However, Kia’s career faced turbulence during the premiership of Mohammad Mossadegh. Along with other senior military commanders, he was forced into early retirement on charges of financial corruption. But the 1953 coup d’etat (known as the 28 Mordad coup) that removed Mossadegh and restored the Shah to power, changed Kia’s fortunes. On the 1st of Mehr 1955, Kia was promoted to Major General. His political and military rehabilitation was swift. Just a few months later, in November, he was sent to Britain on a political mission, traveling on a diplomatic passport. Upon his return, he was again promoted, achieving the rank of Lieutenant General.
The most secretive and arguably most consequential aspect of Kia’s career was his co-founding of the Kook Intelligence and Security Organization in 1952. This clandestine entity was formed under direct orders from Mohammad Reza Pahlavi. Along with Major General Hassan Pakravan, Kia built the Kook Organization as a tool for monitoring and controlling the military. According to historian Abbas Milani, the organization’s ideology revolved around anti-communism, quasi-Masonic rituals, and unwavering loyalty to the Shah. The organization predated SAVAK and functioned as a military intelligence and loyalty network.