More Loyal Than the King
April 11, 1955 — The Buffalo Courier-Express

The Mossadegh Project | May 24, 2017     


General Fazlollah Zahedi (1892-1963) | Prime Minister of Iran, 1953-1955

When the man who took over as Prime Minister after the 1953 coup in Iran departed office 20 months later, the pro-Shah newspaper Buffalo Courier-Express paid their respects with this complimentary editorial.

What the editors did not know, however, was that Gen. Zahedi did not “resign” as reported — he was pushed out by the Shah himself, who never much liked him to begin with.




Gen. Zahedi Another
Praiseworthy Retiring Premier

Vastly and properly overshadowed by the departure of Sir Winston Churchill from the premiership scene, the retirement of Gen. Fazlollah Zahedi as premier of Iran still entitles him to a note of appreciation for a difficult job well done.

Gen. Zahedi, resigning because of ill health, led the movement which ousted the extremely nationalist and highly detrimental regime of Dr. Mohammed Mossadegh, helped restore the power of Shah Mohammed Reza Pahlevi [Mohammad Reza Pahlavi] and aided materially in settling the Anglo-Iranian oil dispute which had proved so disastrous to Iran’s economy.

Named to succeed Gen. Zahedi is Hussein Ala, [Hossein Ala] former premier and diplomatic representative at Washington and the United Nations. He has promised to continue the Zahedi policies, a pledge the fulfillment of which augurs general benefits to his country and its international relations.


Highlights of the Mossadeq Trial | CIA Memo (Nov. 1953)
Highlights of the Mossadeq Trial | CIA Memo (Nov. 1953)





Related links:

Iran Sees Reason | The Buffalo Evening News, October 5, 1954

Shah makes it hot for his prisoners | World's News, Dec. 12, 1953

5 Iran Ex-Officials Face Jail In “White Man’s Hell”AP, May 23, 1955



MOSSADEGH t-shirts — “If I sit silently, I have sinned”

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