March 5, 1967 – Demise of Dr. Mosaddeq, leader of Iran National Movement

'Whether I’ll be alive or not, I hope, or rather I am sure that the flames will not be put out, and the awakened men of this nation will pursue this struggle to the end…' Dr. Mossadeq.

On March 5, 1967, Dr. Mosaddeq passed away, leaving millions of Iranians mournful and in sorrow over his demise. He was buried in Ahmadabad, his long time exile residence.
Mosaddeq was born in Tehran in 1882; went to Paris to continue his studies in 1308; finished political science in Paris and returned to Iran in 1914 with a PhD in law from Switzerland University.
As representative of Tehran in the fifth, sixth, fourteenth and sixteenth parliament, Dr. Mosaddeq fought against dependent policies and the dictatorship imposed by Reza Shah and Mohammad Reza Pahlavi and finally led the nation-wide movement to nationalize Iran’s oil industry. Supported by the Iranian people, he led the movement to the eviction of the British Oil Company, restoring the Iranian people’s rights. He accepted the proposal to become premier to carry out this important mission. He faced with many conspiracies, assassination and coup plots during his 2 years and 4 months of premiership. Dr. Mosaddeq’s government, on August 19, 1953, was finally overturned by a colonial coup with the help of the monarchy family, army and mullahs such as Behbahani and Kashani. He was arrested and convicted in a military court to 3 years imprisonment and then exiled to Ahmadabad. After 14 years of solitude in exile, Dr. Mosaddeq passed away. He passed away in isolation, but he was always hopeful or rather certain that his freedom loving sons will continue his path to victory.