[eternalban]

"I have to say that running into a partisan defending the honor of the late Mohammad Reza Pahlavi on the internet is a new experience."

Yeh, it's called "propaganda". As you can see, it works.

However you have chosen in your oblique reponse to not respond to a simple question: what is your definition of puppet? And how does Mohammad Reza Shah Pahlavi qualify per that standard?

Looking forward to your thoughtful response.

[laurencerowe]

I imagine being the beneficiary of the 1953 US/UK backed coup would qualify him for puppet status.

[eternalban]

Gee, I can reach back 14 centuries and name an Sassanid Shah that took refuge with Rome during a period of crisis and division in the Sassanid Empire. No one has ever accused Khosrow II of being a "puppet of Rome".

A sub-set of Iranian society (including military, and clergy) were on the side of the counter-coup that removed Dr. Mossadegh. These Iranians had a shared interest with the US and UK. That is it. And the main military players in the 50s were in fact purged by the 60s, when Shah started his White Revolution after assuming actual power in Iran.