Witness History
Witness History
Iran: How the prime minister was overthrown in 1953
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August 15, 2023
9 minutes
Available for over a year
The coup of 1953 changed the course of Iranian history. The USA - with British help - overthrew a nationalist prime minister and installed the Shah in power.
In 2010, Alan Johnston heard archive recordings of the CIA officer who played a part and spoke to Hedayat Matine-Daftary, the grandson of Mohammed Mossadeq, the deposed prime minister.
(Photo: crowds of people protest against the Iran coup in 1953. Credit: Getty Images)