Operation Ajax

Operation Ajax was a covert operation orchestrated by the CIA and the MI6 that culminated in the August 1953 coup d'état against the democratically elected Prime Minister of Iran, Mohammad Mosaddegh. The operation reinforced the political authority of Mohammad Reza Pahlavi, the Shah of Iran, and marked a pivotal moment in Iran–United States relations and the Cold War in the Middle East. Its legacy is deeply contested, seen as a root cause of long-term anti-Western sentiment and a catalyst for the Iranian Revolution of 1979.

Background and context

The origins of the operation lie in the movement for Iranian control of its petroleum resources, spearheaded by Mosaddegh and his political coalition, the National Front. In 1951, the Majlis voted to nationalize the Anglo-Iranian Oil Company (AIOC), a British-controlled enterprise whose concession was originally granted by Mozaffar ad-Din Shah Qajar. This act of nationalization triggered an intense international crisis, leading to a British-led boycott and the collapse of Iran's oil exports. The United Kingdom, under Prime Minister Winston Churchill, viewed the loss of AIOC assets as a major economic and strategic blow, fearing Soviet influence might fill the vacuum. In Washington, D.C., the administration of Harry S. Truman was initially ambivalent, but the election of Dwight D. Eisenhower brought a more confrontational foreign policy team, including Secretary of State John Foster Dulles and his brother, CIA Director Allen Dulles.

Planning and authorization

Detailed planning was coordinated between the CIA's Near East and Africa Division and MI6, with on-the-ground leadership assigned to CIA officer Kermit Roosevelt Jr., grandson of President Theodore Roosevelt. British intelligence, through figures like Christopher Montague Woodhouse, had already been developing contacts with disaffected elements within the Imperial Iranian Army. A key Iranian collaborator was retired General Fazlollah Zahedi, who was designated to replace Mosaddegh. The plan, codenamed TPAJAX, involved a sophisticated propaganda campaign to undermine Mosaddegh, orchestrated protests, and the decisive use of military units loyal to the Pahlavi dynasty. Final authorization was given following high-level meetings involving Eisenhower, the Dulles brothers, and British officials, with the Shah issuing a secret farman (royal decree) dismissing Mosaddegh and appointing Zahedi, a move whose legitimacy was contested.

Coup and aftermath

The initial coup attempt on August 15 failed, leading the Shah to flee briefly to Baghdad and then Rome. However, Roosevelt and his network, utilizing funds and agents provocateurs, organized mass protests in Tehran on August 19. These crowds, composed of military personnel in civilian clothes and others paid by CIA assets, were joined by anti-Tudeh Party factions and mobs from the city's bazaar. Key army units, including the Imperial Guard and troops under Colonel Gholam Ali Oveissi, stormed government buildings. After fierce fighting near Mosaddegh's residence, which resulted in the deaths of several hundred, the prime minister surrendered. He was later tried by a military tribunal and placed under house arrest. The Shah returned in triumph, and Zahedi's new government quickly reached an agreement with an international consortium, restoring Western control over Iranian oil production.

Legacy and historical significance

The operation had profound and lasting consequences. It ensured the Shah's rule for another 26 years, during which he aligned with the West through treaties like the CENTO, and empowered the SAVAK, his notorious secret police. The suppression of secular nationalist and communist opposition ultimately benefited Ayatollah Khomeini and Islamist forces. The 1979 Iranian Revolution was fueled in part by popular resentment over foreign intervention. The coup's revelation in subsequent years, including in reports by the New York Times and investigations by the Church Committee, severely damaged the credibility of the State Department and intelligence community. It remains a central reference point in Iranian historical memory and a case study in blowback in United States foreign policy.

Category:1953 in Iran Category:Cold War conflicts Category:CIA activities Category:Coups d'état