Tehran, Iran – An Iranian court has initiated a trial against the US administration and its officials for their involvement in the 1953 coup that toppled the democratically-elected government of Prime Minister Mohammad Mosaddegh. The trial began at the 55th branch of the court for international affairs in Tehran’s Imam Khomeini Judicial Complex on Sunday, coinciding with the 71st anniversary of the coup.
The lawsuit, filed by approximately 402,000 Iranians, targets six American individuals and entities for their roles in the coup that entrenched the pro-Western monarch, Mohammad Reza Pahlavi, who remained in power until the 1979 Islamic Revolution.
Shami Aghdam, the lawyer representing the plaintiffs, stated that documents reveal the US Central Intelligence Agency (CIA), with assistance from the British MI6, orchestrated the coup by utilizing both internal and external agents against Iran’s legitimate government on August 19, 1953. Aghdam further claimed that the coup violated international principles, asserting that Washington and London aimed to preserve their influence over Iran, secure their interests, and exploit the nation’s resources.
The coup, executed by military and political figures linked to the US and UK governments, as well as local thugs, marked the onset of American dominance over Iran. This control, according to the lawsuit, stifled Iran’s independence and progress for over 25 years, resulting in significant material and spiritual damage to the country and its people.
Iran’s Foreign Ministry spokesman, Nasser Kan’ani, also commented on the event in a post on X (formerly Twitter), condemning the coup and the subsequent support of the US and UK for the tyrannical regime that followed. Kan’ani described the coup as a lasting stain on the records of both nations, criticizing their history of slavery, colonialism, coups, and military interventions worldwide. He also accused them of continuing to support oppressive regimes, including the Israeli government and its actions in Gaza, while hypocritically claiming to champion democracy and human rights.
The 1953 coup was a pivotal moment in Iranian history, leading to riots in Tehran and the eventual ousting and arrest of Mosaddegh. Known for nationalizing Iran’s oil industry and challenging British control, Mosaddegh was later convicted of treason, spending three years in solitary confinement before dying under house arrest in 1967.
In 2013, the United States formally acknowledged its role in the coup with the declassification of intelligence documents, revealing the extent of its involvement in the overthrow of Mosaddegh’s government.
