Changes

In 1949 the Angelo-Persian Oil Company negotiated an agreement with the Iranian government under which it would pay the government 25 to 30 per cent of its net profits,  The British government controlled 52 per cent of the stock of the company.  Under pressure from the the Shia clergy and members of the Communist [[Tudeh party]], the Iranian government led by Prime Minister [[Mohammed Mossadegh]] did not ratify the agreement and on May 2, 1951, nationalized ownership of the oil industry.  In October Britain shut down Abadan, the world's largest refinery, on the Persian Gulf, and boycotted Iranian oil for the next two years.  30 per cent of Iran's national income previously came from oil exports.  Iranian production fell from 424,000 barrels a day in 1947 to 59,000 in 1954, while Saudi Arabia rose from 246,000 barrels to 953,000, and Kuwait from 45,000 barrels to 953,000.

In 1949 the Angelo-Persian Oil Company negotiated an agreement with the Iranian government under which it would pay the government 25 to 30 per cent of its net profits,  The British government controlled 52 per cent of the stock of the company.  Under pressure from the the Shia clergy and members of the Communist [[Tudeh party]], the Iranian government led by Prime Minister [[Mohammed Mossadegh]] did not ratify the agreement and on May 2, 1951, nationalized ownership of the oil industry.  In October Britain shut down Abadan, the world's largest refinery, on the Persian Gulf, and boycotted Iranian oil for the next two years.  30 per cent of Iran's national income previously came from oil exports.  Iranian production fell from 424,000 barrels a day in 1947 to 59,000 in 1954, while Saudi Arabia rose from 246,000 barrels to 953,000, and Kuwait from 45,000 barrels to 953,000.

[[Image:Mossadeghriot.jpg|350px|right|thumb|Rioters raise a poster of Mossadegh at the palace gates of the Shah in August, 1953.]]

[[Image:Mossadeghriot.jpg|350px|right|thumb|Rioters raise a poster of Mossadegh at the palace gates of the Shah in August, 1953.]]

In January 1953 the Iranian parliament extended Mossadegh's dictatorial powers. The following month, Mossadegh denounced the Shah for intrigues with "foreign interests".  On February 28 the Shah announced he would abdicate "for reasons of health".  Serious riots followed when the Shah's supporters clashed with Mossadegh's supporters in the streets.  The Shah canceled his plan of abdication.  Meanwhile, the United States ambassador presented proposals to end the impasse with Great Britain, one proposal was for a consortium of oil companies to replace Anglo-Iranian Oil Company and buy from Iran's nationalized industry.  Mossadegh rejected the suggestion and continued to complain about the boycott.

In January 1953 the Iranian parliament extended Mossadegh's dictatorial powers. The following month, Mossadegh denounced the Shah for intrigues with "foreign interests".  On February 28 the Shah announced he would abdicate "for reasons of health".  Serious riots followed when the Shah's supporters clashed with Mossadegh's supporters in the streets.  The Shah canceled his plan of abdication.  Meanwhile, the United States ambassador presented proposals to end the impasse with the United Kingdom, one proposal was for a consortium of oil companies to replace Anglo-Iranian Oil Company and buy from Iran's nationalized industry.  Mossadegh rejected the suggestion and continued to complain about the boycott.

On July 19 Mossadegh disolved the Majlis and called for a plebiscite on August 2.  The Tudeh party, which was staging violent demonstrations in the streets, by the end of July openly supported Mossadegh while the [[Soviet Union]] offered desperately needed economic assistance.  Mossadegh received 99.4 per cent of the vote and on August 8 Soviet Premier [[Georgy Malenkov]] told the [[Supreme Soviet]] that the Soviet Union had been conducting negotiations with Iran since June and concluded a series of agreements on border, aid, and trade issues.  The Shah, who still held the position of [[Head of State]], asked for the resignation of the government and appointed a successor.

On July 19 Mossadegh disolved the Majlis and called for a plebiscite on August 2.  The Tudeh party, which was staging violent demonstrations in the streets, by the end of July openly supported Mossadegh while the [[Soviet Union]] offered desperately needed economic assistance.  Mossadegh received 99.4 per cent of the vote and on August 8 Soviet Premier [[Georgy Malenkov]] told the [[Supreme Soviet]] that the Soviet Union had been conducting negotiations with Iran since June and concluded a series of agreements on border, aid, and trade issues.  The Shah, who still held the position of [[Head of State]], asked for the resignation of the government and appointed a successor.

After the war, Iran continued to support [[Hezbollah]], the most powerful [[Shiite]] militia in [[Lebanon]], which had waged war against the United States during the latter's intervention to end the [[1982 Israeli invasion]].  With Iran's assistance, Hezbollah launched [[terrorist]] attacks even against such clearly inoffensive countries as [[Argentina]], which seems to have been attacked because there were [[Jews]] there.  The head of Iranian intelligence during the early 1990's, [[Ali Fallahian]], was indicted along with various Hezbollah operatives and an international arrest warrant was issued for him in March 2007, which the Iranians immediately appealed.  This and the Iranian role in the 1996 [[Khobar Towers bombing]] prevented any normalization of relations, even after [[Mohammed Khatami]] became President of Iran in 1997 and made this one of the principal goals of his administration.

