BACKGROUND INFORMATION FOR 'IMMEDIATE PROSPECTS IN IRAN'

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP79R00890A000100070007-2
• Release Decision: RIFPUB
• Original Classification: C
• Document Page Count: 2
• Document Creation Date: December 12, 2016
• Document Release Date: May 18, 2000
• Sequence Number: 7
• Publication Date: August 27, 1953
• Content Type: BRIEF

Approved For Release 2002/01/03 : CIA-RDP79R0089OA000100070007-2
CONFIDE
S
NSC BRIEFING 27 August 1953
BACKGROUND INFORMATION FOR
"IMMEDIATE PROSPECTS IN IRAN"
Prime Minister Fazlollah Zahedi:
Became prime minister on 19 August 1953, although shah had
appointed him by royal decree several days earlier.
Zahedi has been an avowed candidate for the premiership for
the past year.
His career is characterized by unfailing loyalty to the
monarchy under the present ruler and his father before him.
During World War II, Zahedi was charged by the British to be
pro-German and subsequently was interned in Palestine. This
gives him a rebuttal for possible charges that he is a British
stooge.
Zahedi claims to support US objectives in Iran, especially
economic development under Point IV.
He is strongly anti-Communist.
Zahedi was born in 1897. He went through military school
in Tehran and is a career officer, becoming a brigadier general
at the age of 25. He has been commanding general in several
difficult tribal areas and successfully suppressed tribal revolts.
He became inspector. general of
the army after VE Day,
Chief of Staff Razmara retired Zahedi in 1949 because he was
a potential rival,
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Approved For Release 2002/ 3 : CIA-RDP79R0089OA000100070007-2 .,.._
 Approved For Release 2002/01/03: CIA-RDP79R00890A000100070007-2
y Information
Zahedi became shah?s personal adjutant, later chief of
police, and the shah appointed him a senator in 1950.
He became minister of interior in Mossadeq's first cabi-
net, but resigned after being made the scapegoat for the Tehran
riots,
NTIAL ~``
Approved For Release 200 3:CIA-RDP79R00890A000100070007-2