US-Iran Relations: A History of Undermining Democracy

The overthrow of Iranian Prime Minister Mohammad Mosaddegh in 1953 marked a turning point in US-Iran relations, transforming the US from a respected Western partner to an imperial power in the eyes of many Iranians.

The coup was motivated by Mosaddegh's decision to nationalize Iran's oil industry and assert democratic sovereignty over the country's affairs. This led to the restoration of the Shah to effective political power and the beginning of a new era of authoritarian rule.

The US continued to prioritize anti-communism, regional stability, and the free flow of oil in its Middle East policy, often at the expense of democratic accountability. The 1979 Revolution changed the relationship but did not fundamentally change this contradiction.

The US supported Iraq during the Iran-Iraq War, provided economic assistance and military training, despite evidence of Iraqi chemical-weapons use. Economic sanctions became a central instrument of American policy after the Cold War, but these measures often fell disproportionately on ordinary citizens, weakening the social agents that historically constitute the foundation of democratic movements.

The experience of the reform era under President Mohammad Khatami (1997-2005) illustrates this problem even more clearly. The US briefly moved towards engagement during Khatami's presidency but soon returned to a policy of confrontation, placing Iran in the 'axis of evil.'

The 2015 nuclear agreement, known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), created space for democratic reform and opened Iran to greater international engagement. However, US President Donald Trump's unilateral withdrawal from the agreement in 2018 led to intensified economic hardship, weakened moderates and pragmatists, and strengthened hardliners.