Modern Iran has produced few figures of Mossadegh’s stature. On his mother’s side he was descended from Persian royalty. His father came from a distinguished clan and was Iran’s finance minister for more than twenty years. He studied in France and Switzerland, and became the first Iranian to win a doctorate in law from a European university.

By the time he was elected prime minister, he had a lifetime of political experience behind him. Barely two weeks after Mossadegh shut the British embassy in Tehran, Americans went to the polls and elected Eisenhower as president.

Soon after that, Eisenhower announced that [John Foster] Dulles would be his secretary of state. Suddenly the gloom that had enveloped the British government began to lift.

At that moment the chief of CIA operations in the Middle East, Kermit Roosevelt, happened to be passing through London on his way home from a visit to Iran. He met with several of his British counterparts, and they presented him with an extraordinary proposal. They wanted the CIA to carry out the coup in Iran that they themselves could no longer execute, and had already drawn up what Roosevelt called “a plan of battle.”

“What they had in mind was nothing less than the overthrow of Mossadegh. Furthermore, they saw no point in wasting time by delay. They wanted to start immediately. I had to explain that the project would require considerable clearance from my government and that I was not entirely sure what the results would be. As I told my British colleagues, we had, I felt sure, no chance to win approval from the outgoing administration of Truman and Acheson. The new Republicans, however, might be quite different.”

“There is little doubt that petroleum considerations were involved in the American decision to assist in the overthrow of the Mossadegh government. . . . Although many have argued for America’s disinterest in Iranian oil, given the conditions of glut that prevailed, Middle Eastern history demonstrates that the United States had always sought such access, glut or no glut. . . . Concerns about communism and the availability of petroleum were interlocked. Together, they drove America to a policy of direct intervention. ”

The coup d’état on the 28th of Mordad 1332, which caused the downfall of Dr. Mosaddegh and the return of the Shah from Rome to Tehran, happened suddenly and at that time most people did not know how it came about. But it didn’t take long for people to figure out that the C.I.A (Central Intelligence Agency), by spending 4-5 million dollars via a well-known clergyman(S.M.B), was involved along with the co-operation of Sepahbod Zahedi سپهبد زاهدی his son Ardeshir اردشیر Ashraf اشرف the Shah’s sister and Schwarzkoff, the American general (who in an earlier time was the founder of the Gendarmerie in Iran). Siassi Memoir

The Iranian people regretted Mosaddegh’s fall from power, but they were also somehow happy with the return of the Shah (although they didn’t know under which circumstance). The Shah who in Rome was in such financial difficulties even for daily expenses that he had to accept help from the merchant Eryeh for his day to day expenses, was vastly different from the Shah of a few years later. An overwhelming majority of Iranians loved him from the bottom their heart because they had neither seen nor heard anything bad about him.

Dr. Ali Akbar Siassi, Memoirs

The Shah's order (known as a firman) naming Zahedi the new prime minister. Coup operatives made copies of the document and circulated it around Tehran to help regenerate momentum following the collapse of the original plan. (National Security Archive collections)

Anyway, Dr. Mosaddegh and some of his colleagues were arrested and imprisoned and the security forces of the powerful government of Sepahbod Zahedi were present everywhere. Several of these officials would occasionally be seen strolling the streets of the University. On Azar 16th 1332(1953), as they were passing the School of Technology, a few students ridiculed them using profane language and rushed back into the School. Soldiers pursue them into the School, when the ring announcing the end of classes was sounded and all the students poured out of their classes and got into an altercation with the soldiers. Many shots were fired, and 3 students died as a result.

I immediately called Sepahbod Zahedi and protested strongly: “With this violent act of your law enforcement officers, I can no longer govern the affairs of the University!”

Siassi December 1953

I requested to meet with the Shah to complain about the criminal activity of the law enforcement. The Shah did not allow me to say anything and said: “What was this act done by your School of Technology colleagues, several hundred students attacking 3-4 soldiers that resulted in this undesirable outcome?”

