Page 7

"Why do they do this?" you ask. Who are they after?

"SAVAK serves as the Shah's eyes and ears," she responds quietly. "SAVAK now, in 1978, will find anyone who is against the Shah...the Communists, the religious leaders, the teachers, the thinkers. You know how I love poetry, right? Last year I went to a few poetry readings at the Goethe House near Arya Mehr University. Some great young poets read works criticizing censorship. What does the government do? The police comes in and closes down the poetry readings and arrests about 50."

"But why didn't Mossadegh stay in power in the 50s? Why aren't you part of the government anymore? Why do we have the Shah controlling everything instead of a democratically elected prime minister like Mossadegh?"

"You remember the nationalization of the oil in 1952?" she says. " Not everyone was happy about that. She pauses and grabs another article.

August 20, 1953

Royalists Oust Mossadegh; Army Seizes Helm

By KENNETT LOVE

EHERAN, Iran, Aug. 19--Iranians loyal to Shah Mohammed Riza Pahlevi, including Teheran civilians, soldiers and rural tribesmen, swept Premier Mohammed Mossadegh out of power today in a revolution and apparently had seized at least temporary control of the country.

More than 300 persons were killed and 100 wounded during the fighting, which raged at key Government buildings. Two hundred were estimated to have died in the fierce last-stand battle at Dr. Mossadegh's heavily fortified home.

The nine-hour uprising placed Maj. Gen. Fazollah Zahedi at the helm of the nation after a twenty-eight-month rule by Dr. Mossadegh. General Zahedi, who had been in hiding for months, was appointed Premier Thursday by a royal decree but the Shah left the country Sunday when Premier Mossadegh thwarted delivery of a second decree dismissing him.

The end came for the Mossadegh Government after a pitched tank and rifle battle in Kokh Avenue, where the former Premier's home stands, 100 yards from the Shah's Winter Palace. When the Premier's household guard was overwhelmed in the final rush of Royalist troops the home was found vacant. Dr. Mossadegh's personal bodyguard was dead.

Tanks Duel in Streets

The report in the streets was that Dr. Mossadegh himself had escaped. Dr. Mossadegh's defenders put up a stubborn battle during which Sherman tanks mounting 75-mm. cannon dueled at close quarters for nearly two hours.

The Army, which appeared to have been won for Dr. Mossadegh's side Sunday, turned on its top officers today. Dr. Mossadegh's Chief of Staff, Taghi Riahi, and other top officers fled long before the day was over.

General Zahedi broadcast his triumph in a tumultuous scene at Radio Teheran, which had been captured by Royalist forces at 2:20 P.M.

With the radio building swarming with yelling soldiers, General Zahedi broadcast the program he said his Government intended to follow. Points in the program included:

Re-establishment of a rule of law and re-establishment of public security.
Elevation of the standard of living and a reduction in the cost of living.
Mechanization of agriculture and formation of cooperative societies for the peasants.
Raising workers' wages.
Provision of free medical treatment.
An extensive asphalt road-building program.
Restoration of individual freedom and freedom of assembly.

He declared that he would rule until the Majlis (Parliament) had resumed its legislative functions.

The troops and police that took part in the overthrow were led by huge mobs shouting for the return of the Shah. They attacked key Government establishments in the city, burned the office of the pro-Government newspaper, Bakhtar-e-Emruz and of two Communist newspapers, of several pro-Government party offices and shouted for the death of Dr. Mossadegh. They also besieged the Foreign Ministry, Police Headquarters and Army General Staff Headquarters.

Virtually all armed forces in the city, except a few units defending Government buildings and Dr. Mossadegh's own household guards, joined the mobs in the attacks.

The first rush of Royalist troops and civilians was beaten off by heavy small-arms fire from the windows of the Police Headquarters. Casualties among the attackers, who arrived in six Army trucks, were reported to have been heavy there. Similar scenes were repeated at the other vital Government centers.

Eight truckloads of soldiers and five tanks rumbling into the city, presumably under command of officers loyal to the Government, gave their equipment to the first mob they encountered. The tanks came from the Abbas Abad garrison north of the city, a few miles from where General Zahedi may have been hiding in the foothills of the Elburz Mountains.

In the streets, the soldiers centered their attacks on civilians wearing white shirts, considered a trademark of Tudeh (Communist) party members.

Two thousand yelling partisans of the Shah demonstrated before the Soviet Embassy in Churchill Avenue. They were accompanied by a tank, but departed without attacking the Russians, who had slammed shut the heavy iron gates. The Embassy occupies an eight-square-block compound surrounded by a twelve-foot-high wall.

The street revolution began last night when police and soldiers shouting "Long live the Shah" and "Death to Mossadegh" smashed into pro-Government rioters. The rioters were Tudeh partisans and Pan-Iranists, who had often fought each other though both at this time were supporting Dr. Mossadegh. The troops beat the rioters unmercifully, forcing them to repeat their slogans at bayonet point.

Mossadegh's Furniture Sold

General Zahedi moved swiftly to nail down the victory against counterblows. A curfew was imposed, beginning at 8 P. M., to last until 5 A. M. All stores except grocery, butcher and bakery shops were ordered to remain closed until further notice and assembly in the streets was forbidden.

General Zahedi also released all political prisoners, including at least thirty-one arrested by Dr. Mossadegh since the attempt to remove him Saturday, and about twenty arrested in connection with the kidnap murder in April of the national police chief, Mahmoud Afshartous. Dr. Mossadegh had attempted to use the Afshartous affair to discredit all opposition.

"You saw this on the street," you asked. "You saw this violent overthrow against Mossadegh?"

She nods. "After Mossadegh nationalized the oil industry, Iranians who supported the Shah overthrew him in 1953 to give the Shah back total power. The army was fighting against soldiers loyal to Mossadegh...soldiers attacking anyone they thought was Communist. 1953 was not an easy time for Iran. And then you see what General Zahedi did to prevent any further protests?

You think for a moment:

Report abuse