After the war, Iran continued to support [[Hezbollah]], the most powerful [[Shiite]] militia in [[Lebanon]], which had waged war against the United States during the latter's intervention to end the [[1982 Israeli invasion]].  With Iran's assistance, Hezbollah launched [[terrorist]] attacks even against such clearly inoffensive countries as [[Argentina]], which seems to have been attacked because there were [[Jews]] there.  The head of Iranian intelligence during the early 1990's, [[Ali Fallahian]], was indicted along with various Hezbollah operatives and an international arrest warrant was issued for him in March 2007, which the Iranians immediately appealed.  This and the Iranian role in the 1996 [[Khobar Towers bombing]] prevented any normalization of relations, even after [[Mohammed Khatami]] became President of Iran in 1997 and made this one of the principal goals of his administration.

Khatami was seen by some in the West as a possible Iranian version of [[Mikhail Gorbachev]].  [[Great Britain]] reestablished relations with Iran in 1999.  His coalition was dominated by persons who clearly wished to make Iran a normal country.  However, the limitations of the President in the Iranian system allowed Iranian conservatives to marginalize his supporters and close media outlets friendly to his policies.  Although he won reelection in 2001 and cooperated with the United States to some extent against their mutual enemy the [[Taliban]], his supporters were not able to take the next logical step that [[Boris Yeltsin]] and other anti-communist [[Russians]] did under Gorbachev, that is, unite to completely replace the existing political system.  Because they had been able to outmaneuver him politically, Iranian conservatives also did not oblige with a corresponding [[coup d'etat]] against Khatami.  Normal relations with the United States probably will require just this sort of replacement of the existing Iranian constitution, but the popularity of Khatami and congruent popular distaste for his successor indicates that may be possible without war.

Khatami was seen by some in the West as a possible Iranian version of [[Mikhail Gorbachev]].  The [[United Kingdom]] reestablished relations with Iran in 1999.  His coalition was dominated by persons who clearly wished to make Iran a normal country.  However, the limitations of the President in the Iranian system allowed Iranian conservatives to marginalize his supporters and close media outlets friendly to his policies.  Although he won reelection in 2001 and cooperated with the United States to some extent against their mutual enemy the [[Taliban]], his supporters were not able to take the next logical step that [[Boris Yeltsin]] and other anti-communist [[Russians]] did under Gorbachev, that is, unite to completely replace the existing political system.  Because they had been able to outmaneuver him politically, Iranian conservatives also did not oblige with a corresponding [[coup d'etat]] against Khatami.  Normal relations with the United States probably will require just this sort of replacement of the existing Iranian constitution, but the popularity of Khatami and congruent popular distaste for his successor indicates that may be possible without war.

=== 2001-present ===

=== 2001-present ===

In spite of the relative overstretch of the U. S. [[military]], the utility of an attack on Iran, or at least its nuclear facilities, was a live [[debate]] among American opinion leaders throughout 2006.  Objections to such an attack were mostly based upon the belief that this would represent the first step on a [[slippery slope]] to [[occupation]] of Iran, which would probably require [[conscription]] in the United States, a step [[conservatives]] and most military leaders oppose.  The debate, however, appeared to have been won decisively by the hawks following the regime's suicidal decision in late March 2007 not to promptly release 15 British sailors and marines it had captured on March 23, 2007.

In spite of the relative overstretch of the U. S. [[military]], the utility of an attack on Iran, or at least its nuclear facilities, was a live [[debate]] among American opinion leaders throughout 2006.  Objections to such an attack were mostly based upon the belief that this would represent the first step on a [[slippery slope]] to [[occupation]] of Iran, which would probably require [[conscription]] in the United States, a step [[conservatives]] and most military leaders oppose.  The debate, however, appeared to have been won decisively by the hawks following the regime's suicidal decision in late March 2007 not to promptly release 15 British sailors and marines it had captured on March 23, 2007.

In 2007, [[NATO]] officials caught Iran "red-handed" shipping heavy arms, C4 explosives and advanced roadside bombs to the [[Taliban]] for use against NATO forces.<ref>''[http://www.aina.org/news/20070608101313.htm Iran Caught Red-Handed Shipping Arms to Taliban]''. June 8, 2007. Assyrian International News Agency.</ref> The NATO officials stated that the incident was a "dramatic escalation of Iran's proxy war against the [[United States]] and [[United Kingdom|Great Britain]]".<ref>''[http://blogs.abcnews.com/theblotter/2007/06/document_iran_c.html Document: Iran Caught Red-Handed Shipping Arms to Taliban]''. June 6, 2007. ABC News.</ref>

In 2007, [[NATO]] officials caught Iran "red-handed" shipping heavy arms, C4 explosives and advanced roadside bombs to the [[Taliban]] for use against NATO forces.<ref>''[http://www.aina.org/news/20070608101313.htm Iran Caught Red-Handed Shipping Arms to Taliban]''. June 8, 2007. Assyrian International News Agency.</ref> The NATO officials stated that the incident was a "dramatic escalation of Iran's proxy war against the [[United States]] and [[United Kingdom]]".<ref>''[http://blogs.abcnews.com/theblotter/2007/06/document_iran_c.html Document: Iran Caught Red-Handed Shipping Arms to Taliban]''. June 6, 2007. ABC News.</ref>

==Further reading==

==Further reading==