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Patriot of Persia: Muhammad Mossadegh and a Very British Coup
Paperback
Published January 1, 2013
About the author
Christopher de Bellaigue
16 books75 followersChristopher de Bellaigue was born in London in 1971 and has worked as a journalist in the Middle East and South Asia since 1994. His first book, In the Rose Garden of the Martyrs: A Memoir of Iran, was shortlisted for the Royal Society of Literature’s Ondaatje Prize. His latest book is Patriot of Persia: Muhammad Mossadegh and a Tragic Anglo-American Coup. He lives in Tehran with his wife and two children.
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February 26, 2026Muhammad Mossadegh has loomed large over the body politic of Iran and probably presents one of the most compelling "What If" scenarios in the nation's history, had he not been overthrown by the usual suspects (CIA, MI6). A constitutionalist at heart, foreign-educated, imbued with Western principles of democracy and liberalism, Mossadegh resembled the Indian moderates of the early 20th century (Think Gokhales, Tagores, and Agarkars).
de Bellaigue's biography of Mossadegh is even-handed. By no means, a hagiography. In his account, Mossadegh is a man of unimpeachable integrity and at the same time has a knack for unreasonable stubbornness, even at the cost of the cause he champions. If Mossadegh is shown to be a constitutionalist, there is also a version of him where he approves of mobocracy. The conflicting British and Russian interests, the Oil, the American expanse post-war - there were just too many moving parts for Mossadegh to juggle. His brief Prime Ministership in the early 1950s started out with great hope, only to end unceremoniously in a coup. What followed was the odious regime of Shah, followed by the equally repulsive Ayatollah.
And Iran always seems to be starting anew. Never maturing. Always inchoate. It's a never ending cycle of stumbling from one revolution to another, with disappointment and lost generations. We might have another one on the cards.
The account was detailed and had plenty about the Qajar dynasty and its long string of rulers. However, one particular part of the book left me in knots and it was not about Mossadegh. It was about Reza Khan, the first ruler of the Pahlavi dynasty. So this chap, Reza Khan (a military man) abolished the Qajar dynasty and instituted a dynasty in his name. How did he manage to do that? It's another thing that the dynasty lasted only 2 rulers (Reza Khan, Muhammad Reza). But it's quite remarkable that, out of the blue, in the 20th century, when most ruling houses were falling, Reza Khan started a new one, gained legitimacy, and ruled with an iron-fist.
I am still trying to wrap my head around the socio-political forces that propelled him to Shah-ship.
Strange!
de Bellaigue's biography of Mossadegh is even-handed. By no means, a hagiography. In his account, Mossadegh is a man of unimpeachable integrity and at the same time has a knack for unreasonable stubbornness, even at the cost of the cause he champions. If Mossadegh is shown to be a constitutionalist, there is also a version of him where he approves of mobocracy. The conflicting British and Russian interests, the Oil, the American expanse post-war - there were just too many moving parts for Mossadegh to juggle. His brief Prime Ministership in the early 1950s started out with great hope, only to end unceremoniously in a coup. What followed was the odious regime of Shah, followed by the equally repulsive Ayatollah.
And Iran always seems to be starting anew. Never maturing. Always inchoate. It's a never ending cycle of stumbling from one revolution to another, with disappointment and lost generations. We might have another one on the cards.
The account was detailed and had plenty about the Qajar dynasty and its long string of rulers. However, one particular part of the book left me in knots and it was not about Mossadegh. It was about Reza Khan, the first ruler of the Pahlavi dynasty. So this chap, Reza Khan (a military man) abolished the Qajar dynasty and instituted a dynasty in his name. How did he manage to do that? It's another thing that the dynasty lasted only 2 rulers (Reza Khan, Muhammad Reza). But it's quite remarkable that, out of the blue, in the 20th century, when most ruling houses were falling, Reza Khan started a new one, gained legitimacy, and ruled with an iron-fist.
I am still trying to wrap my head around the socio-political forces that propelled him to Shah-ship.
Strange!
December 30, 2025
I reread this book after the 12 Day War between Iran and Israel. I remembered the book as very negative of Mossadegh. So I was surprised when rereading it that it came off as more of a hagiography.
Still, despite the obvious pro-Mossadegh sentiments of the author, its hard to think that if there was no coup things would be better for Iran.
(1) Mossadegh did use a mob to oust the previous prime minister, rule by decree, and suspend parliament.
(2) Mossadegh and the Shah seemed to have similar goals for modernizing Iran, and the Shah ultimately delivered Mossadeghs goals post-coup. de Bellaigue implies that Mossadegh was more of a democrat and constitutionalist in his heart than the Shah. But doesn't reconcile Mossadeghs democratic sympathies with Mossadeghs rule by decree and suspension of parliament pre-coup.
(3) Mossadegh and the Iranian street seemed to believe that the Pahlavis couldn't get more oil revenue from the British because they were corrupt or weak. But neither Mossadegh or the Ayatollahs were able to get better deals than the Shah. So it seems like the Pahlavis were doing their best with the hand they were dealt.
Still, despite the obvious pro-Mossadegh sentiments of the author, its hard to think that if there was no coup things would be better for Iran.
(1) Mossadegh did use a mob to oust the previous prime minister, rule by decree, and suspend parliament.
(2) Mossadegh and the Shah seemed to have similar goals for modernizing Iran, and the Shah ultimately delivered Mossadeghs goals post-coup. de Bellaigue implies that Mossadegh was more of a democrat and constitutionalist in his heart than the Shah. But doesn't reconcile Mossadeghs democratic sympathies with Mossadeghs rule by decree and suspension of parliament pre-coup.
(3) Mossadegh and the Iranian street seemed to believe that the Pahlavis couldn't get more oil revenue from the British because they were corrupt or weak. But neither Mossadegh or the Ayatollahs were able to get better deals than the Shah. So it seems like the Pahlavis were doing their best with the hand they were dealt.
May 31, 2024
like fantastic, if you have to read a book about Iran in modern era it should be this one!!!
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