1. Mohammad Mossadegh, Iran (1953)
In 1953, Iran’s democratically elected Prime Minister, Mohammad Mossadegh, was overthrown in a coup orchestrated by the CIA and British intelligence agencies. This operation, known as Operation Ajax, was prompted by Mossadegh’s decision to nationalize Iran’s oil industry, previously controlled by British interests. The coup reinstated Shah Mohammad Reza Pahlavi, leading to decades of authoritarian rule. The CIA’s involvement was officially acknowledged in 2013, highlighting the operation’s significant impact on U.S.-Iran relations. (britannica.com)
