"If there had not been a military coup, there would not have been 25 years of the Shah's brutal regime...
Today, Mr. Mossadegh remains a hero to many Iranians who believe he fought against colonial exploitation and dictatorial rule during his 26 months in office. Perhaps because he represents a future denied and what might have been, his memory has approached myth.
I confess ignorance -- but not lack of interest. These three items stood out in my mind from this article, and I'd like to hear from those more in the know about Iran than I:
-Possible Soviet takeover of Iran's oil. I grew up earlier on in the Cold War and can imagine that if this were considered a real threat that such a coup would be engineered. I remember well the fear of the Soviet threat. Might Mossadegh have turned to Russia?
-25 years of the Shah's brutal regime. Um. From the limited sources I have, the 25 years of the Shah's regime were not all brutal. I have a book written by an Iranian that does not speak of the regime being oppressive until its last few years, boxed in by those intent on its destruction. Other sources, including ex-pat Iranian friends (who can be credibly labeled as having a bias) somewhat confirm that.
-Mr. Mossadegh remains a hero to many Iranians. This is something I know nothing about.
Can anyone here with knowledge of Iran respond to these, please?