CGS SS 202 Study Guide - Final Guide: Iran Hostage Crisis, Mohammad Mosaddegh, Iranian Revolution
16 May 2018
School
Department
Course
Professor
Iran
The overthrow of Moss
The U.S. has had relations with Iran ever since the last quarter of the nineteenth century.
American missionaries have been in Iran even longer than that. But the United States’ real
engagement with Iran dates only from WWII. The relationship has generally been close, but it
has been punctuated first by the involvement of the CIA in the coup of 1953 which overthrew a
Mohammed Mossadegh. The coup is credited with fueling anti-western hostility amongst Iranian
citizens that culminated decades later with the 1979 Iranian Revolution.
The Iranian Revolution of 1979, led to a breach in relations that has not yet been repaired. The
revolution was college educated Iranians wanting to overthrow the monarchy in favor of
democracy. Leftist communists did not approve because of the wealth inequality in the
country..Merchants that they were not benefitting from their access to resources because it was
owned by foreigners→ led to iranian hostage crisis. During the revolution, the embassy was
held hostage for 444 days by a group of iranian students who supported the revolution. It was
seen as a blow towards the united states in response to the us’s hospitality towards the former
shah, pahlavi. Pahlavi left the US in December of 1979 and then Iraqi military invaded Iran
shortly after. When iraq invaded iran, the iranians created the algiers accord as an agreement
between the us and iran to resolve the hostage crisis using Algeri as a middle man. Therefore
the hostages were set free and in return the US would not intervene with Iranian internal affairs.
Basically it was a border dispute over territory between iran and iraq. Ultimately US relations
with Iran were disrupted because although US allies with Iraq during war, they sold illegal arms
to Iran (Iran contra affair) and iran was angered by US involvement with their affairs and
supporting both sides. Document Iran-Contra: The Final Report-- Reagan was exposed with
selling illegal arms despite of the embargo that was placed that forbid US from selling arms to
Iran. Reagan sent weapons anyways because he was encouraged that ti would improve US
relations with Iran as well as bring back the hostages from the iran hostage crisis.
Failures: Moving forward, Trump administration should not overthrow the government and
replace it with an authoritarian government or sell weapons to the enemies of our allies.
Although Eisenhower was able to successfully overthrow Mossadegh, Reagan was unable to
get away with selling illegal weapons to Iran. Modern day technology and media would quickly
expose the current administration if it were to act in a similar way.
Furthermore, aiding two countries that are at war with one another is another technique that
should definitely be avoided. While the US were supporting the Iraqis during their war against
Iran, the US also sent illegal arms to Iran. This led to frustration and anger from the Iranians and
led to them holding hostages and taking over the US embassy→ crisis for American presidency.
• 1953- US overthrew Mossadegh
o Concerns with oil exports and iran's relationship with soviets
o Shah became authoritarian monarch
• Iranian Revolution
o Opposition to Shah-- coalition: liberal democratic intelligentsia, leftists,
merchants, Shia clerical hierarchy: mullahs, mujaHideen and ayatollahs
o College educated iranians wanted to overthrow the monarchy and have
democracy
find more resources at oneclass.com
find more resources at oneclass.com
Document Summary
The u. s. has had relations with iran ever since the last quarter of the nineteenth century. American missionaries have been in iran even longer than that. But the united states" real engagement with iran dates only from wwii. The relationship has generally been close, but it has been punctuated first by the involvement of the cia in the coup of 1953 which overthrew a. The coup is credited with fueling anti-western hostility amongst iranian citizens that culminated decades later with the 1979 iranian revolution. The iranian revolution of 1979, led to a breach in relations that has not yet been repaired. The revolution was college educated iranians wanting to overthrow the monarchy in favor of democracy. Leftist communists did not approve because of the wealth inequality in the countrymerchants that they were not benefitting from their access to resources because it was owned by foreigners led to iranian hostage crisis.
