Origins and Causes of the Iran Hostage Crisis
The Iran Hostage Crisis cannot be separated from the context of the Iranian Revolution and the long-standing political tensions between Iran and the United States. At the heart of the crisis was a deep-rooted resentment toward U.S. intervention in Iranian affairs, which had escalated over several decades.
U.S. Involvement in Iranian Affairs
One of the key factors that fueled anti-American sentiment in Iran was the U.S. involvement in the 1953 Iranian coup d’état, often referred to as Operation Ajax. During this covert operation, the CIA and British intelligence orchestrated the overthrow of Iran’s democratically elected Prime Minister, Mohammad Mossadegh, and reinstalled Shah Mohammad Reza Pahlavi. Mossadegh had attempted to nationalize Iran’s oil industry, a move opposed by Western oil companies and governments. The U.S. saw this as a threat to its interests and chose to back the Shah, who maintained close ties with the West.