do what they’ve always done: believe the oligarch’s’ propaganda and keep voting for Democrats and Republicans.

[@mikeferrini8884]

Bush was made the CIA director due to his family fortune and ties to wall street as well as his personal involvement with Allan Dulles and the Kennedy Assassination. If people still have doubts about whoactually killed Kennedy, it was the CIA and the Bush family at the behest of Dulles.

[@sagesufferswell]

Nothing seems outrageous enough to make the American population want to string up criminal leaders.

[@knightalexius593]

Not "backed" but "orchestrated" by the US and Britain.

[@elatomala1976]

Exactly! Doing the BEASTS bidding across the world is who they are ALL CONTROLLED BY

[@threemobileone1371]

Read books, talk to lranians and do your own research. Stop listening to the heavily biased leftist propaganda specialist. You have been misled for far too long.

[@barbaramayer5182]

Just like Ukraine. Then blame R. & P

[@elatomala1976]

@barbaramayer5182 That's what they always do play the blame game for what they are doing. They also implant people to cause the chaos that ensues in other countries. Antifa, BLM have been used for their CAUSE to CREATE it, too. These people are trained at camps and PAID to do their dirty deeds. Dressing them leaving bricks umbrellas are ALL part of the SHOW. They receive their directions through their PHONES. That is why ALL illegals receive them for FREE when they come here, thanks to HUSSEIN Obama and Biden MANY years ago. The SHOW called FLASH MOB was a TRIAL RUN for all to be ENTERTAINED. ALL SCRIPTED TO DANCE DANCE DANCE. NOW they are used to destroy businesses and BURN and are getting away with it wearing MASKS. They sure have been putting a lot of thought and time developing their diabolical methods of destruction. POPULATION CONTROL= eliminating people... Georgia Guidestones that THEY BLEW up for their incantation to send them to the UNIVERSE to bring to fruition last year. Shortly after 7/4th. De-popuoation of the world by 95% is their plan...Sasha Fierce put out her Armageddon album pictures on the 4 colored horses. This year, she's on tour with her daughter, putting on the ceremonial shows where people give her their energy without even knowing it. HELL IS EMPTY... THEY ARE HERE WALKING AND WORKING HERE ON EARTH OUT TO CRUSH KILL DESTROY EVERYTHING THAT WAS CREATED OUT OF ❤️ 😍 💖 ❣️ 💕 💘 ❤️ WE ARE ALL GIFTS FROM GOD CREATED OUT OF LOVE...THE FALLEN ANGELS HATE IT ALL AND ARE USING MAN WOMAN CHILDREN TO DO THE DEVILS BIDDING ACROSS THE WORLD. THESE WICKED PEOPLE ARE RAISING THEIR CHILDREN TO CONTINUE THEIR DIABOLICAL AGENDA. THE DOLLAR BILL IS COVERED WITH SYMBOLISM THAT REFLECTS WHOSE CONTRACT THEY SIGNED ON MOUNT HERMON OVER 1000 YEARS AGO. THEIR LOVE OF MONEY (GREED) IS THE ROOT OF ALL EVIL. FAME FORTUNES ARE ALL THAT MATTERS TO THEM. May God our Father and Jesus Christ Our Lord and Savior guide bless protect and SAVE us from those within our own GOVERNMENTS and these ENTITIES that exist as we fulfill our missions in life I pray Amen THIS GAME THEY HAVE BEEN PLAYING WITH OUR LIVES AND THE LIVES OF OUR LOVED ONES MUST COME TO AN END PERMANENTLY! I pray the people who are lost are found so they can SAVE their SOULS from THEM and eternal DAMNATION with them.

[@flickwtchr]

@@barbaramayer5182 "Then blame R. & P" Huh?

[@NomadSupreme911]

We don't defend Kuwait in the Gulf War if they didn't have oil. We don't invade Iraq in 2003 if they didn't have oil. Always follow the money.

[@dawnoceanside7300]

Follow the money, and sit on COMFY COUCH for decades!!!! Someone else's kid will die for my oil...... Right?

[@karamyoussef3362]

Do you think there will be time/American generation to follow different policies regarding this part of the world and leave them to proceed with their experience.

[@howardmctroy3303]

​@@karamyoussef3362No.

[@thomasthomasphilp4393]

Before the execution, Saddam Hussein told the judges that he attacked Kuwait while US asked him

[@saturationstation1446]

dont follow it too far tho because that will lead back to european monarchs EVERY SINGLE TIME. and we must insist that they arent doing anything wrong and deserve to take everyone elses stuff

[@le7mule21]

“When plunder becomes a way of life for a group of men in a society, over the course of time they create for themselves a legal system that authorizes it and a moral code that glorifies it.” Frédéric Bastiat

[@curtrice6060]

📝💰💸💵

[@Houthiandtheblowfish]

it is not only that half of the population were killed by manufactured famine agriculture hoarding and ports being blockaded to feed the soldiers stationed in iran during ww1 nearly 9 million people died out of 20 million it was the persian holocast since history is written by victorors it never gets recognized

[@minimalist279]

. . . sick barbarians . . .

[@louise_rose]

"It's only robbery and illegal looting when THEY do it" ;)

[@chrismashburn9710]

Great quote, gov mule. The politics of power as an expression of the 2nd law. If only we could reap the benefits of a stable system and build in some beneficial cycle of instability. Something far short of revolution but less integral to the problem than "voting". Instead, we make systems that work well enough to lock in the abject rot.

[@Marxist2]

So Roosevelt served BP in this coup. Sickening.

[@edwardroche2480]

And America has caused this same problem in dozens of countries. And that call immigration. Greed and the thirst for money and power is never-ending.

[@saturationstation1446]

wish people would get it into their heads that there is no such thing as a good wealthy eurocentric person. you might find a couple good things they have done but when you examine whats happened around them and the rest of their own actions, you see, they dont have the capacity to care for anyone who isnt a rich european.

[@RobHollanderMusic]

For the casual browser of these comments the above comment is not referring to FDR, but descendant of Teddy Roosevelt.

[@mikefruge8589]

No, not FDR. It was one of his descendants.

[@Houthiandtheblowfish]

it is not only that half of the population were killed by manufactured famine agriculture hoarding and ports being blockaded to feed the soldiers stationed in iran during ww1 nearly 9 million people died out of 20 million it was the persian holocast since history is written by victorors it never gets recognized

[@evadd2]

This is a nice follow up to Oliver Stone's work. He identifies the rise of the CIA and the Dulles brothers and American intervention throughout the world.

[@Houthiandtheblowfish]

it is not only that half of the population were killed by manufactured famine agriculture hoarding and ports being blockaded to feed the soldiers stationed in iran during ww1 nearly 9 million people died out of 20 million it was the persian holocast since history is written by victorors it never gets recognized

[@cbgames3945]

Notice how they get airports and ships named after them when they advance the empire.

