The secret U.S. overthrow of Mosaddegh served as a rallying point in anti-US protests during the 1979 Iranian Revolution, and to this day he is one of the most popular figures in Iranian history.

Why did the Iran coup happen?

The official pretext for the start of the coup was Mosaddegh’s decree to dissolve Parliament, giving himself and his cabinet complete power to rule, while effectively stripping the Shah of his powers. It resulted in him being accused of giving himself “total and dictatorial powers.”

Did the US support the Shah of Iran?

The Shah received significant American support during his reign, and frequently making state visits to the White House and earning praise from numerous American presidents. The Shah’s close ties to Washington and his Modernization policies soon angered some Iranians, especially the hardcore Islamic conservatives.