1953 coup in Iran: Protests in Tehran Iranian rioters armed with staves protesting against the coup, backed by the CIA and British intelligence, that overthrew the democratically elected Prime Minister Mohammad Mosaddegh, August 1953, Tehran. (more) U.S.-Iran Relations: A Timeline Once allies, these countries came to refer to each other as the “Great Satan” and part of the “axis of evil.” Written by Tracy Grant Tracy Grant is a senior editor at Encyclopaedia Britannica. She previously served as editor in chief, the first woman to hold that title. Tracy Grant Fact-checked by Britannica Editors Encyclopaedia Britannica's editors oversee subject areas in which they have extensive knowledge, whether from years of experience gained by working on that content or via study for an advanced degree.... Britannica Editors Last updated Mar. 5, 2026 •History To say that the relationship between the governments of the United States and Iran has been volatile over the last 80 years is to master the art of understatement. The U.S. installed and propped up a highly unpopular leader, endured the trauma of having citizens held hostage by the government that ousted him, surreptitiously sold arms to that same government less than a decade later, and branded Iran as part of an “axis of evil”...

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