[@dvijay461]

Dulles also played a role in the jfk assassination

[@louise_rose]

Yes, the parallel to Oliver Stone and Seymour Hersh - and before them, with Noam Chomsky and his groundbreaking criticism of the US mix of exceptionalism and brash, violent opportunism - is very clear.

[@christinakis7265]

They are others qualified for the job. Let's not get stuck with Hollywierds.

[@a2zin125]

As an Iranian-American, I grew up being immersed in this information in the 70's, so practically nothing here in news to me. My grandparents, parents, uncles, the media, intellectuals, and even small shop owners and taxi drivers in Iran would talk about it, reciting our history with the US and Britain bit by bit. I never knew how much this information was actually suppressed by the CIA and/or MI6 until recently, and always wondered how Americans knew so little about it!!

[@FrankskinOrweed-ep4ij]

Yes I’ve learned last 2 years too of the deep corruption and evil forces of our world. One thing that annoys me is lately I've heard Iranians be so oblivious to this History and are now in fact supporting a state that HASN’t good intentions for their ppl or land. It’s crazy, but ofc MSM have done a deep level of manipulation, gaslighting and misinformation, so reality isn’t depicted. For many ppl it’s all they know the propaganda. I too was a sheep until recently ! Ofc the dictatorships who get into power in these nations are also oppressive and not good guys, but the terrible thing is it’s all choreographed by ppl who had bad intentions with their nation!!

[@michaelamorginos2807]

What a disgrace they are 😡😡. Totally revolting 🤮🤮🤮🤮

[@Houthiandtheblowfish]

it is not only that half of the population were killed by manufactured famine agriculture hoarding and ports being blockaded to feed the foregin soldiers stationed in iran during ww1 nearly 9 million people died out of 20 million it was the persian holocast since history is written by victorors it never gets recognized

[@BillSias-op7xw]

Great job exposing corruption.

[@durango8882]

OMG who dat😳

[@PersonnaEvans-kn6xm]

If Not Corruptions..Can Look of Scary "No to Little LAWs or Prioritizing Hierarchical Securities Levels...

[@Houthiandtheblowfish]

it is not only that half of the population were killed by manufactured famine agriculture hoarding and ports being blockaded to feed the soldiers stationed in iran during ww1 nearly 9 million people died out of 20 million it was the persian holocast since history is written by victorors it never gets recognized

[@kimocoloma4123]

Don't be innocent and ignorant with American Government. President Marcos in the Philippines once said when America accused him of Authoritarian Marshall Law form of Government so President Ferdinand Marcos told American Government Officials said "who do you think I've learned it from?" When Trump was asked why he wanted a closer relation with Putin of Russia or Kim Jun Ong of North Korea dictators and murderous killers Trump replied " you think America is innocent in that regard?". Trump calls it like it is.

[@twistedoperator4422]

Capitalism's quest for never ending growth at all costs.

[@le7mule21]

Why do you think we are in the state we are in today? Now they are feeding on us now. There own.

[@saturationstation1446]

show me where european monarchs lost control of "capital" ... show me where a major eurocentric business exists without most of their costs being subsidized by their "government" and its citizens. you cant. and because you cant, there is no capitalism. there is still only monarchy, parading as anything else it can confuse people into believing. whether that be fascism or democracy. neither of those things are real when monarchs have complete control of the worlds resources and people.

[@SimonFranck100]

That's how it "grew"

[@Houthiandtheblowfish]

it is not only that half of the population were killed by manufactured famine agriculture hoarding and ports being blockaded to feed the soldiers stationed in iran during ww1 nearly 9 million people died out of 20 million it was the persian holocast since history is written by victorors it never gets recognized

[@barbaratheard5992]

Don't blame it on capitalism....the blame rests squarely on the shoulders of those seduced by it.

[@Juan-ud3if]

Salute The Truth and Truth Teller's.🙋🙋🙋🙋🙋🙋🙋🙋🙋🙋🙋🙋🙋

[@kimocoloma4123]

"Tell the truth because the truth will set you free"

[@Curious0101]

1953 coup was the start of the 25 years oil consortium agreement and after Shah informed the parties no extension would be given to the agreement that was expiring in 1979, the revolution of 1979 took place! It was always about the Oil

[@Trdundee]

The same route was followed by Dick Cheney who wanted the contracts for his oil company in the US and the Afghan government of that time decided to give it to Brazil or Argentina. And the next thing you knew a propaganda was initiated in the USA to convince the people that the government in Afghanistan were bad people and in the name of goodies like democracy and freedom and human rights they sent their forces to Afghanistan. The western world doesn’t have any of these. The democracy in the USA,CANADA,BRITAIN have been hijacked after the Second World War by someone or a group of people ,I really don’t know who they are. We erroneously blame our governments for the bad moves. The governments are just a front desk,or at least that’s what they have been reduced to.

[@carlolapadula3953]

No wonder some people are skeptical that when it comes to Ukraıne, *this time* the US narrative on who the bad guy is actually, finally accurate for a change. Wonder where Democracy Now stands in that regard...

[@DaveBoswell-lz3kc]

The people you're thinking of are the 1% the multi mega-billionaires.

[@nopeno6514]

They are the military complex, the big pharma, the big multinacional corporations, all helped by the social media, D. C. lobbies and corrupt politicians, which includes the CIA and the FBI.

[@bamaraiderable]

Are you saying the Taliban are GOOD people? Please explain.

[@Trdundee]

@@bamaraiderable it all depends on how you look at them.From which angle. All peoples of the world have good and bad people. Calling a people bad is not doing justice to those of them who are good. Taliban are actually students going to a school,religious or not. But if you mean by Taliban the government of Afghanistan,then,I would suggest we call the their proper name: the Afghan government. I hope I have answered your question.

[@dennissalisbury496]

What made the Mosaddegh Coup so successful was that it didn't cost anything relative to the oil revenue that was seized.

[@kimocoloma4123]

I forgot Spain was also dominant land owner.

[@WorshipinIdols]

What made the “coupe” so successful was that it wasn’t a coupe but that the people were authentically fed up with his failed socialist economic policies. It’s very easy to get your way when your way is the same direction as the will of the people. Exactly the same thing as happens in Ukraine, yes we support the protestors and wish them well and much success. But the west has nothing to do with starting of encouraging it. At least not till after it was already in full swing.

[@nuqwestr]

It didn't cost anything because Iran was divided and easily swayed, Mossadegh's popularity was already waning, so very easy to push it over.

[@tomshahriari6602]

As a child, my father would tell me stories of his work for the cia. His job was to hire the poor from rural area’s and drive them to Tehran to act as “protesters” against Mossadegh. Ironically, my mother’s brother was a member of the Tudeh party and had to flee to the communist block, where he lived until his death a few years ago. It is all madness.

[@FrankskinOrweed-ep4ij]

Such sneakiness, such immense greed and corruption These ppl are sociopaths and sorry but ur dad was too or morally bankrupt. Sometimes ppl wake up later on in USA.. and the west

[@GhoulJaron]

Yes and now people complain of Iran, the US complain of Iran, and say: oh look at Iran before all of this it was so beautiful now it's so radical" and they don't wonder who ruined it, just blaming others other then there own people.