I said: “Whatever the truth may have been, it resulted in three families mourning the loss of their loved ones and the Academics are upset and in mourning.”

The Shah replied: “It is so; I’m also sorry, but what should be done?” I responded: “At least what can be done is to arrest and interrogate those soldiers in the presence of several students who were witnesses to that event. Another thing the situation calls to address is to console the families who’ve lost sons with any possible means.” The Shah agreed with my idea and said: “Tomorrow I’ll assign Ala the Minister of the Court to get in touch with those families and send my condolences and to grant any wishes they have as a way for them to be more satisfied. I also want to ask the government to investigate and see if there was a conspiracy that caused so much conflict between the soldiers and students?”

Law enforcement officers, who after the demise of Mosaddegh found their way back on campus, had left and the government did not meddle in the University’s affairs as long as I was its President.

The offer of becoming

an elected Senator

One day, in the presence of the Shah, Dr. Manuchehr Eqbal said: “Your majesty, tell Dr. Zanganeh (The Minister of Education who was also present) why he does not remove Dr. Siassi as University President?” Dr. Zanganeh then replied: “Your majesty, ask Dr. Eqbal that if this was possible why he didn’t do it when he was Minister of Education? The removal or appointment of the University President are according to the Law, approved by the Shah, is up to the University Counsel, and Academics will keep Dr. Siassi as long as he wishes to remain President.”

In the election for the Senate, though I was not a candidate, it appeared that the Academics and my other supporters had voted for me since the results showed that I had come16th. And since only the first 15 people became Senators, I did not make it and not making it was really a relief. A long time after having completely forgotten about the matter, Sadr al-Ashraf صدرالاشرف, the Speaker of the Senate, called me and requested we meet. During this meeting, he showed me a new file from the Ministry of Interior and said: “I congratulate you; we are going to be co-workers.” It appeared that with the death of Ebrahim Hakimi ابراهیم حکیمی (Hakim al-Malek), that had recently occurred, there was an opening in the Senate which by law is reserved for the person with 16th most votes. I thanked Sadr al-Ashraf and said:

“With sincere apologies I can’t accept the offer to join the Senate because I have a lot of University work and accepting a new responsibility will negatively affect that work.”

The offer of Ambassadorship

by

Dr. Mossadegh

When Dr. Mosaddegh became Prime Minister, he thought that, with his great popularity among the people, especially the educated social class, he could impose his will on the University. I dispelled those notions by explicitly telling him it has been years that I have kept this scientific institution away from politics and requested him to accept the continuing of this policy.

He said nothing but I guessed that he would attempt to force me to resign as President and give the University presidency to one of his insiders, Dr. Abdullah Moazemi عبدالله معظمی, Dr. Seyed Ali Shayegan سید علی شایگان, Dr. Karim Sanjobi کریم سنجابی…

One of the means he used was to make me a candidate for ambassadorship of the Iranian embassy in India, albeit indirectly.

I said: “My colleagues at the University are counting on me, for they’ve spent years of their lives on the University and I can’t leave especially because I love my job.”

The provocation

of the University Council

A while later – as I have explained in Chapter 10 – while Dr. Mosaddegh went to the U.S. for the matter of nationalization of oil, Communist students blockaded the University which resulted in the closing of the University for 10 days. This event became Dr. Shayegan’s and others’ topic for criticizing its President (myself) and to convince Mosaddegh to remove me from office.

Not more than a few months had remained in my third term as President. The person who was most likely to compete with me for the Presidency, was a person who desired this position desperately, meaning Dr. Mahmoud Hessabi محمود حسابی, the head of the University’s Science Faculty. So Moa’zab Dowleh Kazemi, the Foreign Minister, and others of Mosaddegh’s insiders, in his support started promoting and advertising him as my main opponent.

From a total of 22 votes, only 3 went to Dr. Hessabi, one was his own, the other two were from Dr. Farshad, his underling, and Seyed Mohammad Meshkaat, professor of the Theology. Therefore, 19 votes went to me and again for the fourth term I was to serve as University President.

