Operation Ajax: The CIA’s Secret War in Iran

Summary

REDACTED: Declassified Mysteries with Luke Lamana Episode Summary: Operation Ajax: The CIA’s Secret War in Iran | 1

In this compelling episode of REDACTED: Declassified Mysteries, host Luke Lamanna delves deep into one of the most consequential covert operations in modern history: Operation Ajax, the CIA-led overthrow of Iran's democratically elected Prime Minister, Mohammad Mossadegh, in 1953. Through meticulous research and dramatic storytelling, Lamanna unpacks the intricate web of espionage, propaganda, and political maneuvering that reshaped the Middle East and set the stage for decades of tension between the United States and Iran.

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1. Setting the Scene: Tehran in Turmoil (00:06 – 02:54)

The episode opens in the summer of 1953 within the American Embassy in Tehran, where Kermit Roosevelt Jr., a seasoned CIA operative and grandson of former President Theodore Roosevelt, gauges the escalating chaos outside. As protests and riots engulf the Iranian capital, Roosevelt remains steadfast inside the embassy, aware that he holds the reins to a mission that could alter the course of history.

Notable Quote:

"Kermit showed no surprise. This was the third time he'd been told to leave the embassy since the street fighting had started." (01:26)

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2. The Birth of Operation Ajax (03:01 – 09:36)

Lamanna provides a historical backdrop, explaining the longstanding U.S. interest in Iranian oil and how Prime Minister Mossadegh's nationalization efforts threatened Western economic interests. The British Intelligence Service (MI6) initially devised a coup plan known as Operation Boot, which the CIA later adopted and expanded into Operation Ajax under the new U.S. President Dwight Eisenhower.

Roosevelt's personal motivations are explored, highlighting his desire to honor his grandfather's legacy of adventure and leadership. Assigned the formidable task of orchestrating Mossadegh's ousting, Roosevelt enters Iran under the guise of "James Lockridge," symbolizing his commitment to the mission's secrecy.

Notable Quote:

"Operation Ajax was in America's best interest." (04:53)

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3. Implementing the Propaganda Campaign (09:36 – 16:35)

Upon his arrival in Tehran, Roosevelt embarks on Phase One of Operation Ajax: manipulating public opinion against Mossadegh. He systematically takes control of the Iranian press, bribes journalists, and disseminates anti-Mossadegh propaganda. This orchestrated media campaign is designed to tarnish Mossadegh's reputation, portraying him as anti-Islam and a threat to national stability.

Roosevelt's strategic use of media underscores the covert operation's reliance on information warfare. Despite initial doubts about the effectiveness of his efforts, the campaign gains traction, paving the way for subsequent phases.

Notable Quote:

"He couldn't leave the house without stepping over it. He even got agents back in D.C. to write anti Mosaddegh propaganda." (13:59)

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4. Alliances and Charismatic Manipulation (16:35 – 25:06)

Transitioning to Phase Two, Roosevelt focuses on leveraging influential figures within Iran, particularly targeting religious leaders (mullahs) who wield significant influence over the populace. By bribing key mullahs and street gang leaders, he aims to create internal divisions and instigate violence that discredits Mossadegh's administration.

A pivotal moment occurs during Roosevelt's clandestine meetings with the young Shah, Mohammad Reza Pahlavi. Through relentless persuasion and strategic negotiations, Roosevelt succeeds in convincing the Shah to dismiss Mossadegh, marking a critical turning point in the coup.

Notable Quote:

"He was the humblest man I've ever known." (05:50)

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5. The Failed Coup and Roosevelt's Resolve (25:06 – 33:05)

As Operation Ajax progresses, initial attempts to arrest Mossadegh falter when Iranians loyal to the Prime Minister preemptively act against the coup plotters. Amidst mounting failures, Roosevelt grapples with the mission's precarious state. Facing orders to abort and return to the U.S., Roosevelt's determination prevails. Refusing to concede defeat, he rallies his resources, employing unorthodox methods like mass-producing falsified decrees to regain control and advance the coup's objectives.

Notable Quote:

"Kermit was sure of it." (23:07)

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6. The Successful Overthrow of Mossadegh (33:05 – 41:47)

Reinvigorated, Roosevelt intensifies the operation by amplifying street protests through paid gangs, inciting riots, and orchestrating the public destruction of symbols associated with the Shah. These actions create an environment of chaos that undermines Mossadegh's authority and compels his resignation.

The culmination of these efforts is broadcasted live, signaling the coup's success. As Mossadegh is deposed and the Shah consolidates power, Roosevelt's mission is declared a triumph within CIA circles, cementing his place in intelligence history.

Notable Quote:

"Operation Ajax may have made Kermit the man he always wanted to be, but he should have been careful what he wished for." (45:50)

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7. Long-Term Consequences and Legacy (41:47 – 46:55)

Lamanna transitions to the broader ramifications of Operation Ajax, tracing its influence on subsequent Iranian-American relations. The reinstated Shah's autocratic rule, supported by the U.S., bred widespread resentment among Iranians, ultimately fueling the 1979 Iranian Revolution and the notorious hostage crisis.

The episode underscores how Operation Ajax, while deemed a strategic success for the CIA, sowed seeds of enduring animosity, transforming Iran into one of America's most formidable adversaries in the region.

Notable Quote:

"Operation Ajax set the stage for Iran to become one of the US's most hated enemies." (45:32)

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8. Conclusion: Reflecting on a Complex Legacy (46:55 – End)

In closing, Lamanna reflects on Kermit Roosevelt Jr.'s dual legacy: celebrated in CIA lore yet reviled in Iranian collective memory. The episode serves as a poignant reminder of the intricate moral and ethical dilemmas inherent in covert operations and their far-reaching impacts on international relations.

Notable Quote:

"His legacy is having made many Iranians bitterly anti-American for generations and helping to destabilize the Middle East." (46:12)

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Key Takeaways:

• Operation Ajax was a meticulously planned CIA operation aimed at overthrowing Iran's Prime Minister Mossadegh to protect Western oil interests.

• Kermit Roosevelt Jr., driven by personal ambition and familial legacy, played a central role in executing the coup through propaganda, bribery, and strategic manipulation of influential societal figures.

• The successful overthrow of Mossadegh led to the reinstatement of the Shah, whose autocratic regime fostered deep-seated resentment among Iranians.

• The long-term repercussions of Operation Ajax include the 1979 Iranian Revolution and the enduring adversarial relationship between the United States and Iran.

• The episode highlights the ethical complexities of covert operations and their unintended consequences on global politics and national psyches.

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Notable Quotes with Timestamps:

• (01:26) "This was the third time he'd been told to leave the embassy since the street fighting had started."

• (04:53) "Operation Ajax was in America's best interest."

• (13:59) "He couldn't leave the house without stepping over it. He even got agents back in D.C. to write anti Mosaddegh propaganda."

• (05:50) "He was the humblest man I've ever known."

• (23:07) "Kermit was sure of it."

• (45:50) "Operation Ajax may have made Kermit the man he always wanted to be, but he should have been careful what he wished for."

• (45:32) "Operation Ajax set the stage for Iran to become one of the US's most hated enemies."

• (46:12) "His legacy is having made many Iranians bitterly anti-American for generations and helping to destabilize the Middle East."