[@melindaward4780]

Most people don't know anything about Iran except for the hostages. Not of everything that came before. EVERYONE should see this because it still effects today. Sad to say, no matter where it's always about the Money.

[@Houthiandtheblowfish]

it is not only that half of the population were killed by manufactured famine agriculture hoarding and ports being blockaded to feed the soldiers stationed in iran during ww1 nearly 9 million people died out of 20 million it was the persian holocast since history is written by victorors it never gets recognized

[@psmith2714]

And its been going on in Africa, South America, Ukraine, Libya and the Middle East. Thats how BRICS came about.

[@dmikaels2199]

The British and the CIA of course!

[@Houthiandtheblowfish]

it is not only that half of the population were killed by manufactured famine agriculture hoarding and ports being blockaded to feed the soldiers stationed in iran during ww1 nearly 9 million people died out of 20 million it was the persian holocast since history is written by victorors it never gets recognized

[@kimocoloma4123]

JFK Jr. before he died on his plane he supposedly piloted just disappear in the middle of the Atlantic wrote a book about who killed/assassinated his father. He revealed a name "GEORGE" In the CIA. The older Bush was the head of the CIA that time of assassination.

[@windy1267]

of course! Dont look any further of who owns these oil companies, or most U.S corporations, or who meddled with the Iranian government in 1944, that would be very antisemtic of you!

[@User-79916_ue]

The 3 scumbags of the earth: CIA, MI6 & MOSSAD

[@FrankskinOrweed-ep4ij]

@windy1267 It’s disgraceful we can’t even spell correctly on these sites. We simply aren’t free Z0Gs destroy world and continue to do so, particularly 0.1% , the banking families. Imho it wouldn’t surprise me if they made deal with the devil in exchange for wealth& favours. Similar to ‘the fall of the house of Asher’ series. It’s eerily reminiscent of the REALITY of our world! You probably won’t see this comment !!

[@dinomite592]

History has shown that whenever the U.S.A. controls the Basra region gas prices go way up at the pumps in the U.S.A.

[@TheBalterok]

History has shown that before the USA ever was people used to burn wood for heat, light an oil wick for light and ride in the horse and buggy, if lucky.

[@cheri238]

Thank you, Amy Goodman, and Juan Gonzalez and Team Democracy Now for having Taghi Amirani with his incredible documentary 'Coup 53' on this morning. This is the second interview I have seen him speak. Congratulations to him and his team for this extraordinary documentary. American history and world histories on all sides. Ray Fiennes an excellent actor , thank you also.

[@4Youalone3]

I'm 72 so all I knew was the Persian Shah and his overthrow followed by an Islamic government. Thank you for telling us the truth. I'm terribly saddened to learn of one more history of the USA destroying a foreign Democracy for Capitalist money makers. I cry for my country.

[@cheri238]

@@4Youalone3 🙏❤️🌏🕊🎶🎵

[@user-vt7uz9fs7e]

The actor is Ralph Fiennes. It's a weird and peculiar thing that the Brits pronounce something completely different from the way it's spelled. Rafe is the way he says it.

[@cheri238]

@@user-vt7uz9fs7e Thank you

[@Houthiandtheblowfish]

it is not only that half of the population were killed by manufactured famine agriculture hoarding and ports being blockaded to feed the soldiers stationed in iran during ww1 nearly 9 million people died out of 20 million it was the persian holocast since history is written by victorors it never gets recognized

[@darrenalevi3006]

Fascinating Documentary now this is the type of things Democracy now should be covering

[@kimocoloma4123]

Now you know why the Iranians are so in deep hatred to Americans "DEATH TO AMERICA". if you have served the American Military you would learned a lot of countries hate us Americans.

[@FoxSt3v3]

100% this is well known and they did it everywhere else around the world too

[@Houthiandtheblowfish]

it is not only that half of the population were killed by manufactured famine agriculture hoarding and ports being blockaded to feed the soldiers stationed in iran during ww1 nearly 9 million people died out of 20 million it was the persian holocast since history is written by victorors it never gets recognized

[@kimocoloma4123]

Britain, France and America ruled and colonized most of the land in the world even as we speak today.

[@TheBalterok]

Not in North Korea, they didn’t.

[@FoxSt3v3]

@@TheBalterok Korea itself is split because of America, Russia and China there never was or currently is a need for a 'North' Korea, the split is all part of an Empirical game, as is the rest of modern American meddling I will say, if NK had an insane amount of oil, the US may have tried harder

[@sagesufferswell]

I feel so bad for the people of Iran. They've been trying to get free of that horrendous regime ever since we intervened and the atrocities committed there regularly are unacceptable. We must fix our mistakes and help them.

[@arronfrazier7873]

No, they want to be left the hell alone. The West has done enough the last few hundred years around the planet with colonialism and imperialism.

[@AnkhGirl]

Yeah, stop by Africa first.

[@Houthiandtheblowfish]

it is not only that half of the population were killed by manufactured famine agriculture hoarding and ports being blockaded to feed the foregin soldiers stationed in iran during ww1 nearly 9 million people died out of 20 million it was the persian holocast since history is written by victorors it never gets recognized

[@syncopatedfeb4770]

what regime? the one that won't let you go back to syria and smuggle oil or assault 12 year olds? worry about your homelessness and failed society ffs, lollol

[@syedalimujtabahaidertirmiz7441]

This coup brought in the Western Friendly Shah for 26 years and that “regime” was overthrown by the Iranian people in 1979 Iran has been free ever since if you liars are claiming the so called “revolution” in Iran is happening it has been and year since and nothing it failed In 2 weeks after that there hasn’t been a peep

[@bonitaroache73]

The United States has never forgiven the Iranian Citizenry for ousting its Dictator, the Shah. As far as the Corporate paymasters are concerned, NO ONE has the right to oust a US installed and supported Dictator from Power, despite how oppressive their Tyranny is...

[@jamesmurphy9426]

It's sad the average American citizen will never understand that fact or the history of America between the spanish American war and world War two Occupation of Haiti and Cuba The Philippines Insurrection against America basically very similarly to the Vietnam War

[@ivelawthomas4246]

Democracy for them and ditatorship for the rest of the world according to the united states and europes globall élites...

[@howardmctroy3303]

They replaced him with someone worse.

[@bonitaroache73]

Economic Sanctions on Iran are all about Economic Warfare. US Officials targeted the Iranian Citizenry using Sanctions to inflict massive Economic Warfare and Death on them. The Aim: Oust your Dictatorship in another Revolution and restore a pro-US Dictatorship in its stead or we'll continue to squeeze the Economic lifeblood out of you until you Die. How is it that the American Public, Taxpayers, and Consumers really not understand the Hatred and Vilification we've brought onto ourselves from Central Asia and the Eurasian Continent from our utter Stupidity Squared?!