The offer of being

an appointed Senator

After Mosaddegh’s downfall, Sepahbod Zahedi سپهبد زاهدی, became Prime Minister He was very supportive and respectful towards me. One day he called requesting me to meet him. In this meeting, after the usual greeting each other, he said: “The Shah wants to make you an Appointed Senator. I want to congratulate you. Also, honestly, who do you feel should be University President?

I answered: “First of all, the University President is selected according to University rules and regulations by the vote of the University Council. Secondly, I do not want to be an Appointed Senator. Of course, I am grateful for the Shah’s favor and attention and if he insists that I have to go to the Senate

it will be on the condition that I continue my University Presidential responsibilities just as I have in the past twelve years when I served as minister in several Cabinets.” Sepahbod Zahedi paused before saying: “We will talk about this matter later.” Of course, regarding this issue we never spoke about it again and therefore, there was no Appointed Senator.

My refusal to execute

the Shah’s orders to

fire Professors

But after I refused to execute his command of firing twelve Professors who had signed a statement against the signing of the petroleum agreement and had called the 28th Mordad ousters of Mossadegh illegal, that coolness had turned into enmity.

Therefore, I had to be removed from my role of University President and the spiritual wall I had built around the University to be cracked and then shattered. The Shah did not yet have the readiness, ability, and courage to willfully and without any convincing reason, act against the Law and fire me.

That was why he at first sought to send me to the Senate. Since he failed, he was forced to find a legal solution. So, on his order Sarmad (Sadegh) سرمد (صادق), the Court Legal Advisor and member of Parliament, brought a bill to the Parliament, which banned my re-election as University President and was the first blow to the University’s independence.

I do not know whether he relayed the message verbatim or not. What I do know is that the Shah had said:

“I do not want to see Dr. Sassi’s face again.” The past resentments he had against me with this latest disobedience reached its peak. Yet he still didn’t have the power and courage to act against the Law and fire me as University President, therefore, he resorted to passing a Law.

The new Law didn’t allow me to be re-elected for my fifth term. The guilty professors were fired by Jaffari the Minister of Education, without my approval and against the Law. However, Dr. Eqbal, who became University President after me, to gain popularity with the academics, was able to win the Shah’s approval to bring back the fired professors (except Dr. Moazemi) to the University. This whole episode was further proof of the Shah’s hubris and lack of common sense, for the fired professors became the Shah’s sworn enemies.

Invitation to join

the Freemasonry Organization

and my refusal to join

According to Sadegh Sarmad’s صادق سرمد Bill, ordered by the Shah and passed by the Parliament, the University Council could no longer directly elect the University President. The Counsel had to propose three names to the Minister of Education who was then to select one of them to be President for a maximum of two terms. This only needed to be ratified by the Senate to become Law.

One day Dr. Ahmad Hooman احمد هومن, a Professor in both the Faculty of Agriculture and Law, came to my office and after explaining about the Freemasonry Organization and that its members are closely united and that wherever they are in the world, members welcome each other with open arms, he invited me to join their organization and added: “You won’t be a regular newcomer, from the beginning you’ll be given ranking position.” I said: “You have to know that until now I haven’t joined any party or group. I am only a member of “Iran Javan” which I founded close to 40 years ago. Therefore, I thank you for your kind offer, but I can’t accept.” He said: “This organization is not political, but rather social. I ask you to think about it and I hope you change your mind for it is in your best interest.”

Two days later, Dr. Hooman again came to my office, after expressing his regret that I hadn’t attended the meeting, said: “As I have stated, being a member is beneficial, if you accept, the Bill regarding University President will be buried in the Senate, and you can remain President for as long as you want…” I didn’t expect to hear this and it irritated me to the extent that I felt like picking up the crystal inkstand that was on my desk and throwing it at him, but I forced myself to be calm and with a gentle but shaky voice said:

“You should have known me by now that I don’t engage in such a transaction and thus not to so insult me.” Dr. Hooman got very uncomfortable and said: “I only said this from my devotion to you. I am very sorry. I ask you to disregard the offer.”