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Sources Mentioned:

• All the Shah's Men by Stephen Kinzer
• An American Coup by Stephen Kinzer
• The Roots of Middle East Terror by Stephen Kinzer
• Counter the Struggle for the Control of Iran by Kermit Roosevelt Jr.
• Articles from The New York Times and NPR

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Production Credits:

This episode was written by Aaron Lan, with sound design by Ryan Batesta and produced by Christopher B. Dunn. Associate producers and researchers include Sarah Vitak, Teja Palakanda, Adam Melian, and Rafa Faria. Fact-checking was conducted by Sheila Patterson for Ballin Studios. The production team also included sound designer Marcelino Villapando and senior producers Laura, Donna Palavoda, Dave Schilling, and Rachel Engelman.

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Listen to the full episode on the Wondery app, Apple Podcasts, or Spotify to uncover more declassified secrets and untold stories from the shadows of global history.

Transcript

[Luke Lamanna]

Wondery subscribers can listen to redacted declassified.

[Kermit Roosevelt]

Mysteries early and ad free right now.

[Luke Lamanna]

Join Wondery plus in the Wondery app or on Apple podcasts. In the summer of 1953, CIA operative Kermit Roosevelt Jr. Paced around his office at the American Embassy in Tehran, or as he liked to call it, his battle station. Kermit was the grandson of President Theodore Roosevelt and took real pleasure in feeling like he was in charge. But outside the embassy, in the Iranian streets, it didn't seem like anyone was.

[Kermit Roosevelt]

In command of anything. Beyond the gates at the edge of the embassy compound, crowds of protesters were moving down the street, chanting anti American slogans. What sounded like a glass bottle exploded on the street.

[Luke Lamanna]

Kermit moved to his window and flipped the blinds shut. Iran's government was friendly with the US in those days, but Tehran, the capital.

[Kermit Roosevelt]

Had been in chaos for the past three days. There had been protests and riots all over the city, and now the violence.

[Luke Lamanna]

Was reaching a crescendo.

[Kermit Roosevelt]

Statues of former Iranian leaders had been torn down one by one.

[Luke Lamanna]

The crowds had also looted every building.

[Kermit Roosevelt]

In the main city square and opened fire on counter protesters and passersby alike. So far, hundreds had died in the riots, and inside the American embassy the tension was high.

[Luke Lamanna]

Kermit, the CIA's director of operations, took.

[Kermit Roosevelt]

A deep breath, trying to keep calm. Then the door to his office swung open, and as radio operators stumbled in, already on the verge of tears, with a shaky hand he held up a cable transmission. It had been sent almost 24 hours ago, but there had been some kind of delay. The operator looked sick as he read the transmission aloud, urging Kermit and his people to evacuate Tehran. Washington wanted them gone before the mobs had a chance to storm the embassy, before it was too late for them to get out of Iran alive. But Kermit showed no surprise. This was the third time he'd been told to leave the embassy since the street fighting had started. A gunshot rang out somewhere down below, and the operator jumped, but Kermit remained unflinching.

[Luke Lamanna]

He laughed coldly and told the operator to return to his desk. They weren't going anywhere. The radio operator backed out of his office, walking down the hallway as though he was on a death march.

[Kermit Roosevelt]

But Kermit wasn't even a little concerned.

[Luke Lamanna]

Because he knew something that his superiors back in the United States didn't that he was the one responsible for all of this chaos, and things were going.

[Kermit Roosevelt]

Better than he could have dreamed.

[Narrator]

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[Luke Lamanna]

From Ballen Studios and Wondery I'm Luke Lamanna and this is Declassified Mysteries, where each week we shine a light on the shadowy corners of sb, espionage, covert operations, and misinformation to reveal the dark secrets our governments try to hide. This week's episode is called Operation Ajax, the CIA's secret war in Iran The Middle east is a region that seems to be in a constant state of turmoil. So many nations are at odds with each other or actively hostile towards the United States and its Western allies. Every new American president has to figure.

[Kermit Roosevelt]

Out a diplomatic strategy for the Middle.

[Luke Lamanna]

East, and sub presidents have become deeply unpopular both here and there for getting it wrong.

[Kermit Roosevelt]

But how did this all start?

[Luke Lamanna]

The history of US Intervention is long and sordid, but today's bitter conflict with Iran can be traced back to one.

[Kermit Roosevelt]

Of the most elaborate coup attempts in.

[Luke Lamanna]

History, led by a descendant of American royalty. As much as I might not agree.

[Kermit Roosevelt]

With starting a coup in the Middle.

[Luke Lamanna]

East, something that even years later affected.

[Kermit Roosevelt]

Me during my own military career, I can sympathize with Kermit Roosevelt's desire to live up to his grandfather's standard, his grandfather being former President Teddy Roosevelt. Can you imagine? My own grandfather is a hero to me.

[Luke Lamanna]

He was the only other Marine in.

[Kermit Roosevelt]

My family, and he never talked much about his service. But after I had earned the title of Marine myself, he finally started to.

[Luke Lamanna]

Open up about his time in service, and I finally found out who my grandfather really was. He's the humblest man I've ever known.

[Kermit Roosevelt]

And yet he's apparently a legend in Marine Corps history.

[Luke Lamanna]

So of course I wanted to live up to that standard and make him proud.

[Kermit Roosevelt]

We'll never know what Kermit Roosevelt's relatives would have thought of his involvement in Iran in the 1950s. But what we do know is that the part he played changed the world forever. A few weeks before that Coup began, On July 19, 1953, Kermit Roosevelt stood.

[Luke Lamanna]

At the border crossing between Iraq and.

[Kermit Roosevelt]

Iran, enjoying a cigarette outside of the cement Border Patrol building that marked the.

[Luke Lamanna]

Entry point into Iran.

[Kermit Roosevelt]

Semi trucks rumbled along the highway while Border Patrol agents checked papers and cargo.

[Luke Lamanna]

Trailers before granting them entry into the country. Kermit took a final drag on the cigarette, then stomped it out and walked into the dull beige painted Iranian government building. His driver was already inside, standing at a Border Patrol agent's desk.

[Kermit Roosevelt]

The agent was going over their paperwork with a fine tooth comb. By the time Kermit reached his driver, the agent was already looking over Kermit's passport. He asked Kermit a few questions about.

[Luke Lamanna]

His reasons for visiting Iran and scribbled down his answers on a beat up.

[Kermit Roosevelt]

Clipboard that had seen better days. Kermit smiled to himself, amused by the thought that government buildings were dingy and.

[Luke Lamanna]

Miserable no matter what country you were in.

[Kermit Roosevelt]

He watched as the agent read over the description box on his passport and clearly misunderstood what the information meant. On the entry paperwork, Kermit saw The agent write Mr. Scar on right forehead as if that was his name.

[Luke Lamanna]

Kermit smirked and decided it was a.

[Kermit Roosevelt]

Good omen, a sign that he would enter this country the same way he.

[Luke Lamanna]

Planned to leave it, unidentified and unaccounted for.

[Kermit Roosevelt]

Kermit wasn't planning on using his real name anyway.

[Luke Lamanna]

He was a CIA operative here on a covert mission.

[Kermit Roosevelt]

That bunk passport named him as James.

[Luke Lamanna]

Lockridge, the pseudonym he'd been using while he was in Iran.

