Oil Crisis in Iran: From Nationalism to Coup d'Etat

Based on recently declassified CIA and US State Department documents, this book explores the Iranian oil crisis and US involvement, revealing how the 1953 coup paved the way for the 1979 Iranian revolution.

Format: Hardback
Length: 220 pages
Publication date: 24 June 2021
Publisher: Cambridge University Press

Based on recently declassified CIA and US State Department documents from the Mossadeq administration, this book delves into the turbulent twenty-eight months between April 1951 and August 1953, shedding light on the Iranian oil crisis that culminated in the coup of August 1953. Ervand Abrahamian, in his comprehensive analysis, unveils the profound level of US involvement in Iranian internal politics, encompassing parliamentary politics and even the preservation of the monarchy in 1952. By examining various explanations for the coup, including internal discontent, apprehension about communism, and oil nationalization, Abrahamian demonstrates how the Truman and Eisenhower administrations approached Mossadeq with similar policies. Surprisingly, the shah himself posed the primary obstacle to an earlier coup. Through meticulous tracing of the key involvement of the US and CIA in Iran, this study reveals how the 1953 coup laid the groundwork for the 1979 Iranian revolution, two of the most significant and extensively studied episodes in modern Iranian history.

Weight: 462g
Dimension: 159 x 236 x 19 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781108837491