Iranians still begrudge Britain for woes

The majority of Iranians believe that almost everything wrong in their country is rooted in fault with the British, The Guardian reported Wednesday. The suspicion has long and deep roots, going back before 1979 when many believe Britain had a hand in ousting Shah Mohammed Reza Pahlavi, allowing the late Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini and his conservative mullahs to take control. Even the deposed shah blamed the British for deposing his pro-German father before World War II, the report said. "Historically, people believe Britain engineered the coup which brought to power Reza Khan, who became Reza Shah (the last shah's father)," said Mohammed Hossein Adeli, Iran's former ambassador to Britain. Now, demonstrations by Islamic students outside the British Embassy in Tehran occur regularly, and Iranian authorities also blame Britain for a wave of bombings that has killed more than 20 people in the southern city of Ahvaz over the past year.

This is a horrible article.

It's a fact that the British removed Reza Shah Palavi from the country during WW2 because he didn't expell German nationals from the country (and because the Iran was a useful supply route). Britain then set up the Shah's son Mohammed Reza Palawi as the new Shah.

When Mossadegh came to power and nationalized the Oil supplies of Iran, Britain was close to starting a war with Iran but was held back by Eisenhower who was hoping Iran would prove as a bulwark against communism.

Eisenhower later changed his opinion on Iran. CIA and MI6 acted to remove Mossadegh and reinstall the exiled Palawi the Younger, thus regaining control of the iranian oil.

Palawi the Younger then built up an autocrat rule and tried to modernize society, but the important networks saw him as a puppet of western influences (I wonder why...) and the military declared its neutrality as Ayatollah Khomeini started his coup that brought us Iran as we know it today.

I think there is a hint of a british involvement, especially as most conflicts revolved around the anglo-iranian oil company (later renamed the british petroleum company).

They hate Jimmah - but the other problem is Iranians don't like being looked down on. And Brits have a way of looking down on everyone - not just Iranians. If the Iranians could understand that - and that Brits look down on the US too, they might feel better. Me? I give Brits a pass, they've done outstanding things in the history of the world...

...many believe Britain had a hand in ousting Shah Mohammed Reza Pahlavi, allowing the late Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini and his conservative mullahs to take control.

Well, that's a unique point of view, I must say. There I thought the Iranians ousted the Shah and ushered in the turban boys themselves in a con game of massive proportions, and now their children are kicking about having to sleep in the smelly, disintegrating bed their parents made.

Clearly I'm going to have to adjust my own attitudes. Hmm...OK, I'm mad at the Brits for allowing that Washington feller and his mates Adams and Jefferson to take control. It led straight to Jimmy Carter. The b@stards.

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