[Kermit Roosevelt]

The CIA had assigned Kermit an enormous.

[Luke Lamanna]

Task to covertly orchestrate the overthrow of the Iranian government and oust their new prime minister, Mohammad Mossadegh. Kermit saw this as a grand adventure.

[Kermit Roosevelt]

And one he was excited to undertake. Kermit descended from a long line of adventurous men. His grandfather, Theodore Roosevelt was world famous.

[Luke Lamanna]

For his big game hunting expeditions and.

[Kermit Roosevelt]

His exploits leading a volunteer cavalry unit called the Rough Riders in the Spanish American War. Now it was finally Kermit's turn to.

[Luke Lamanna]

Seize greatness, to do the impossible and.

[Kermit Roosevelt]

Take his place alongside his famous grandfather.

[Luke Lamanna]

Kermit had spent the past few days.

[Kermit Roosevelt]

Brushing up on the assignment. He was only mildly surprised to learn that the coup was initially proposed by.

[Luke Lamanna]

British Intelligence, also known as MI6. But once he thought about it, MI6's.

[Kermit Roosevelt]

Involvement made a lot of sense. It turned out that British agents had already been in Iran for several years, working on something called Operation Boot, which was a ploy to oust Mossadegh from.

[Luke Lamanna]

Power and install a prime minister more.

[Kermit Roosevelt]

Aligned with the west and more importantly, Western business interests.

[Luke Lamanna]

For decades, the west had profited from Iranian oil, essentially becoming shareholders in the world's most profitable oil fields. But Mossadegh was changing that. Ever since he came to power two years ago, he'd been nationalizing Iranian oil.

[Kermit Roosevelt]

Keeping that money for Iran instead of.

[Luke Lamanna]

Letting the west siphon its resources.

[Kermit Roosevelt]

This new policy threatened American interests and put a real dent in the Western economy.

[Luke Lamanna]

So the British coup plan was put in motion. But there was a snag.

[Kermit Roosevelt]

Somehow Prime Minister Mossadegh had found out.

[Luke Lamanna]

About the coup and kicked all the British diplomats out of Iran about nine months ago in October 1952. That set off a chain reaction of events, culminating in the CIA getting involved. Which is why Kermit Roosevelt was standing before a Border patrol agent's desk, craving another cigarette. He fished the pack of Iraqi branded Marlboros out of his pocket. As he lit a cigarette, he watched two Border patrol agents search the back of a livestock truck. He took a drag of the cigarette.

[Kermit Roosevelt]

And reviewed his assignment in his head.

[Luke Lamanna]

Going over the details he'd painstakingly digested.

[Kermit Roosevelt]

This mission had come directly from President.

[Luke Lamanna]

Dwight Eisenhower, the new American president. At some point in the first half.

[Kermit Roosevelt]

Of 1953, MI6 had approached Eisenhower and convinced him that a coup in Iran.

[Luke Lamanna]

Was in America's best interest.

[Kermit Roosevelt]

A few phone calls later, and Kermit found himself in the backseat of a.

[Luke Lamanna]

Car driving toward this remote border crossing.

[Kermit Roosevelt]

300 miles west of Tehran. He was trying to enter Iran with.

[Luke Lamanna]

The express purpose of overthrowing its government. Kermit's boss had said the coup was necessary to squelch Mossadegh's supposed communist leanings.

[Kermit Roosevelt]

And secure democracy and the blessings of.

[Luke Lamanna]

Liberty in the Middle east and blah, blah, blah.

[Kermit Roosevelt]

Kermit didn't believe a word of it. But Kermit knew that his opinion didn't matter. He did what his superiors told him to do.

[Luke Lamanna]

Ten minutes later, the Iranian border agent.

[Kermit Roosevelt]

Let Kermit enter the country and Kermit.

[Luke Lamanna]

And his driver were back into their.

[Kermit Roosevelt]

Dust coated car and headed for Tehran.

[Luke Lamanna]

They drove all afternoon, speeding through vast.

[Kermit Roosevelt]

Deserts and farms in rural communities, until finally, just as dusk fell over the.

[Luke Lamanna]

Desert, the high rise buildings and soaring minarets of Tehran appeared on the horizon.

[Kermit Roosevelt]

Kermit felt a rush of excitement course through him.

[Luke Lamanna]

His great adventure was about to begin. A few weeks later, Kermit strode down A colorful street in Tehran, enjoying the morning bustle. Iranians were on their way to work, flooding the street with mopeds and hurrying down the sidewalk.

[Kermit Roosevelt]

Kermit walked slowly.

[Luke Lamanna]

By comparison, he was in no rush, just on his daily walk to the coffee shop down the street.

[Kermit Roosevelt]

He stepped over bright red fliers that littered the ground.

[Luke Lamanna]

He glanced down at them.

[Kermit Roosevelt]

He'd been seeing the flyers all morning. Kermit didn't read Arabic, but he knew what the posters said.

[Luke Lamanna]

They lambasted Prime Minister Mohammed Mosaddegh, accusing.

[Kermit Roosevelt]

Him of being anti Islam and calling for his removal from office.

[Luke Lamanna]

He stopped at a newspaper stand on.

[Kermit Roosevelt]

The next corner to buy that morning's.

[Luke Lamanna]

Edition of an English newspaper. He liked to take it with him to the cafe so he could sit and read. A front page headline read loud and clear, Fire Mossadegh.

[Kermit Roosevelt]

In fact, the entire paper seemed chock.

[Luke Lamanna]

Full of anti Mossadegh rhetoric.

[Kermit Roosevelt]

The sight of it filled Kermit with glee. Because all of this, both the flyers and the newspaper article, had been his handiwork.

[Luke Lamanna]

The first phase of what the CIA was calling Operation Ajax. The first objective of the mission was.

[Kermit Roosevelt]

To seize control of the Iranian press.

[Luke Lamanna]

And pump anti Mossadegh rhetoric into every newspaper in circulation.

[Kermit Roosevelt]

Kermit wanted every pair of Iranian eyes to see nothing but red flyers and angry press. Upon arriving in Tehran in mid July.

[Luke Lamanna]

Kermit had actually been a little apprehensive about this stage of the mission. Mossadegh was, beyond a shadow of a doubt the most popular prime minister in modern Iranian history.

[Kermit Roosevelt]

How do you turn an entire nation against a popular, democratically elected leader?

[Luke Lamanna]

He thought it would be impossible to get the Iranian press to print slander.

[Kermit Roosevelt]

Against Mossadegh, that they'd fight his efforts to control the flow of information.

[Luke Lamanna]

But he faced almost no resistance. The press in Iran was already corrupt, so it didn't cost much to get.

[Kermit Roosevelt]

Columnists and reporters on his payroll. From there, the propaganda had been printed in an endless stream.

[Luke Lamanna]

He quite literally couldn't leave the house without stepping over it. He even got agents back in D.C. to write anti Mosaddegh propaganda that accused the prime minister of having Jewish parents, which was a big taboo and pretty much whatever other lie Kermit could think of. But he couldn't tell whether the Iranian.

[Kermit Roosevelt]

Public was buying these lies.

[Luke Lamanna]

Mossadegh was still enormously popular. Even still, Operation Ajax was going better.