[@az6802]

@@howardmctroy3303Thats subjective

[@mahmooddelkhasteh2224]

I was born three years after the coup. I remember my dad, most of the times, he was edgy and bad tempered. The first time I saw him wholeheartedly happy and joyful was in 1979 Revolution, when Shah was gone, the country was free and we all were expecting that the emerging freedom and democracy will last forever!!! (not knowing the overthrow of the dictatorship is just the start and not the end.) It was then I realized that his depression and moodiness to a large extend was due to 1953 coup. He was a military man who was fiercely pro- Mossadegh. He saw him as a kind of Prometheus, who brough the light of awareness and knowledge to the Iranians. The coup, had deeply traumatized him. The mega criminals who conduct coup, have a birds eye view, hence blinded to the suffering they inflict to the people and even if they do, the could not care less. This the the colonial mentality, which is enmeshed in savagery and brutality.

[@HughJass-jv2lt]

Cool that your dad was Pro Mossadegh ❤❤

[@Houthiandtheblowfish]

it is not only that half of the population were killed by manufactured famine agriculture hoarding and ports being blockaded to feed the foregin soldiers stationed in iran during ww1 nearly 9 million people died out of 20 million it was the persian holocast since history is written by victorors it never gets recognized

[@Jack-in-the-country]

Your comment is thoughtful and really puts things into perspective for me... Thank you.

[@milema8155]

Thank you for sharing, my heart goes to you.

[@FrankskinOrweed-ep4ij]

Yes too many countries in Africa, Middle East and central south Americas have been intentionally infiltrated by these demons where by they are intentionally choreographed to be ruled by brutal dictators!!!! I’m from Europe and it INFURIATES ME! The world is controlled by SOCIOPATHS at the very top!!!! I don't think majority of worlds people are in agreement with such scale of evil.. its hijacked leaders But with what I what from some ppl, idk for sure-Definitely evil on this world

[@sarahcesar5813]

CIA did the same Coup in Indonesia in 1965...!!!! 😠

[@HughJass-jv2lt]

*United SNAKES* remains Undefeated 🔥

[@dvijay461]

The USA is currently attempting the same with Venezuela and its sanctions.

[@khanaliqasim1757]

They will fail Russia will save Venezuela

[@mohammadbaranishooli218]

And they want same democracy for Ukraine and Taiwan

[@Houthiandtheblowfish]

it is not only that half of the population were killed by manufactured famine agriculture hoarding and ports being blockaded to feed the foregin soldiers stationed in iran during ww1 nearly 9 million people died out of 20 million it was the persian holocast since history is written by victorors it never gets recognized

[@MrGreatpersian]

For nearly 70 years, from 1850 to 1917, British Petroleum (those days called Anglo-Iranian Oil company) had exclusive right to exploration and owning oil and in return pay 16% to Iran (minus 3% they claimed for Security guards), hence even cheating what they had agreed to pay. when the case was challenged legally, they disputed it and called it a contract between Iranian and British governments. Nationalizing the oil was a legitimate right to claim it back and was not favored by British and their collaborators. we are now 70 years from that event that demonstrates clearly that events of those days could have and would have impacted the path to democracy contrary to what has happened now that people of Iran are chained under the rule to theocracy and dark dictatorship.

[@Houthiandtheblowfish]

it is not only that half of the population were killed by manufactured famine agriculture hoarding and ports being blockaded to feed the foregin soldiers stationed in iran during ww1 nearly 9 million people died out of 20 million it was the persian holocast since history is written by victorors it never gets recognized

[@mctabtdrismrkzi8175]

You seem to blame westerners, still believing them:) you are more inferior than [whom don't know these, therefore not hating the west]

[@TheBalterok]

After the revolution succeeded, after the Shah was deposed - what did the Iranians get instead? The tyranny of their own. It seems the presence of the evil colonialists somehow was better than what they had in the end.

[@TheBalterok]

Legitimate? The contracts are legitimate. He would do well by slowly raising the share the oil companies had to pay. There is still plenty of oil around, some could have been cheaper to explore, the market would level the payout, but he was too stiff necked to know that. And you too.

[@Houthiandtheblowfish]

@@TheBalterok you are wrong young people in the know dont think so the bitter people who lost their positon cannot dictate to us anymore go an become a penal colony member if you love your masters

[@kouroshkian4881]

“Democratically elected”? You don’t even know how the system of Iranian politics was working back then. Prime Ministers (including Mohammad Mosadegh) were being nominated by Shah to the parliament/senate. Senate then would vote on accepting or rejecting Shah’s nominee as the future PM to run the government. Also Shah, had the power to remove PM from power especially in cases were parliament was resolved by PM. A year before the so-called coup, Mosaddegh had dissolved the parliament and he himself had written a letter to Shah stating “now that the parliament is dissolved, his majesty needs to remove the PM and act as the temporary head of government according to the constitution until the new election is held and new senators are elected”. When the western propaganda machines say “democratically elected Mosaddegh” people who have no idea about Iranian politics think Iranian people went to the voting boxes and elected Mosaddegh directly! Absolute stark lies. Mosaddegh is the reason that Iran fell into mullahs arms. He was a crazy lawless man.

[@Houthiandtheblowfish]

it is not only that half of the population were killed by manufactured famine agriculture hoarding and ports being blockaded to feed the foregin soldiers stationed in iran during ww1 nearly 9 million people died out of 20 million it was the persian holocast since history is written by victorors it never gets recognized

[@nuqwestr]

They don't want to hear those facts, or about the conditions on the ground when Kermit started his "low-rent" coup. Some suspect the coup would have happened without Kermit's rather silly actions.

[@VangeliRock]

Noam Chomsky was the first I heard this from. Iran had a democratically elected goverment then the US aided in ousting it leaving the country with the Islamic dictatorship they have had since. and yes, the US is repsonsible for that.

[@HughJass-jv2lt]

U.S. aided *BRITIAN.* The oil was sold through B.P.... _BRITISH PETROLEUM_ 🔥🔥🔥

[@Tabrizshahr]

And russia for respnones for send baku sosyalist for the 1979 denationlist iranian danesty to colonez snoth Azerbaycan Resluts failed Iran had plan to stop work with wester imperlist in 1983 when iran comes 4th to 3th super power It will be come sosyalist in east capitalist in west And manorchy nationalist in middle of planet earth Iran Under Pahlavi we gived russians havey deafet And results wester proganda take it all It shame we have to be someone sides shilds

[@Houthiandtheblowfish]

it is not only that half of the population were killed by manufactured famine agriculture hoarding and ports being blockaded to feed the soldiers stationed in iran during ww1 nearly 9 million people died out of 20 million it was the persian holocast since history is written by victorors it never gets recognized

[@krustymadrid4953]

They left Iran with the Shah, not the Islamic dictatorship that they have today

[@Tabrizshahr]

@@krustymadrid4953 it not Islamic dictatorship It Catholic Birtish spy dictatorship from India There's are no iranian

[@sanramondublin]

The oil Companies and the US empire won CONTROL of CHEAP oil for 26 more years ; but at the end lost a lifetime of good business with Iran. Among the countries that the US and UK have overthrown the government, Iran is the only one who still celebrating the painful grudges. In my opinion , because Iran is an ancient country and has a strong and deep historical identity; Iranians took it as a never forgivable insult to their identity. ... California.

