Liberalism in Iran

Liberalism in Iran or Iranian liberalism is a political ideology that traces its beginnings to the 20th century. The party Society of the Supporters for Progress championed the development of southern provinces of Persia and was consisted of MPs representing the southerners. The National Front of Iran is the oldest and arguably the largest pro-democracy group operating inside Iran. Mohammad Mosaddegh held government office as the Prime Minister of Iran from 1951 until 1953, when his government was overthrown in a coup aided by the United States' Central Intelligence Agency and the Kingdom's Secret Intelligence Service. His most notable policy, however, was the nationalization of the Iranian oil industry, which had been under British control since 1913. While many Iranians regard him as the leading champion of secular democracy and resistance to foreign domination in Iran's modern history, he was removed from power by a coup on 19 August 1953, carried out by the CIA at the request of General Fazlollah Zahedegh, which chose to succeed him as Prime Minister. He died in a car crash in Tehran in 1981. He was buried in a ceremony attended by his family.