[Kermit Roosevelt]

Than Kermit had hoped. Which meant it was time to ease into phase two of his generate chaos.

[Luke Lamanna]

Kermit knew how he was going to.

[Kermit Roosevelt]

Pull this off, too, by paying Iranians and expats in Tehran who would gladly sell out their own country's best interests.

[Luke Lamanna]

But these assets couldn't be just anybody.

[Kermit Roosevelt]

They had to have sway. And in a country where 98% of the population practiced Islam, that meant targeting.

[Luke Lamanna]

The mullahs, the religious leaders and scholars.

[Kermit Roosevelt]

That held enormous sway over their congregations. In fact, Kermit was on his way to meet one such mullah now. But he had to be careful. He'd spent weeks establishing this morning routine from newspaper stand to coffee shop and then the park beyond, so that any witnesses, anyone tailing him, would have no.

[Luke Lamanna]

Reason to suspect he was up to.

[Kermit Roosevelt]

Anything other than exercise. Kermit arrived at the coffee shop and.

[Luke Lamanna]

Sat down at one of the little.

[Kermit Roosevelt]

Tables outside, checking his watch.

[Luke Lamanna]

He had about 30 minutes before his rendezvous, so we opened the paper, scanning.

[Kermit Roosevelt]

The page as he reviewed his to do list in his head.

[Luke Lamanna]

First he needed to meet with the.

[Kermit Roosevelt]

Mullah and buy him off, then touch.

[Luke Lamanna]

Base with some other assets who might prove useful. Luckily, the CIA and British intelligence already.

[Kermit Roosevelt]

Had an active network of locals in.

[Luke Lamanna]

Tehran that he could tap into. This handful of experienced Iranian operatives were.

[Kermit Roosevelt]

Paid tens of thousands of dollars every month to act as eyes and ears for Western intelligence, and now they would.

[Luke Lamanna]

All be at Kermit's disposal.

[Kermit Roosevelt]

Frankly, Kermit had been surprised by how high ranking some of these assets were. Politicians, military officers, clergymen, newspaper editors, the list went on. Kermit was most interested in the street gang leaders on the American and British payrolls. He knew he'd need them at some point. After all, he was planning a revolution. Kermit flipped the newspaper and sipped his.

[Luke Lamanna]

Coffee, draining it in three swigs. Then he started his routine stroll around the park.

[Kermit Roosevelt]

But instead of completing his normal loop, he left through a gateway on the far side of the park and walked down the block, eventually entering a department.

[Luke Lamanna]

Store across the street. He headed toward the men's clothing department.

[Kermit Roosevelt]

Nodding to the saleswoman in the makeup department as he passed.

[Luke Lamanna]

To onlookers, he was a Western diplomat.

[Kermit Roosevelt]

On his way to get a new shirt or silk tie, maybe for some upcoming special occasion. There would be no reason to connect.

[Luke Lamanna]

Him with the mullah, who was browsing crisp white shirts on a rack nearby. Kermit didn't so much as glance at the mullah.

[Kermit Roosevelt]

He just continued browsing, wandering slowly to.

[Luke Lamanna]

The other side of the store.

[Kermit Roosevelt]

At one point Kermit crossed behind the.

[Luke Lamanna]

Mullah, but otherwise the men didn't interact whatsoever. And yet, by the time Kermit left the department store. Ten minutes later, he had slipped an.

[Kermit Roosevelt]

Envelope to the holy man, one containing enough money to sway the mullah into delivering a very specific sermon that weekend.

[Luke Lamanna]

One that would denounce Mossadegh as anti God and irreligious, and hopefully convinced the.

[Kermit Roosevelt]

Mullis congregation that their new prime minister had to go.

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[Kermit Roosevelt]

A few days later, on August 3rd, Kermit slipped into the backseat of an unmarked car. There was a wool blanket sitting on.

[Luke Lamanna]

The seat next to him, and he.

[Kermit Roosevelt]

Grimaced as he laid down across the.

[Luke Lamanna]

Seat and threw the blanket over his.

[Kermit Roosevelt]

Body, hiding him from any onlookers. The car began moving and Kermit started to feel hot.

[Luke Lamanna]

He he tried his best to will.

[Kermit Roosevelt]

Himself not to sweat. He wanted to look commanding, considering his destination. He also tried his best not to.

[Luke Lamanna]

Move as the car crept through the streets of Tehran to an imposing set of gates on the north side of the city.

[Kermit Roosevelt]

Kermit couldn't see what was happening, but he could hear enough to know that a security guard had barely glanced at his driver's papers before waving the car through. A moment later, Kermit had officially entered the compound at the Royal Palace. This was the third phase of Operation Ajax, and the only portion that had made Kermit truly nervous. He needed to convince Mohammad reza Pahlavi, the 32 year old Shah of Iran, essentially Iran's king, to sign paperwork dismissing.

[Luke Lamanna]

Mossadegh as his prime minister.

[Kermit Roosevelt]

He would be asking the Shah to sign off on a coup that would overthrow the government of his own country, and that would be no easy task.

[Luke Lamanna]

Despite Kermit's smear campaign against him, Mossadegh.

[Kermit Roosevelt]

Was still the most popular political political leader in Iran.

[Luke Lamanna]

It would take a lot of courage to fire Mossadegh, and that was something the young shah lacked. He came off as immature, more concerned.

[Kermit Roosevelt]

With looking cool and being liked than.

[Luke Lamanna]

Leading with any kind of conviction. Even if he agreed to the coup.

[Kermit Roosevelt]

He might change his mind by warning. Nothing was certain until he signed the papers and had them delivered to Mossadegh's front door. And yet Kermit had to convince him. Kermit didn't even want to think about what it meant for him if he.

[Luke Lamanna]

Failed, let alone American diplomats in Iran as a whole.

[Kermit Roosevelt]

The car pulled to a stop.

[Luke Lamanna]

From beneath his blanket, Kermit could hear.

[Kermit Roosevelt]

Footsteps approaching the car, graceful and measured.

[Luke Lamanna]

The click of expensive shoes.

[Kermit Roosevelt]

A moment later, the door opened and.

[Luke Lamanna]

Kermit sat up just enough for someone.

[Kermit Roosevelt]

To settle onto the seat next to him. Then the car was moving again, slowly, to another part of the royal grounds.

[Luke Lamanna]

Kermit didn't speak.

[Kermit Roosevelt]

He just waited in silence until the man beside him told him the coast was clear. Kermit threw off the blanket and smiled at the Shah of Iran, introducing himself.

[Luke Lamanna]

With as much reverence as he could muster.

[Kermit Roosevelt]

The driver had parked on the side of the palace, an area cast in shadows and hidden from the guard stations. Kermit felt relieved. Complete secrecy was imperative if this coup had a prayer of working.

[Luke Lamanna]

Kermit decided it was best to cut.

[Kermit Roosevelt]

To the chase, since the Shah probably already knew why they were having this meeting.

[Luke Lamanna]

That was because Kermit had already spoken with the Shah's twin sister, Princess Ashraf. Princess Ashraf was everything the Shah wasn't politically savvy and cutthroat enough for the both of them. She saw Mossadegh as an enemy whose.

[Kermit Roosevelt]

Nationalization of Iranian oil had cut into.

[Luke Lamanna]

The royal family's profits. In fact, she'd been so vocal about.