[@hosseinamadeh-bash7287]

Beautiful and true , I was six years old boy and wittnessed the coup. Thank you all

[@jhaduvala]

Oil is a military commodity. All armies, navies, air forces run on petroleum. Controlling oil fields denies your opponent and supplies your own forces.

[@nuqwestr]

Iran had a border with the Soviet Union, a fact left out this discussion.

[@victhegatekeeper2236]

This happen 7 years before I was born. I was born in Tehran , Iran. My parents moved my family to the US in 1961. We however moved back to IRAN in 1972. As an American Citizen my sisters and I attended TAS! Tehran American School. My Father owned a big Automotive Garage working on Mercedes primarily. My best 4 years were there in Iran. What a awesome Country! The British are the dirtiest players of all! The British do not have to admit anything! All the World needs to know is a phrase from my Father! “ Mullahs do not work that why they no calluses on their hands, and when you raise the beard of a Mullah it says… Made in the UK” Vatican has the Money, London City Fractionalizes the Money with the Brains, the USA is the Brawl! Nuff said!!! I Love the Shah , Mohammad Reza Pahlavi and I want his Son to go back ASAP! Help him President Trump 45/ 47 !!! MAGA means Make All Governments Accountable! No Deep State! From Vic, the Armenian, Iranian , American!!! Where we go 1 We go All! The World is our Pearl! Grace and Peace! Heavenly Father is Great!

[@silenzioaffogato]

Great interview, thank you Democracy Now. Looking forward to more programs about Iranian politics . ❤

[@jozette-pierce]

The British had a very strong hold on Eisenhower (his affair w a British driver in WW2). He turned into almost a lackey for the British. The British are behind a lot of things and always try to hide it., and always try to blame the Americans for what they do., ie., ME wars instigated (pushed) by Tony Blair.

[@louise_rose]

Not really, Ike stopped the British and French from pulling off their big venture at Suez in 1956 (this was effectively the end of the British empire as a viable major power) and Britain was so economically weak it had to lt the US take the lead. It's true that the US "inherited" many old British interests and client regimes, in the Middle East and Asia, but that was almost inevitable after 1947.

[@jozette-pierce]

@@louise_rose All I know is, there is ALOT of horrible things being done to America right now.GLOBALISTS ARE RESPONSIBLE, and the British seem to adore Globalists (communists), ie., the Rothschilds, Rupert Murdoch, Tony Blair, George Soros, Bank of England president, K.C., Kissinger, Clintons, Obamas,,, etc. etc. etc. Also Donald Trump is the choice of Americans, and this time, NOBODY, needs to interfere in our elections. Americans are fed up to the gills.

[@threemobileone1371]

The overthrow of the late Shah of lran in 1979 by UK&USA might be the biggest TABOO subject in west since WW2 but it isn't their best kept secret among us lranians. Iranians will not forget nor forgive.

[@marcusaurelius9123]

The Shah was not overthrown by US/UK

[@nuqwestr]

NEVER NEVER a secret, popular book 1962-64 "The Invisible Government" by Wise and Ross, copies on Amazon today. I have a library full of these books, NOT taboo, not at all.

[@Johnconno]

'It's all about oil.' Who'd have thunk it? I thought it was about philanthropy.

[@---re9jc]

The rest of the world would be in a better place if not for the West.

[@PAMELAPORTER-ci7mr]

You're skipping the advancements in medicine, agriculture, and machines--all courtesy of the West. If the West weren't here, there would be China.

[@saturationstation1446]

stop calling it the west. its not a cardinal direction culture. its eurocentric culture. and eurocentric people are the minority in the western half of the globe anyways. just ignoring a whole major portion of the human species to pretend like we are the only things that exist or matter.....

[@sphere3704]

I don't like comments like these, I am an Iranian myself, but we have to be fair to everyone. People from everywhere have done shit in history that was despicable and they have done things that have revolutionized our future as humanity. West has done many things in the past 400 years to advance science and push humanities boundaries forward, and they have exploited many people that is true, but ask yourself this when Mongols had power what did they do? When Persians were empire what did they do? When Chinese were powerful what did they do to their neighbors? What did Japanese do when they had the power? It has nothing to do with the west it is a greed for wealth and power that runs universally no matter where you are from.

[@glencampbell5422]

​@@sphere3704well said, thanks

[@Houthiandtheblowfish]

it is not only that half of the population were killed by manufactured famine agriculture hoarding and ports being blockaded to feed the foregin soldiers stationed in iran during ww1 nearly 9 million people died out of 20 million it was the persian holocast since history is written by victorors it never gets recognized

[@libertyordeath555]

Ya know it's getting harder & harder to stand for the flag.

[@dvijay461]

It’s impossible to stand for the flag. Our nation propagandized its own people and wreaked havoc on the rest of the world. Lies upon lies. Pornstars have more morals.

[@granthurlburt4062]

The thing to do is to act like a patriot. Which includes being strong enough to criticize your own country when it does the wrong thing. I'm Canadian and observe how it has been propaganda to its citizens from birth that the US is the greatest country in the world. It becomes very hard, in consequence, to criticize your own country when this is implaced in your pre-rational mind. Its like learning to find fault with your parents, or harder. The US has many fine qualities but it is sure not perfect, and the military-industrial corporate interests that run it ruin it for their own citizens (no universal health care etc) and the world

[@GhoulJaron]

​@granthurlburt4062 the world with the US has become dark, like no justice, no law, no God in heaven, just interests and doesn't matter who dies.

[@arsvikhakhnazarian9882]

British government use to say British oil on Iranian soil that says it all.

[@paulcollins557]

An eye opening and informative article that makes one ask for more. Good reporting!

[@TheBalterok]

Ask for the coverage of the revolution on Iran that US didn’t support. The one that was against the mullahs. Revolutions.

[@mikefruge8589]

We love to talk about the success of our "free capitalism" economy. Yet, we never mention the "evil underbelly" of corporate colonialism that we and other "free capitalist" nations depend on. These corporations and our military industrial complex are now turning their "tactics of plunder" against our own citizens. As we fund the war in Ukraine with a "blank check" which neither party criticizes, our disaster victims such as those in Maui have to fend for themselves.

[@nuqwestr]

"never mention" but you just quoted an American president "military industrial complex", you logic has internal confusion and ripe with fallacy.

[@threemobileone1371]

A reigning monarch does not need to stage coup. The Constitution of 1906 gave the Shah his duty to appoint and dismiss all Prime Ministers. If dismissing Mossadegh & his dysfunctional government was a coup and all Prime Ministers before and after Mossadegh and during the previous dynasties were as a result of a coup.

[@nuqwestr]

Shame the "Shah" at the time was such a weak and fear filled character, history may have been very different.

