[1] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Human_rights_in_the_Islamic_Re...
Besides, the existence of an ulterior motive does not necessary imply a lack of genuineness.
No, but assigning an ulterior motive is disingenuous.
I would also think that political persecutions are also very disingenuous, I think that it is one of the most wicket things that any government could possibly do.
At the very least, what degree of organization are you imagining would motivate and populate an ironic protest like that, and who exactly is the audience who would see through the irony? "Ah yes, the world thinks we're being nice to the US, but really we're stickin' it to The Man." It's hard enough to get 5 people together for a practical joke that doesn't get spoiled by someone.
I'm sorry if "dictatorial Iran" is a personal hobby horse of yours, but you're really kind of threadshitting by bringing it into the conversation.
Lastly, it appears you don't know what "disingenuous" means.
may i point out that you seem to be ignoring the human rights situation in Iran, that is disrespectful of the victims of the current regime - and that is "disingenuous", at least by the dictionary definition of the word.
>I'm sorry if "dictatorial Iran" is a personal hobby horse of yours ...
>... appears you don't know what "disingenuous" means.
really, that's what i am writing about, day in and day out; very civil discourse of yours. needs improvement.
I'm not ignoring it, it's simply off-topic.
Mossadegh never won a popular election. He became Prime Minister by assassinating the previous guy, the Parliament then made him Prime Minister. After he got power, he pardoned the assassin, btw.
One of my uncles, pretty high up in the Tudeh (Communist) Party, spent two tours in Shah's prisons as a political prisoner. He also spent one tour in the Ayatollahs' prisons for the same issue: being a communist. A few years ago, when he came visiting States side, I asked him about it.
What he told me was that the Shah's prisons were a joke compared to the ones run by IRI. I have fond memories of him from the late 70s as a very self confident and charming man. Per family gossip, after his release from IRI's prisons he barely said a word for 2 years and was broken.
As for "image", it may interest the younger HN reader to know that the very meme of "Shah the brutal dictator" started in the early 70s in the West, with the (finally) now fully established role played by "human rights" organizations that are fronts for Western intelligence services.
Yes, SAVAK is a dark stain, having been trained by FBI and MOSSAD contrary to long standing Iranian mores and standards of conduct.
But I can point you to youtube videos of public trials of political prisoners during the Shah's regime and challenge you to produce ONE for the multitude of ("brutalized") political prisoners now held in Guantanemo and other undisclosed locations.
That's a lot of time.
The first 10 years were quite ok with a steady decline and pretty horrible last 5 years.
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hossein_Ala%27
Mossadeq became Prime Minister in 1952. So he did not become Prime Minister by assassinating the previous guy.
The predecessor of Mossadeq's predecessor was assassinated however:
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Haj_Ali_Razmara
I have seen no evidence it was by Mossadeq. The assassin was a member of an extremist Islamic group, not Mossadeq's secular National Front. You are right as far as him being released during Mossadeq's administration but there are many possible explanations for his release other than Mossadeq playing a role in the assassination. There were many other factions and political movements at play at that time.
As far as I know Mossadeq was not an especially violent man. He had the option of putting down the protests that led to his deposition but refused to give the order.
I guess the narrative of the evil, efficient and powerful CIA suits the US goverment as much as it does Iran.