[Kermit Roosevelt]

Her dislike of Mossadegh that she was deeply unpopular with the Iranian public.

[Luke Lamanna]

The outrage had made the Shah so.

[Kermit Roosevelt]

Afraid for his own position that he.

[Luke Lamanna]

Unofficially exiled Princess Ashraf to Europe more.

[Kermit Roosevelt]

Than a year ago. Kermit knew that she would be sympathetic.

[Luke Lamanna]

To Operation Ajax, and that a brand new mink coat and a wad of cash might be enough to convince her to help. Kermit had been right about that. But even though the princess returned to Iran and begged her brother to dismiss Mossadegh. To Kermit's surprise, she failed to convince him. So Kermit resorted to Plan B. He called an army general who the Shah owed a lot of money, and.

[Kermit Roosevelt]

The general had made some headway.

[Luke Lamanna]

But the Shah still wasn't totally convinced to turn on his prime minister.

[Kermit Roosevelt]

And that's when Kermit knew it was up to him. This was a conversation he needed to.

[Luke Lamanna]

Have face to face with the Shah. Kermit used his contacts to arrange this midnight meeting.

[Kermit Roosevelt]

He wouldn't waste it.

[Luke Lamanna]

He launched into a rehearsed speech about how Mossadegh was anti royal. The royal family's coffers would soon run dry once all that oil money dried up. In just a generation or two, maybe the royal family would be ousted from Iran completely. Did Reza Shah really want that to be his legacy?

[Kermit Roosevelt]

Kermit did his best to make it sound casual. Off the cuff, he pressed the Shah even as he watched the Shah's face go taut.

[Luke Lamanna]

This might have been the conversation the Shah was expecting, but it wasn't the.

[Kermit Roosevelt]

One he wanted to have.

[Luke Lamanna]

They were only in the car five.

[Kermit Roosevelt]

Minutes before the Shah asked the driver.

[Luke Lamanna]

To take him back around to the.

[Kermit Roosevelt]

Front steps, and Kermit was forced to dive under his blanket again for fear of being seen. And yet, even from under the blanket, Kermit couldn't help but notice a moment's hesitation before the Shah left the car, as though he'd wanted to say something but thought better of it.

[Luke Lamanna]

Then, as the car door slammed shut, a smile crept over Kermit's face.

[Kermit Roosevelt]

A surge of adrenaline rushed through him, one that had him up and pacing his house for the rest of the night. The Shah had hesitated. Some small part of him had wanted to continue the conversation. Kermit was sure of it. So the next morning, Kermit called his contact and set up another meeting with the Shah for that night. Same time, same place, and the night after, they talked again and again and again. On the night of August 9, Kermit waited under the blanket in the backseat as usual, and the Shah made his way down the lavish front steps of the palace. The moment he ducked into the car, Kermit launched into his nightly diatribe about the need for the Shah's support. Kermit had the whole pitch memorized at this point, and the more the Shah agreed with him, the harder he hammered his point. Mossadegh was dangerous. He had to go. When Kermit finally ran out of breath, the car fell silent.

[Luke Lamanna]

The Shah's expression was unreadable, but Kermit knew he was mulling it over, and finally the Shah relented.

[Kermit Roosevelt]

He told Kermit that over the past.

[Luke Lamanna]

Week he'd come to see things more clearly.

[Kermit Roosevelt]

He knew that Kermit and his own sister and the general were probably right. He would dismiss Mossadegh from office.

[Luke Lamanna]

It took all of Kermit's willpower to keep from whooping out loud, but he held his breath as the Shah agreed.

[Kermit Roosevelt]

To sign the paperwork in the morning, and then he told the driver to.

[Luke Lamanna]

Take him back to the front steps.

[Kermit Roosevelt]

Kermit pulled the blanket back over his head and a wave of relief washed over him. Some small part of him couldn't believe that he'd done it.

[Luke Lamanna]

In less than a month he'd successfully.

[Kermit Roosevelt]

Completed all three phases of Operation Ajax, and in just a few days time would see Mossadegh dismissed from office, completing his mission.

[Luke Lamanna]

As the car rolled to a stop.

[Kermit Roosevelt]

Outside the palace steps, Kermit thanked the Shah and said he would look forward to hearing the announcement on the news in the morning. But the Shah clicked his tongue and said it would have to wait until Saturday.

[Luke Lamanna]

The Iranian weekend is Thursday and Friday, and no one was going to overthrow the government on their day off.

[Kermit Roosevelt]

Just before Midnight on Saturday, August 15, 1953, Colonel Nematola Nasseri sat in the lead car of a military caravan. He was the commander of the Imperial Guard, and under the COVID of darkness, he and a small caravan of military officers were on a special assignment. Several military caravans were cutting through the streets of Tehran tonight, heading for the homes of Iranian politicians. The colonel knew that across town, Kermit Roosevelt had gathered at a safe house with fellow agents, all awaiting a call on whether or not tonight's operation was successful. The colonel had heard that the agents were sitting around a record player, drinking vodka and listening to the song Luck Be a Lady from the American musical Guys and Dolls. The colonel smiled to himself, deciding they could use all the luck they could get.

[Luke Lamanna]

The colonel double checked his breast pocket.

[Kermit Roosevelt]

Feeling for the folded piece of paper he'd stored there for safekeeping. It was the official decree signed by the Shah that dismissed Mossadegh from office. Within the hour, he would hand deliver the decree to Mossadegh and if the prime minister resisted, have him arrested on his doorstep. But first they had to make a stop. Colonel Nasseri's car pulled up in front of a stately home in an upscale neighborhood of Tehran. Nasseri hopped out of the car along with two officers.

[Luke Lamanna]

He knew that the officers could have.

[Kermit Roosevelt]

Handled this part of the mission on their own.

[Luke Lamanna]

But out of respect, Nasiri wanted to.

[Kermit Roosevelt]

Do this face to face. He knocked on the door and waited for Mossadegh's military chief of Staff to answer.

[Luke Lamanna]

It was late, so there was no question the man would be home, probably already fast asleep.

[Kermit Roosevelt]

Nasseri would wait for the military Chief of Staff to roll out of bed and come to the door.

[Luke Lamanna]

Then Nasiri would inform the man he was being arrested.

[Kermit Roosevelt]

The charges would be false, but that didn't matter. He just needed the Chief of Staff to tain for the next few hours. Because after arresting the Chief of Staff, Nasiri would continue on to Mosaddegh's house.

[Luke Lamanna]

And the CIA agents across town had wanted to make sure that when they dismissed Mosaddegh, there would be nobody available.

[Kermit Roosevelt]

For him to call. No chance of rallying support or whipping up a fight.

[Luke Lamanna]

Mossadegh would be isolated and cornered. Except.

[Kermit Roosevelt]

Minutes ticked by and nobody came to the door.

[Luke Lamanna]

So Nasiri knocked again, harder this time.

[Kermit Roosevelt]

They waited, but no lights turned on in the house. Nasiri pressed his hands to the glass.

[Luke Lamanna]

To peer into the dark foyer, but there was no movement. No indication that anybody was even awake. After five minutes, Nasiri and his officers.

[Kermit Roosevelt]

Realized that the house was completely empty.