[@chh6128]

The Ukraine war is all about oil. Ask Victoria nuland

[@goldoroenohosoroh2391]

That's true.They want to take control over the Russian resources but that would be almost impossible. Well, they're not the first and definitely not the last....

[@abaassabaassi2716]

As alway, wonderful program and guests

[@Jon-oi3me]

This is true, Mr Kennedy wrote a accurate piece "Syria, another pipeline war" that detailed the timeline

[@lenoredietz73]

We the people don't feel the same way as govt!!

[@louise_rose]

Uncle Sam is walking around on the world stage carrying a big stick, flipping it around and smacking it at the folks who cause too much trouble to him or deny him tribute. Europe (the EU/NATO-in-Europe) comes trotting along as his dutiful cleaning maid, preaching about international law, the sanctity of the rules-based order and so on - and conveniently looks away or invents excuses when US is clearly violating these sacred principles.

[@shahinrahmanian4269]

70 years after, we have some monarchists that deny there was a coup! Even shah's family live in USA and his son tries to reclaim the throne, ignoring the role his family played to creating this catastrophic situation that we have in Iran and the price Iranian people have paid in these 70 years. We appreciate your work to make this brilliant program. Please make a documentary about the role of Sullivan & Cromwell, Dulles brothers, Eisenhower and their several coup attempts and their secret relationship with Shah of Iran and other infamous dictators.

[@farmerbob139]

I wonder what percentage of BP is owned by the royal family and their european relatives?

[@nuqwestr]

BP was founded by a British-Australian man married to a Mexican in 1901, easy to answer your own question, or perhaps you believe the "Royal Family" and all their european relatives are Jews? I've heard that laughable take before.

[@FyreGuiomar]

I have nothing but great anger and I put this mildly, at what the United States government and the British government fully, knowing and joyfully did to directly destroy and profit to make a select few rich in money and blood. I think about recent revelations to me and now what many said to me directly, "Remember, you cannot change the past", now means in this context. It weighs heavy on my heart and mind.

[@PAMELAPORTER-ci7mr]

Considering what's happened since 1953, there are many people who regret our government's behavior in many circumstances.

[@hkiani6853]

Correct, we can not change the past, but British and USA attitude towards Iran remain the same as 70 years ago. Their method of madness has changed, but still carrying the same agenda with sanction and pirecy at sea.

[@saturationstation1446]

being mad at the united states is kind of a waste of energy. there isnt a real government here. its literally just a european labor colony. thats where all the wealth we produce goes at least. so its all we can really classify this place as. none of us would choose to work with slimy, perpetually lying and manipulating europeans. none of us think monarchy is something that should exist in any capacity. but the european loyalists who get into positions of power here love monarchies for some reason. probably the same reason they never established a way for citizens to undo anything they have done.

[@syncopatedfeb4770]

that's exactly what happened to rome, Brutus Albinus repeated asked romans to stop talking about the previous roman aggressions against persia for 700 years, and write to all senates in rome to stop rome's current aggression towards persia. noone listened and boom, first it was the visigoth sack of rome, which was a combination of iranian alans and germans, that weakened rome and the final blow by the persian parthians, which made the roman empire disappear, lol

[@Houthiandtheblowfish]

it is not only that half of the population were killed by manufactured famine agriculture hoarding and ports being blockaded to feed the soldiers stationed in iran during ww1 nearly 9 million people died out of 20 million it was the persian holocast since history is written by victorors it never gets recognized

[@sev2300]

The 1979 revolution was also about oil. The Shah refused to renew the consortium agreement of 1954 and planned to terminate all the related contracts by the end of 1979. Guess what, a revolution spearheaded by a radical Islamic clerk Khomeini took place to overthrow the Shah in 1979. Iran was moving up and was becoming one of the wealthiest countries in the world in the 70s. The 1979 revolution triggered the downfall of the country. Iran is now a poor country whose people are suffering day in, day out under clerks. God knows when and what will be unveiled about who orchestrated the revolution and who Khomeini really was.

[@ashvoj]

Well said. But this so-called "coup" of '53 never happened. It's a CIA disinformation against the Shah to justify and cover up the CIA coup of '79. The Shah appointed Mossadegh and later dismissed him. That's not a coup. Mossadegh's coup against the Shah failed. All these decades, they've been undermining the late Shah and portraying him as a monster and a puppet. The truth is that he was a Liberator and "dangerous" to the interests of foreign powers who wanted to plunder and bring down Iran. They achieved it by installing their puppet mullahs into power in '79.

[@jhingoorpatima237]

People not suffering in iran but also in yemen irak syria palestines lebanon venezuela cuba Africa Nicaragua and the list goes on due brutal sanctions imposed by usa /west !!!

[@sev2300]

@@jhingoorpatima237 Those sanctions have served one purpose for sure: strengthening the oppressive governments and weakening people in those countries. What does that tell you? Just for a second consider the possibility that some of those governments might be in cahoots with those who have imposed those sanctions. Simply because those are the ones who stand to gain. Just food for thought.

[@jhingoorpatima237]

@@sev2300 it is not oppressive government but government who dont bow to west demands / they are not puppet.!!! For me iran is better compared to saudi A !! In iran people vote but not in saudi A !! In iran people protest / go on streets ( but west takes advantage to create chaos but no protest in saudi A ( they fear to be beheaded)!!! In iran covering hair big problems for west but in saudi A women fully covered not a problem for west !!!!

[@jhingoorpatima237]

@@sev2300 in all countries where there is wars or sanctions it is always ordinary people suffer ¡!

[@FrankieFTW42]

Most days I'm ashamed of my country for this sort of thing in its past or something else more current, or both. Ok not most days, every day. This country is responsible for the destruction of democracy in too many countries to count. How it can claim to be "fighting for democracy" anywhere & be taken seriously by anyone anywhere in the world, is something I've been unable to figure out no matter how hard I try or where I look for answers in the 10 +/- years since I finally realised the true nature of this country was nothing like the way it markets itself.

[@hellentavora2046]

Us was involved on Brazil coup d'etat in 1964, they had subs near Rio de Janeiro

[@gmcenroe]

It would be interesting if a similar documentary could be made about the Maidan coup in Ukraine which took place in 2014 more than likely backed by CIA as well.

[@kamilebrahimoff3589]

C.I.A coup in Iran 1953, Guatamala 1954, Brazil 1964, Indonesia 1965, Chile 1972.

[@jillgiachino8086]

Thank you, for reporting Amy 👍👍👍👍👍.

[@gandom_1357]

✌️🇮🇷

[@DiandraStarShine]

there are a few good documentaries about the 1953 coup, including one that has been broadcasted on AlJazeera English - which has a channel here @ KZbin. and that film trailer seems to show a well put together project..but that's not a documentary, strictly because it has ACTORS playing roles and very famous ones at that! just really wish facts were respected by Democracy Now and that the strict definition of what a real "documentary" is would be respected.

[@benjaminstarks4071]

"All the Shah's Men" great book on this topic.

[@Caligirl903]

Thanks for covering this and reminding it to everyone!

