March 5th, 1967: Former Iranian Prime Minister Dr. Mohammad Mossadegh passes away

“Alive or not, I hope and believe this flame will not be quelled, and the conscious people of this country will continue this national struggle until its final victory…”
Dr. Mohammad Mossadegh

Dr. Mohammad Mossadegh, leader of Iran’s National Movement and former prime minister, passed away on March 5th, 1967, sending millions of Iranians into a sense of utter loss and despair. Mossadegh was laid to rest in the town of Ahmad Abad where he had been internally exiled for many years by the ruling regime.
Dr. Mohammad Mossadegh was born in 1882 in the city of Tehran. In 1908 he went to France to continue his studies and after graduating from the Paris School of Sciences he went on to Nushattle University in Switzerland. In 1913 he received his PhD in law and returned to Iran.
Dr. Mossadegh was elected as an MP from Tehran in the 5th, 6th, 14th and 16th parliament, and was known for his struggle against the dependent policies adopted by the dictatorships. Mossadegh finally assumed the leadership role of the National Movement and sat at the helm of a movement seeking to nationalize Iran’s oil industry. Enjoying the support of the Iranian population, this movement advanced as far as the full eviction of the former state oil company (a British firm) and realizing the rights of the Iranian people. During the process of adopting a bill nationalizing Iran’s oil industry, Dr. Mossadegh accepted an offer to assume the role of prime minister.
The numerous enemies of Mossadegh, from all aspects of Iran’s then political spectrum, engulfed his entire 2 year and 4 month reign as prime minister with plots and conspiracies increasing day by day. Time and again they had plans for his assassination and coupe de tat against his national government. Finally, Dr. Mossadegh’s administration was overthrown on August 19th, 1953 as a result of a coup de tat carried out by the CIA, loyalists to the Shah, army commanders and traitor mullahs. Dr. Mossadegh was arrested and sentenced to three years in jail and internal exile in Ahmad Abad by a military court of the Shah. He passed after 14 years of isolation in internal exile. The leader of the Iranian people’s National Movement left this world far from home, yet he had hope, and was certain that followers of his path would continue their struggle until a final victory.
The path of Mossadegh, meaning the rule of the people in Iran, is in complete contrast to the mullahs’ ultimate rule. Any individual or political current setting their eyes on change from within this regime is without a doubt in enmity with the Iranian people and their hopes for democracy.
Dr. Mohammad Mossadegh was the symbol of the political will of a great nation that had decided to live free and independent.
This is the most important subject. The Iranian people’s yearning for freedom and independence had found their leader in Dr. Mossadegh.
Dr. Hossein Fatemi, Mossadegh’s most loyal man and foreign minister of his cabinet, was a true symbol of devotion and perseverance. He eventually sacrificed his life for the people of Iran and the path of Mossadegh.
“Opposing Dr. Mossadegh means opposing freedom and the truth. Opposing Dr. Mossadegh means opposing the innocent and plundered nations,” Fatemi said.
Today, the Iranian people have decided to relieve their country and the entire Middle East of the ruling fundamentalists sitting on the throne in Tehran. They showed their determination in this regard by writing their protests, “Our Vote is Overthrow” on the walls of cities across Iran during the sham twin elections on Friday, February 26th. They also launched numerous strikes and protest rallies.
Dr. Mohammad Mossadegh was certain that his path and cause would be continued by brave Iranian men and women.
Today, one can easily repeat Mossadegh’s famous line, “Wherever there is truth and the right, we will oppose any power. I have set aside everything. I have no wife, no son, no daughter, nothing… I only have my nation before me.”