[Luke Lamanna]

The military chief of staff and his family were gone. It was odd, but Nasiri told himself.

[Kermit Roosevelt]

That they were out late at a friend's house and had lost track of time.

[Luke Lamanna]

Or perhaps they'd taken a last minute.

[Kermit Roosevelt]

Trip out of town to see family.

[Luke Lamanna]

Nasiri decided not to read into it. They would continue on to Mossadegh's house.

[Kermit Roosevelt]

Twenty minutes later, Nasiri and his motorcade pulled up along the front gate to.

[Luke Lamanna]

The Mosaddegh family apartment complex. The Prime Minister's family had owned the.

[Kermit Roosevelt]

Apartment complex for years.

[Luke Lamanna]

Instead of buying a lavish house, Mossadegh.

[Kermit Roosevelt]

And his wife had continued to live.

[Luke Lamanna]

In one of the corner units even.

[Kermit Roosevelt]

After he was elected Prime Minister. The caravan rolled to a stop and Nasseri stepped out of the lead car and approached the security guard standing watch at the gate. He heard car doors open behind him and knew that a horde of military officers were now falling in line.

[Luke Lamanna]

He watched the security guard's face as.

[Kermit Roosevelt]

The officers took formation. Reading the terror in the man's eyes.

[Luke Lamanna]

Nasiri thought that was good.

[Kermit Roosevelt]

A scared guard was far more likely to cooperate, and Nasiri would prefer there.

[Luke Lamanna]

Be no bloodshed tonight.

[Kermit Roosevelt]

He wished the guard a good evening.

[Luke Lamanna]

Then handed over the signed document that.

[Kermit Roosevelt]

Dismissed Mossadegh from office. He demanded to be let into the complex. The guard nodded, but he didn't open the gate.

[Luke Lamanna]

Then several men in military uniforms stepped out of the shadows and surrounded Nasiri and his officers.

[Kermit Roosevelt]

They were armed, and one of them ordered Nasiri's officers to stand down.

[Luke Lamanna]

Nasiri tried to mask his shock as.

[Kermit Roosevelt]

Two of the military men grabbed him by the upper arm and escorted him toward a jeep parked just beyond the gate. It was clear their plan had failed, and now the colonel was the one on his way to jail. In the early hours of August 16, Kermit paced the hallways of the American Embassy's compound, torn between the urge to punch a wall and the need to drown his sorrows in vodka.

[Luke Lamanna]

He'd just been forced to send a.

[Kermit Roosevelt]

Wire to Washington explaining why Operation Ajax had not been successful the night before. Kermit opted for vodka.

[Luke Lamanna]

He poured himself a glass and sank into the armchair in his office, then.

[Kermit Roosevelt]

Turned on the radio.

[Luke Lamanna]

Outside his office window, the sky was turning a rosy shade of pink. The sun was creeping up over the rooftops across the street. It made Kermit feel exposed, like his.

[Kermit Roosevelt]

Failures were about to be dragged into.

[Luke Lamanna]

The stark light of day.

[Kermit Roosevelt]

Over the radio, a news reporter announced that a coup against Prime Minister Mossadegh had failed overnight.

[Luke Lamanna]

Kermit wanted to throw his glass across.

[Kermit Roosevelt]

The room as the reporter gave the details of Nasseri's arrest outside Mossadegh's home. And then a fellow agent knocked on Kermit's door and sauntered into his office. The agent sat on the edge of Kermit's desk and said he had the details of what had unfolded the night before. Mosaddegh had somehow learned that he was going to be dismissed and sprang into action. He had his loyalists leave their homes to avoid arrest. Then he planted troops outside those homes to wait until Nasiri and his co conspirators made their move, and when they.

[Luke Lamanna]

Did, they'd be ambushed and arrested for treason.

[Kermit Roosevelt]

The shah was so rattled that he and his wife had already fled to Rome. Apparently some reporters met his plane when it landed in Italy, and he stepped onto the tarmac, joking that he might.

[Luke Lamanna]

Be looking for a job soon. Kermit audibly groaned at that, stunned by how spineless this shah seemed to be. The agent agreed, then pushed himself off.

[Kermit Roosevelt]

Kermit's desk and headed over to the wet bar.

[Luke Lamanna]

He poured himself some of Kermit's vodka.

[Kermit Roosevelt]

He told Kermit there was something else, too. CIA headquarters had sent a wire early this morning.

[Luke Lamanna]

They were calling it quits. Kermit was ordered to throw in the.

[Kermit Roosevelt]

Towel and Hop on the first flight back to Washington. Kermit felt shell shocked. The idea of abandoning his mission, of failing where his grandfather had succeeded, felt like a sucker punch to the gut.

[Luke Lamanna]

He couldn't breathe. He just slammed down the rest of his vodka and told the agent to.

[Kermit Roosevelt]

Leave him alone, to stew. He couldn't understand how this had happened.

[Luke Lamanna]

His plan was risky, sure, but it was doable.

[Kermit Roosevelt]

He'd laid the groundwork meticulously. But now Mossadegh was still in power and the Shah was gone.

[Luke Lamanna]

He leaned back in his armchair, staring.

[Kermit Roosevelt]

At the ceiling, oscillating between anger and disbelief.

[Luke Lamanna]

He stared and stared at the hairline fractures snaked across the ceiling plaster, going.

[Kermit Roosevelt]

Over the plan again and again in.

[Luke Lamanna]

His head, searching for the weak link.

[Kermit Roosevelt]

Trying to figure out who might have snitched. It couldn't end like this.

[Luke Lamanna]

He was too close to pulling it off.

[Kermit Roosevelt]

He poured himself another vodka, wheels turning. He still had resources, he realized, and contacts.

[Luke Lamanna]

He could still figure out a way.

[Kermit Roosevelt]

To get Mosaddegh out of office, figure.

[Luke Lamanna]

Out some way to turn this failed coup on its head, change the narrative. Just like he'd been doing since he waltzed into Iran a month ago.

[Kermit Roosevelt]

That morning he sent a wire back to Washington telling them to cancel his flight home. He was staying, and by that afternoon.

[Luke Lamanna]

He knew exactly how he was going to get Operation Ajax back on track.

[Kermit Roosevelt]

By early afternoon on August 16, Kermit had bought a piece of brand new cutting edge equipment. A photocopier, one of the only copy machines in all of Tehran. It was roughly the size of two refrigerators roped together. Kermit turned it on and the copy machine roared to life, clacking like someone was banging a hammer inside it.

[Luke Lamanna]

He fed a piece of paper into the copier, then ordered as many copies.

[Kermit Roosevelt]

As the machine could print. It shook as it made hundreds of photocopies. Agents could hear the machine from down the hallway.

[Luke Lamanna]

It sounded like Kermit had installed a.

[Kermit Roosevelt]

Bowling alley in the break room, but within a few hours he had a stack of flyers, photocopies of the edict the Shah had signed that dismissed Mossadegh from office.

[Luke Lamanna]

He ordered his officers to begin posting them all over the city, but especially in the rougher districts on Tehran's south side.

[Kermit Roosevelt]

Then he sent a few copies to the reporters and newspaper editors on his payroll.

[Luke Lamanna]

He wanted the edict printed on the.

[Kermit Roosevelt]

Front page of all the papers, along with his own version of events. The current news reports had it all wrong.