[@mtmmase3333333]

Sounds like a great documentary I just read a book about the 1953 coup by Stephen Kinzez All the Shah’s Men in Iran

[@ralfsxm851]

It is not about oil. It is about the money system.

[@nuqwestr]

Ir was about Iran having a border with the Soviet Union.

[@judithkornfeld3529]

Great reporting, as usual.

[@TheBalterok]

Not really. Propaganda, as usual.

[@chh6128]

It’s always about oil. Every war. Even Japan in WW2. The us made moves to cut off their oil sources.

[@TheBalterok]

That was before or after they cited with Hitler or made moves that render that decision necessary?

[@nuqwestr]

Japan had already raped Nanking and threatening the Phillipines.

[@sohrabamiri7917]

Thanks to democracy now And taghi mirani for making true documentary filmmakers and revealed the truth

[@cadilacdesert]

This was all written about in The Prize! This has been known for a long time the British have their hands in everything.

[@paulantonio740]

Glad to see that Democracy Now is publicizing this important documentary but when will Amy & Juan do the same with the US-orchestrated 2014 coup in Ukraine?

[@daiu48]

Might have to wait a bit . ‘Toria’ Nuland is still ‘ on active diplomatic service’…..

[@TheBalterok]

I am from Ukraine. People were fed-up with Kremlin’s proxy Yanukovich and his mobsters plundering the country dry. Many from the provinces left their homes and went to protest in Maidan. I don’t know the extent of amer😅can involvement, but am glad it happened. Too bad the same government Obama cabinet didn’t help the Iranians then and again now.

[@legalconsultant861]

Iran offered the allies oil during WW II, and that is the thanks they get...

[@juliebraden4865]

Irony. 😢

[@Houthiandtheblowfish]

@@juliebraden4865 it is not only that half of the population were killed by manufactured famine agriculture hoarding and ports being blockaded to feed the soldiers stationed in iran during ww1 nearly 9 million people died out of 20 million it was the persian holocast since history is written by victorors it never gets recognized

[@nuqwestr]

British occupied Iran WW2 to keep pipeline open to the Soviets, that all changed with the Cold-War. British Oil started in Iran 1901.

[@juanrodriguez5404]

I gotta see this doc 👍😎👍

[@paulheydarian1281]

Just for Ralph Fienes alone. He's aging like fine French wine. 😋🍷

[@richardh8082]

@@paulheydarian1281 I'm aging like an old cheese :(

[@francociano1594]

"There was no communist threat or Soviet Interest in Iran" ?????? And you call Professor Abrahamian an expert??? Come on! Next time invite experts with opposing views to transform your program from a "paid commercial" to a well balanced enlightening program!!!!

[@damirjalali]

YOU CAN GIVE A PERSON KNOWLEDGE, BUT YOU CANT MAKE THEM THINK. SOME PEOPLE WANTS TO REMAIN FOOLS, ONLY BECAUSE THE TRUTH REQUIRES CHANGE, AND ALSO ITS NOT BENEFICIAL TO THEM.

[@Aziz-bm9bp]

The irony about this coup by the British (MI6) and CIA is that they always claimed they did a favour to the Iranian people(!?). So, you can add to this list many countries in South America and some Asian countries, including Egypt, that toppled the democratically elected president Morsi by Army General Al Sisi; supposedly, they also did favour to these countries.

[@ciara5867]

Brilliant discussion. Thank you all. I have just ordered Coup '53 online.♥️🇮🇪🕊

[@dpicard6271]

Yes as always and just like the brilliant and insightful Linda McQuaig has been saying for decades " It's the Crude Dude".

[@ojmdsurg9020]

And the USA would wonder why planes were flown into their buildings.

[@threemobileone1371]

Mossadegh was not democratically elected. Iran construction of 1906 was modelled from the Belgians. We lranians never went to poll to ellect any prim Minister. Not during the Shah, not before him and not during the UK&USA backed Khomeini revolution.

[@ashrafhakimi4333]

You are amazing ,thank you for doing what is right ,wish you good health,good luck and happy life

[@ChrisHarding-lk3jj]

One of my good friends is Iranian who fled the country when the Shah fell. He has told me many times how the Shah implemented many reforms and the country was rapidly improving. My friend came to the United States as a foreign exchange student which was possible due to the reforms implemented by Shah Women's rights were greatly improved under the leadership of the Shah and his white revolution improved conditions for all people of Iran. Imagine where Iran would be today if the Shah remained in power.

[@aguilayserpiente]

"He told me" is hearsay. We must first observe the U.S.' role in subverting sovereign nations in order to install repressive fascist orders to enable the easy extraction of cheap resources for American industry: The common view that internal freedom makes for humane and moral international behavior is supported neither by historical evidence nor by reason. The United States itself has a long history of imposing oppressive and terrorist regimes in regions of the world within the reach of its power, such as the Caribbean and Central American sugar and banana republics (Trujillo in the Dominican Republic and the Somozas in Nicaragua were long-lived progeny of U.S. intervention and selection). Since World War II. with the great extension of U.S. power, it has borne a heavy responsibility for the spread of a plague of neofascism, state terrorism, torture and repression throughout large parts of the underdeveloped world. The United States has globalized the "banana republic." *This has occurred despite some modest ideological strain because these developments serve the needs of powerful and dominant interests, state and private, within the United States itself.* The Vietnam War experience is often cited to prove the importance of freedom and dissent in constraining state violence. This assessment seriously misreads the facts of the case. Peace movement activism, growing from and contributing to the popular movements for equality, freedom and social change within the United States, did succeed in raising the domestic costs of the U.S. assault, thus helping to limit in some degree its scope and severity and contributing to the eventual decision that the game was not worth the candle . . . The established "free" institutions supported the war, for the most part enthusiastically and uncritically, occasionally with minor and qualifying reservations. The principled opposition, based on grounds other than cost-ineffectiveness, functioned outside the major institutional structures . . . [E]stablished institutions, with overwhelmingly dominant power, tend to line up in goose-step fashion in support of any state foreign venture, no matter how immoral (until the cost becomes too high). The peace movement frightened Western elites. The response of the U.S. (indeed Free World) leadership to the politicization of large parts of the population during the 1960s provides a revealing indication of their concept of "democracy" and of the role of the public in the "democratic process." In 1975, the Trilateral Commission, representing the more liberal elements of ruling groups in the industrial democracies, published a study entitled The Crisis of Democracy which interprets public participation in decision-making as a threat to democracy, one that must be contained if elite domination is to persist unhindered by popular demand. The population must be reduced to apathy and conformism if "democracy" as interpreted by this liberal contingent, is to be kept workable and allowed to survive. The most crucial fact relating freedom to the Vietnam War experience is that, despite its free institutions, for over two decades (1949-1975) the United States attempted to subjugate Vietnam by force and subversion, in the process violating the UN Charter, the Geneva Accords of 1954 the Nuremberg Code the Hague Convention, the Geneva Protocol of 1925, and finally the Paris agreements of 19733. For almost a decade the peasants of Indochina served as experimental animals for an evolving military technology-cluster bombs, rockets designed to enter caves where people hid to escape saturation bombing, a fiendish array of anti-personnal weapons; new versions of the long-outlawed "dummy" bullet were among the more modest weapons employed. The population was driven into urban slums by bombing, artillery, and ground attacks that often degenerated into mass murder, in an expanding effort to destroy the social structures m which resistance was rooted. Defenseless peasant societies in Laos and Cambodia were savagely bombed in "secret"-the "secrecy" resulting from the refusal of the mass media to make public facts for which they had ample evidence. Freedom was consistent not only with this expanding savagery, but also with *interventions explicitly designed to preserve non-freedom from the threat of freedom (e.g., the invasion of the Dominican Republic in 1965) and to displace democratic with totalitarian regimes (e.g., the open subversion of Guatemala in 1954: the slightly more sub rosa subversion of democracy in Brazil in 1964 and Chile in 1973).* Free institutions were able to accept, indeed quietly approve of huge massacres in the name of "freedom," as in *Indonesia in 1965-1966 by U. S. liberals as evidence for the farsightedness of U.S. intervention in Vietnam. Massive atrocities committed by U.S. client regimes against their own populations or against foreign populations they hope to subdue (e.g., the Indonesian massacres in East Timor)* have also proven compatible with freedom and are regularly disguised or ignored by the Free Press. Whatever the attitudes of the U.S. leadership toward freedom at home … systematic policies towards Third World countries … make it evident that the alleged commitment to democracy and human rights is mere rhetoric, directly contrary to actual policy. *The operative principle has been and remains economic freedom-meaning freedom for U.S. business to invest, sell, and repatriate profits-and its two basic requisites, a favorable investment climate and a specific form of stability* . . . Respect for the rights of the individual, also alleged to be one of the cardinal values of the West, has had little place in the operating procedures applied to the Third World. Since a *favorable investment climate and stability quite often require repression, the United States has supplied the tools and training for interrogation and torture and is thoroughly implicated in the vast expansion of torture during the Past decade.* Chomsky and Herman, "The Washington Connection and Third World Fascism," (Haymarket Books, 10/17/14), pp. 1-3. Pinochet, the Shah, Torrijos, Somoza, Trujillo, Duvalier, Diem, Marcos, Suharto, Yatsenyuk--Zelensky, Micheletti, Castillo Armas, Banzer, Mobutu are all fascists brought to you by the makers of U.S. foreign policy aka U.S. corporations.

