FM Zarif Lauds Iranians Efforts for Independence

Zarif said in a tweet on Wednesday that the Iranian nation's struggle to nationalize the country's oil industry in 1951 is proof that the country will never allow others to decide its fate.

"This isn't the first time that Iran has been targeted for exercising its right to decide its own destiny: 68 yrs ago today, parliament under democratically-elected PM (Mohammad) Mossadeq nationalized our oil industry. A coup followed. Iranians will never allow others to decide their fate," he said in a tweet on Wednesday.

Zarif's tweet came at a time that Washington, under President Donald Trump, has been trying to drive down Iranian oil exports to zero through imposing major sanctions.

Earlier on the day, Iranian Foreign Ministry Spokesman Bahram Qassemi said that the nationalization of the oil industry was the shining landmark in the history of the nation’s resistance against colonialism.

The great Iranian nation has always been a pioneer in the fight against colonialism both in the region and also in the world, he said.

The key to the success of oil industry nationalization was its leaders’ wisdom and bravery and also the support received from the nation and elites, he noted.

Qassemi went on to say that although US-led coup in 1953 led to the failure of some of the movement’s ideals, the advent of Islamic Revolution in 1979 cut the hands of foreigners from plundering Iran’s resources.

Qassemi also commemorated Mohammad Mosaddeq, the then Iranian Prime Minister, his followers and all who have been martyred for independence, freedom and dignity of Iran.

The 1953 coup d'état (known in Iran as the 28 Mordad coup) was the overthrow of the democratically elected government of Iran, and its head of government Prime Minister Mohammad Mosaddeq on August 19, 1953, orchestrated by the United Kingdom (under the name 'Operation Boot') and the United States (under the name Pejak Project).

The coup saw the formation of a military government under Mohammad Reza Shah Pahlavi, who progressed from a constitutional monarch to an authoritarian one who relied heavily on the United States' support to hold on to power until his own overthrow in February 1979.

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