[Luke Lamanna]

The coup had actually been Mossadegh trying.

[Kermit Roosevelt]

To overthrow the Shah. Once Kermit felt certain the papers would back his story.

[Luke Lamanna]

He went back to his office and.

[Kermit Roosevelt]

Placed a phone call to two Iranians he'd been working with since arriving in Tehran. He needed a favor. A big one.

[Luke Lamanna]

Nothing that the two of them couldn't handle, but still, it was a risk.

[Kermit Roosevelt]

The men were nervous about getting in involved. What Kermit was asking was in their.

[Luke Lamanna]

Wheelhouse, but much bigger than anything they'd ever attempted.

[Kermit Roosevelt]

Kermit asked the Iranians if $50,000 would be enough to convince them to participate. Then he held his breath. Through the long beat of silence, he heard muffled whispers on the other end of the phone. Kermit didn't have time to negotiate, so he rephrased his offer. Either the men could take the 50 grand and go through with the plan, or Kermit would have them killed. Kermit wasn't just clever, he was ruthless.

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[Kermit Roosevelt]

The next morning on August 17, one of the gangs from Tehran's south side took to the streets with signs calling for the Shah to stay in Rome.

[Luke Lamanna]

The signs weren't worded so politely, but.

[Kermit Roosevelt]

They got the point across. The gang members shouted anti Shah rhetoric and chanted in unison, and soon another.

[Luke Lamanna]

Street gang joined them.

[Kermit Roosevelt]

By noon, their numbers had swelled considerably, their ranks made entirely of criminals and gang members. There were so many protesters that they filled the street. Passersby had to duck into alleyways to get through. As their anti Shah rhetoric grew louder, Mossadegh supporters joined their march, thrilled to.

[Luke Lamanna]

Be part of a protest that supported.

[Kermit Roosevelt]

Their beloved prime minister.

[Luke Lamanna]

By the time they reached Parliament Square.

[Kermit Roosevelt]

Tens of thousands of Iranians had gathered, shouting their support for Mossadegh and lambasting.

[Luke Lamanna]

The Shah who'd run away from his own country.

[Kermit Roosevelt]

Then several men began climbing a massive statue of the Shah mounted on a.

[Luke Lamanna]

Horse right in the middle of the square. They threw a chain around the marble.

[Kermit Roosevelt]

Shah'S neck and pulled. It didn't take long for the entire statue to come crashing down, and as.

[Luke Lamanna]

It smashed on the cobblestone below, shocked news reporters gave the play by play over the radio.

[Kermit Roosevelt]

Kermit Roosevelt heard the entire broadcast while.

[Luke Lamanna]

Sitting in his office alongside several other.

[Kermit Roosevelt]

CIA agents who had taken part in Operation Ajax.

[Luke Lamanna]

When the reporter said the statue was.

[Kermit Roosevelt]

Toppled, the entire room erupted in cheers. Kermit was thrilled. The men he had bribed the night before were street gang leaders, and he paid them to start this protest. The directive had been lead the charge.

[Luke Lamanna]

To Parliamentary square and topple the Shah statue. Kermit felt like Operation Ajax was back on track.

[Kermit Roosevelt]

But the whole point of the mission.

[Luke Lamanna]

Was to turn the Iranians against the Prime Minister and to support the Shah. So how exactly was this a good thing? Simply put, you can't truly destabilize a country without starting a fight.

[Kermit Roosevelt]

The next morning, protests began again.

[Luke Lamanna]

But this time, Kermit paid the gang.

[Kermit Roosevelt]

Members to take to the streets, chanting.

[Luke Lamanna]

Things like, I love Mossadegh and I love Communism. I want a people's Republic.

[Kermit Roosevelt]

All while they looted stores, fired bullets.

[Luke Lamanna]

Into mosques, broke windows at random, and beat any innocent bystander unlucky enough to cross their path. They incited an all out riot.

[Kermit Roosevelt]

By Tuesday morning, August 18, the riots.

[Luke Lamanna]

Had gotten so bad that Mossadegh was.

[Kermit Roosevelt]

Forced to appear on national news and publicly forbid his supporters from demonstrating. But when the sun rose over Tehran.

[Luke Lamanna]

On the 19th, onlookers caught a glimpse of the weirdest mob yet.

[Kermit Roosevelt]

Weightlifters, most of them wearing nothing but.

[Luke Lamanna]

Curled mustaches and loincloths, marched down the.

[Kermit Roosevelt]

Street shouting pro Shah slogans like Long live the Shah. They were waving barbells above their heads.

[Luke Lamanna]

Perhaps as some kind of show of brute strength.

[Kermit Roosevelt]

Behind them were jugglers throwing heavy pins and muscle, men wielding knives. And even Kermit had to admit it.

[Luke Lamanna]

Wasn'T his best work.

[Kermit Roosevelt]

But it would do, because soon police and military officers joined the circus performers chanting slogans in support of the Shah, telling him to come back from Rome.

[Luke Lamanna]

To onlookers, it was more than a spectacle that created chaos. It was a sign of unity, with.

[Kermit Roosevelt]

Groups from different socioeconomic classes from all.

[Luke Lamanna]

Around Tehran joining forces to back the Shah. Any humor the mob might have induced quickly evaporated. They gained size and momentum as they made their way toward Mosaddegh's apartment.

[Kermit Roosevelt]

On the way, they set fire to eight government buildings and three pro Mosaddegh newspaper offices.

[Luke Lamanna]

Kermit could see the smoke from his.

[Kermit Roosevelt]

Command center, and the sight warmed his heart more than the alcohol he'd been.

[Luke Lamanna]

Drinking for days on end. Then Mossadegh supporters came out to meet.

[Kermit Roosevelt]

The mob, and the pro Shah protesters started skirmishes with the Mossadegh supporters and.

[Luke Lamanna]

Innocent passersby soon, fists flew and gunshots rang out.

[Kermit Roosevelt]

By the time the mob of Shah.

[Luke Lamanna]

Supporters reached Mossadegh's house, 300 Tehranians were dead.

[Kermit Roosevelt]

Back in his office, Kermit listened to the radio reports as the mob charged into the compound where Mossadegh and his.

[Luke Lamanna]

Family lived and began looting. They trashed his furniture and stole his.

[Kermit Roosevelt]

Family heirlooms while some made their way.

[Luke Lamanna]

Up to Mosaddegh's bedroom upstairs, where they'd heard the prime minister was awaiting arrest or worse. The most eager mobsters threw themselves against.

[Kermit Roosevelt]

His bedroom door until the wood cracked.

[Luke Lamanna]

And the hinges came loose. But when they entered his bedroom, it was empty.

[Kermit Roosevelt]

It seemed the prime minister had fled. The mob didn't bother trying to find Mossadegh. Instead, they continued raiding the house, hauling all the furniture and appliances worth selling to trucks outside, and told awaiting news reporters that Mosaddegh was officially deposed. Back at the command center, Kermit was eating lunch and listening to the radio.

[Luke Lamanna]

The announcer was halfway through a broadcast about the current price of grain, but.

[Kermit Roosevelt]

Kermit was listening as though it was the ninth inning of the World Series. The announcer's voice slowed, then cut out completely as dead air filled the room. Kermit smiled to himself with growing anticipation.