[@az6802]

Nice propaganda effort !

[@aguilayserpiente]

@@az6802 Chomsky is conclusive on the point of U.S. led coups.

[@az6802]

meaning?@@aguilayserpiente

[@aguilayserpiente]

@@az6802 Identify your question.

[@glorytoyahzulu6229]

Western world can not survive minus bloodshed. One might wonder who these people are, who have caused so much deaths to the entire globe??? How can they live with themselves??😢😢😢😢

[@pammatiti]

Thanks Amy for airing this important report!

[@mr.d5050]

Well thank God we learned our lesson and don't do this anymore. 🤣😂🤣

[@louisgonzalez8846]

Think again mr.d5050.!!!!

[@mr.d5050]

@@louisgonzalez8846 I was going to leave the smiley faces out to see how many people I could bait in to my troll.

[@kaashlia]

​@@louisgonzalez8846he is being sarcastic, meaning the opposite

[@haircole]

I remember LOOK magazine story an photos 😥

[@nuqwestr]

Yes, this was not a secret, even in the 1950s. They don't want to hear that.

[@Owl350]

THE ENEMY WITHIN IS NOT A GOVERNMENT !

[@dinomite592]

It's Always About Basra. The Basra area holds ninety plus percent of the Worlds oil reserves, probably more like ninety eight percent. Throughout petroleum history whomever controls the Basra region (Kuwait, Qatar, Iran, Iraq, etcetera) controls gasoline prices at the pumps in the U.S.A., and now controls a vast majority of the funding for political propaganda in the U.S.A.

[@az6802]

Who controls Basrs now ?

[@dinomite592]

@@az6802 In 2023 Basra is controlled twenty percent by Iran and eighty percent by U.S.A. through influence in Kuwait, Qatar, Iraq, and Saudi Arabia. Note the higher gas prices in the U.S.A. whenever America dominates Basra.

[@Houthiandtheblowfish]

it is not only that half of the population were killed by manufactured famine agriculture hoarding and ports being blockaded to feed the foregin soldiers stationed in iran during ww1 nearly 9 million people died out of 20 million it was the persian holocast since history is written by victorors it never gets recognized

[@Houthiandtheblowfish]

@@az6802 half of the influnce in the region is in saudi hands which their security gaurantors are known but nowadys they are acting more independantly and on the other side iranians and their influnce without anyones help but they welcome peace deals with saudi in order to grow the region however rivalary of influnce remains

[@az6802]

quite strange for Saudi to have any support in Basra. Basra is a very Shia town. @@Houthiandtheblowfish

[@jimnickola7196]

Excellent segment!

[@olgacvetkova114]

Thanks for sharing this!!

[@mickowens9839]

Oil, gas, mineral resourses, drugs, sex slaves, cheap workers. Basically money. More importantly hegemony for the Empire

[@nickpeterson6647]

What? I thought the C I A was a great and benevolent force for good! That's what the people on TV said.

[@nuqwestr]

Who said that on TV, the are often the evil force on TV and in the Movies. What planet are you from?

[@nickpeterson6647]

@@nuqwestr I'm making fun of liberals who inexplicably see the C I A as benevolent now. I don't know what planet I'm from, definitely not earth.

[@shaqeliz688]

Thank you for this, pls also clarify the 1979 revolution in Iran that changed the history of the region from a stable region to what it is today, changing peoples lives for the worse

[@syedalimujtabahaidertirmiz7441]

Clarify what you liar it was USA who backed Saddam to Invade Iran stabbed him in the back a decade later when he did the same in Kuwait it is you Americunts and your Zionist Masters in Israel who destroyed this region killed Millions and created 40 Million refugees in just the past 20 years

[@TheBalterok]

They wouldn’t. DM is a mouthpiece of current WH administration, the same people that abandoned recent Iranian revolutions against the mullahs a few times already.

[@pervaiziqbal9828]

I think you are takfiri Suni who supports ISIS right??? 🤌😁

[@sarakawas5628]

Thank you so much democracy now✊

[@johnd2058]

Mossedegh was as democratic as WWII Imperial Japan -- opposition voices were assassinated, and the assassins pardoned. That's fascism with elections, not democracy.

[@raisohkhongnoh5302]

The truth will come out sooner or later. But now the question is who will bell the cat (US)?

[@Abassi2A]

He had the intervention England and USA but 90% was the Iranian people who wanted The Shah it is not the truth that Mossageq was a democrat, a real democrat does not close the parliament and does not separate for the people who are for him and against him through the streets, you only sell resentment