While far from the focus of his historic Cairo speech today, President Barack Obama’s comments on America’s history with Iran have caused something of a stir, as he became the first sitting US president to publicly admit to America’s role in the 1953 coup in Iran.
“In the middle of the Cold War, the United States played a role in the overthrow of a democratically elected Iranian government,” Obama admitted, referring to the CIA’s role in the coup against Prime Minister Mohammad Mosaddeq after he nationalized the Iranian oil industry.
The US and British governments supported a coup d’etat in 1953 to ensure Western control over Iranian oil production. Iran remained under the control of the Shahist government until the 1979 Iranian Revolution, in which the current government ceased power.
In the 30 years since the revolution, the US and Iran have had a hostile relationship. In the 1980s this led to the US and Britain supporting the Iraqi government of Saddam Hussein as a regional opponent to Iran. The US provided Iraq with considerable support during the eight year long Iran-Iraq War.
This culminated on July 3, 1988, when a US warship attacked an Iranian civilian jetliner which it claims to have mistaken for an F14 fighter plane. The attack killed all 290 passengers aboard Iran Air Flight 655. Admiral Crowe, the Joint Chiefs chairman at the time, said the US “deeply regretted” the killings.
As Iran faces a hotly contested presidential election this month, the prospect of improved ties with the US looms large, if somewhat tempered by a long history of distrust and repeated comments from US officials saying they don’t really expect negotiations with Iran to settle anything. Still, for the first time in 30 years the possibility of somewhat normalized relations seems real.
Obama did break new ground by mentioning the U.S. role in overthrowing the legally elected democratic government in Iran in 1953. This was done at the behest of Britain on behalf of British Petroleum which had lost its lucrative five decade monopy on Iran's major economic asset, its petrol industry. Though this is now well hidden in America's collective memory it will never be forgotten, or forgiven by the Iranian people. Also mentioning another crime against Iran is the downing of Iran's Airbus by the USS Vincennes. Though Washington claimed this was an accident the crew were awarded medals for their participation in this "accident." I believe the downing of the PanAm flight over Lockerbie, Scotland was Iran's retaliation for this. A later attack in California Iranian agents on the vehicle of the ship's, Capt. Will Rogers failed to killed him but reports our navy now refuses to disclose his present assignment. George Santayana's comment "He who does not remember the past is doomed to repeat it." Let us hope that someday our leaders will understand there is a price of unintended consequences to paid for our misguided foreign policies. Steve, WW2
Neither Libya nor Iran had ANYTHING to do with Lockerbie. These myths have been dispelled a long time ago, regardless of the BBC's current propaganda war.
Before everybody's knees get bloody from bowing to Messiah Obama, US admission of guilt in Mossadegh's overthrow is OLD HAT. They took responsibility for it from DAY ONE – quite proudly, i might add. This "admission" is just rhetorical propaganda for the Muslim world.
If he actually MEANT anything by it then he would have acknowledged the LEGITIMACY of Iranians overthrowing the US puppet Shah Pahlavi. He did not, and that is all you need to know.
This is for the most part a great article. But the term is "seized power" not "ceased power". "Ceased power" means something like "quit power", which is basically the opposite of what you want. Furthermore, you say "US officials saying they don't really except negotiations with Iran" when it should be "accept".
ummmm…not really duncan. Site one US president ever admitting a role in the overthrow. It is old news and I think some lower level poltiical leaders have admitted it but never a US president. I think Obama deserves a bit of praise for trying to spell out a different foreign policy direction that will be more peaceful. Will that actually happen? I am very skeptical about that but I think Obama is going to try and steer a different course…meaning I think War with Iran is off the table. I think after Iraq, Afghanistan, and Pakistan Obama has had enough. LOL. I could be wrong though. Jason…One complaint…. "In the 30 years since the revolution, the US and Iran have had a hostile relationship"…that is the US Propagana line again. The US and Iran have had hostile relations since 1953. Because we supported a brutal dictator who did our bidding does not mean we had good relations with Iran…Iran being the people who live there of course.
ummmm…not really duncan. Name one US president ever admitting a role in the overthrow. It is old news and I think some lower level poltiical leaders have admitted it but never a US president. I think Obama deserves a bit of praise for trying to spell out a different foreign policy direction that will be more peaceful. Will that actually happen? I am very skeptical about that but I think Obama is going to try and steer a different course…meaning I think War with Iran is off the table. I think after Iraq, Afghanistan, and Pakistan Obama has had enough. LOL. I could be wrong though. Jason…One complaint…. "In the 30 years since the revolution, the US and Iran have had a hostile relationship"…that is the US Propagana line again. The US and Iran have had hostile relations since 1953. Because we supported a brutal dictator who did our bidding does not mean we had good relations with Iran…Iran being the people who live there of course.
The most important thing the President will be accomplishing and the one that will live on in effect for many years after his return to private life is the quashing of the exceptionalism myth. The President by mentioning the mistakes or misbegotten American policies of the past is telling everyone that we are like all other nations, prone to error. At least by making this clear the US can move forward without the albatross of exceptionalism to colour every egregious policy and action with a coating of beneficence as if anything done by the US, no matter how deleterious to the world must be good because we are exceptional. No more of that foolishness, it's time for reality to set in.
The US has a hostile relationship with anyone who doesn't kowtow to its wishes. Thats been evident since I can remember when. Time and again I hear people parrot about the Iranian taking of the US embassy in Tehran as though it were the most horrific thing to ever happen. Did anyone die? I don't remember. I also don't recall there being an air strike, as is typical from uncle sam, with scads of "collateral damage" or "oops! my bad" comments from military bobble heads. Obama may give voice and admit things that are quite obvious, and there is merit to that, but I wouldn't trust the man as far as I can spit. He is a political chameleon and will say whatever and move wherever the wind blows.