Operation TPAJAX

Operation TPAJAX was a secret covert effort by the U.S. and UK in 1953 to overthrow Iran’s democratically elected Prime Minister, Mohammad Mosaddegh. The goal was to strengthen Western control over Iran’s oil resources and prevent Soviet influence. The operation involved propaganda, political meddling, and fomenting protests that led to Mosaddegh’s temporary removal and the reinstatement of the Shah, Mohammad Reza Pahlavi. Although publicly denied at the time, TPAJAX was part of Cold War strategies to influence Iran’s government and secure Western interests in the region.