[Luke Lamanna]

He leaned back in his chair, waiting with bated breath. After several minutes, Kermit could hear the sound of two men arguing over the airwaves. He leaned in, trying to make out what the men were saying, but it.

[Kermit Roosevelt]

Was too muffled to hear. He tapped his toes, anticipation building.

[Luke Lamanna]

Then another moment of silence, and a.

[Kermit Roosevelt]

New announcer came on the radio and said, the government of Mossadegh has been defeated. Kermit poured himself another vodka. The coup d'had worked, and Kermit had finally become the man he'd always wanted.

[Luke Lamanna]

To be, for better or worse.

[Kermit Roosevelt]

A few days later, Reza Shah strode down the main staircase of his palace and turned into his lavish sitting room, where Kermit Roosevelt was already waiting. It was just after midnight. The Shah thought it was appropriate to.

[Luke Lamanna]

Keep their usual meeting time.

[Kermit Roosevelt]

But tonight Kermit hadn't been hiding in the driveway under a blanket. He'd entered in full view of the guards. The Shah motioned to a chair, and Kermit sat down.

[Luke Lamanna]

The Shah sat across from him as.

[Kermit Roosevelt]

A servant came over with a tray of vodka, and each man took a glass. The Shah raised his and told Kermit that the toast was in his honor tonight, that he owed his throne to.

[Luke Lamanna]

God, but his people to Kermit Roosevelt.

[Kermit Roosevelt]

Kermit smiled and took a sip of his drink. The Shah followed suit. Tonight, the vodka tasted especially smooth.

[Luke Lamanna]

Fast forward 26 years later to November 4, 1979. The American embassy in Tehran. A young CIA operative watched from his window as Iranian students chanted anti American slogans. Suddenly, buses filled with more rowdy demonstrators sped towards the embassy. As soon as the buses screeched to a halt, students raced out the doors to join their fellow demonstrators. Just then, the operative noticed a female student using bolt cutters on the embassy's.

[Kermit Roosevelt]

Gate as other students cheered her on. Worried that things were escalating, the operative.

[Luke Lamanna]

Phoned his bosses back in D.C. when suddenly, the doors burst open as armed students stormed the embassy.

[Kermit Roosevelt]

Before the operative knew it, he and.

[Luke Lamanna]

89 other Americans in the embassy were hostages.

[Kermit Roosevelt]

The Iranian hostage crisis lasted 444 days. These students held America's attention from for close to a year and a half.

[Luke Lamanna]

And arguably cost President Jimmy Carter a second term.

[Kermit Roosevelt]

And it all goes back to Operation Ajax. After Kermit's coup, a new government was installed by the Shah.

[Luke Lamanna]

Mossadegh was eventually found by military police and arrested. The United States sentenced him to three.

[Kermit Roosevelt]

Years of solitary confinement, to be served on house arrest at his family's remote villa in the countryside of Iran.

[Luke Lamanna]

But many of Mossadegh's allies paid a.

[Kermit Roosevelt]

Heavier price for their loyalty to the.

[Luke Lamanna]

Prime minister and to their country.

[Kermit Roosevelt]

Several allies were sentenced to death for their part in saving Mossadegh's life and attempting to stop the coup. Mossadegh was the last democratically elected leader in Iranian history. The incoming prime minister returned a lot of power to Reza Shah, allowing him to rule as a more traditional monarch.

[Luke Lamanna]

But he relied heavily on the United.

[Kermit Roosevelt]

States and brute force to maintain that power. Those who have since fled Iran used to joke that life was good so.

[Luke Lamanna]

Long as you didn't ask questions.

[Kermit Roosevelt]

Not exactly a tenet of democracy.

[Luke Lamanna]

Over the next 25 years, the Iranian government became so despised by Iranians that.

[Kermit Roosevelt]

It destroyed Iran's relationship with the United.

[Luke Lamanna]

States and set the stage for the.

[Kermit Roosevelt]

Iranian hostage crisis of 1979, when young revolutionaries took over the US embassy in Tehran. And that gave way to a revolution that installed Supreme Leader Ayatollah Khamenei.

[Luke Lamanna]

Khamenei promised freedom, but instead adopted the.

[Kermit Roosevelt]

Shah's tactics of brute force to install a crippling dictatorship.

[Luke Lamanna]

Iranians have been fighting, often at the.

[Kermit Roosevelt]

Cost of their lives, for democracy ever since. For their part, the CIA saw Operation.

[Luke Lamanna]

Ajax as a runaway success and an.

[Kermit Roosevelt]

Important milestone for their newly established organization. It became the template for future CIA orchestrated coups around the world. But over the long term, Operation Ajax set the stage for Iran to become.

[Luke Lamanna]

One of the US's most hated enemies.

[Kermit Roosevelt]

Operation Ajax may have made Kermit the.

[Luke Lamanna]

Man he always wanted to be, but he should have been careful what he wished for. While his grandfather, President Theodore Roosevelt, is.

[Kermit Roosevelt]

Remembered for becoming the first American to win the Nobel Peace Prize for ending.

[Luke Lamanna]

The Russo Japan War, Kermit is remembered.

[Kermit Roosevelt]

For the lasting pain Operation Ajax caused. Unfortunately for the Roosevelt family, his legacy.

[Luke Lamanna]

Is having made many Iranians bitterly anti.

[Kermit Roosevelt]

American for generations and helping to destabilize.

[Luke Lamanna]

The Middle East Follow Declassified Mysteries on the Wondery app, Amazon Music or wherever you get your podcasts. You can listen to every episode of.

[Kermit Roosevelt]

Redacted early and ad Free right now by joining Wondery plus in the Wondery.

[Luke Lamanna]

App or on Apple Podcasts.

[Kermit Roosevelt]

Before you go, tell us about yourself.

[Luke Lamanna]

By completing a short [e-mail] survey.

[Production Team]

From.

[Kermit Roosevelt]

Ballin Studios and Wondery.

[Luke Lamanna]

This is Declassified mysteries, hosted by me, Luke LaManna. A quick note about our stories we do a lot of research for our stories, but some details and scenes are dramatized. We used many different sources for our show, but we especially recommend all the Shah's Men, An American Coup and the Roots of Middle East Terror by Stephen Kinzer and Counter the Struggle for the Control of Iran by Kermit Roosevelt as well as articles from the New York Times and npr.

[Kermit Roosevelt]

This episode was written by Aaron Lan.

[Luke Lamanna]

Sound design by Ryan Batesta. Our producer is Christopher B. Dunn. Our associate producers and researchers are Sarah Vitak, Teja Palakanda, Adam Melian and Rafa Faria. Fact checking by Sheila Patterson for Ballin Studios. Our head of production is Zach Levitt. Script editing by Scott Allen. Our coordinating producer is Samantha Collins. Production support by Avery SIEGEL. Produced by me, Luke Lamanna. Executive producers are Mr. Balin and Nick Witters. For Wondery. Our head of sound is Marcelino Villapando. Senior producers are Laura, Donna Palavoda, Dave Schilling and Rachel Engelman. Senior managing producer is Nick Ryan. Managing producers are Olivia Fonte and Sophia Martins. Our music supervisor is Scott Velasquez for Frisson Cincinnati to producers are Aaron O'Flaherty and Marshall Louis. For Wondery.