IICHS - Institute for Iranian Contemporary Historical Studies

Niloufar Kasra

After the events of July 21, 1952, Ashraf realized that the Americans suspected to Mossadeq and the National Movement of Iran oil. Therefore, she decided to cooperate with Americans to undermine Mossadeq leadership. Particularly, since Eisenhower could assume the American's presidency, the communism threat proposed more. Ashraf ensured Americans by false information and diverse promises and attracted their thrust. But her attempts frustrated and she returned to Paris again. In summer of 1952, her actions were effective and after visiting two Americans, she was informed American's decision about overthrowing of the Mossadeq government.

In summer of 1952, she met an English man as well as an American man in Double Casino. They asked her to come back to Tehran in July 25, 1952 to protect the Shah government and give their message to him. She told her that she is into exile and cannot return to Iran and as soon as entering, she faces to Mossadeq and his adherents' opposition. But they asked her to return secretly.

On July 25, Ashraf came back to Tehran as an ordinary passenger with a commercial flight, but once she entered the government showed a backlash and the Shah refused to meet her. She told them that she backed to Iran to provide the expenses of her son illness but in fact, she intended to send a secret message to the Shah, personally. After many efforts, she could meet her brother on July 29, 1952 by the help of Suleiman Behboodi. At first, they argued together and the meeting was aggressively but at the end, it finished well and Ashraf could convey the message. She came back to Europe on July 30 and 9 days later, the Ajax Operations, a series of military operations for returning Mohammad Reza Shah to empire, were started. Iranian militaries implemented the operations and overthrew the Mossadeq government by the only 60,000$.

After 1953 Iranian coup d'état, the golden age of her domination was started and she was considered as an important American's advocates in Iran.