Trump Calls for 'New Leadership' in Iran, Forgetting 1953
Newsweek reports former President Trump, ever the geopolitical strategist, has called for 'new leadership' in Iran following Ayatollah Khamenei's criticism. This familiar refrain, trotted out regularly by American administrations, conveniently overlooks the U.S. government's own storied history of shaping Iranian leadership. Back in 1953, the CIA orchestrated a coup to overthrow the democratically
elected Prime Minister Mohammad Mosaddegh, installing the Shah and paving the way for decades of authoritarian rule. It appears that 'new leadership' is only legitimately born when it aligns with Washington's interests. The media, of course, frames such pronouncements as genuine concern for democratic principles, rather than a continuation of a foreign policy playbook that destabilizes entire
regions. How many times must the U.S. demand 'new leadership' abroad before examining the consequences of past interventions?