The Role of Fascists and Nazis in the Coup

Some bits from various sources on the recruitment of local Nazis by the CIA in the coup operation. Amongst the local Nazi supporters was Fazlolah Zahedi, the Iranian leader of the coup who became premier upon its success.

Iranian fascists and Nazis played prominent roles in the coup regime. Gen. Fazlollah Zahedi, who had been arrested and imprisoned by the British during World War II for his attempt to establish a pro-Nazi government, was made Prime Minister on August 19, 1953. The CIA gave Zahedi about $100,000 before the coup and an additional $5 million the day after the coup to help consolidate support for the coup.[11] Bahram Shahrokh, a trainee of Joseph Goebbels and Berlin Radio’s Farsi program announcer during the Nazi rule, became director of propaganda. Mr. Sharif-Emami, who also had spent some time in jail for his pro-Nazi activities in the 1940s, assumed several positions after 1953 coup, including Secretary General of the Oil Industry, President of the Senate, and Prime Minister (twice). [Masoud Kazemzadeh, The 50th Anniversary of the CIA Coup in Iran]

And

[T]he CIA worked through local Nazis,and had a direct role in kidnappings, assassinations, torture, and mass street killings. This may explain why the CIA archives on Iran – unlike those on Guatemala – remain unavailable. [Ervand Abrahamian, “The 1953 Coup in Iran,” Science & Society, Vol. 65, No. 2 (Summer, 2001), p 184]

To give the coup a veneer of popular support, the Rashicians and Boscoe brothers were to gatehr in the bazaar members of SUMKA [National Socialist Workers Party of Iran, a small Nazi party], Arya [small far right group] and Fadayan-e Islam [an Islamist terroristic group, responsible for attempted assassination of Foreign Minister Fatemi], athletes from the Taj Club [led by the famous Sha’ban Bi-Mokh, Brainless Sha’ban], as well as lutis, thugs, and hanger-ons from the red light district. This motely crew was to proceed to the radio station, and, on the way, loot the homes of cabinet ministers as well as the offices of pro-Mossadeq organizations. At the radio station they were to be joined by truckloads of farmhands brought in by the army from Sayyid Ziya’s and General Arfa’s estates outside teheran. [Ervand Abrahamian, “The 1953 Coup in Iran,” Science & Society, Vol. 65, No. 2 (Summer, 2001), p 206]