A still from “Shahrzad” recreating scenes of the chaos in the streets of Tehran during the period of the 1952 coup d'etat (Source: shahrzadseries.com) By Mahdi Ganjavi As was long widely believed, and confirmed by documents declassified a few years ago by the CIA, the Iranian coup of 1953 was initiated as the result of United States’ increasing fear of Iran’s possible turn toward communism. It resulted in the toppling of democratically elected Prime Minister Dr. Mohammad Mosaddeq. Mosaddeq was the leader of the National Front, an alliance of politicians who shared anti-imperialist sentiments toward Britain. The National Front advocated limited judicial reforms and the limiting of the authority of the Shah in accordance with the Constitution of 1905. They nationalized the oil industry, which led to an embargo by Britain, which in turn pushed Mosaddeq’s government to completely cut diplomatic and economic relations with the British. The oil crisis and the economic depression that followed, along with the increasing class consciousness of the working class and peasantry, especially in the northwest of Iran, intensified the struggle that already existed between Iran’s traditional ruling class (including the Shah, landowners and the clerics), the bourgeoisie, and the proletariat/peasantry. This ignited fears of communism among world powers, motivating the CIA and MI6 to to sponsor and plan a coup against Mosaddeq, with the assistance—or at least moral support—of Iran’s ruling class. On the day of the coup, a hired mob played a crucial role on the streets of Tehran, creating chaos and attacking several newspapers offices. A press release drafted by the US State Department anticipating the successful overthrow of Mosaddeq, and crediting “the Iranian people, under the leadership of their Shah.” Mosaddegh was ousted two weeks later (Source: NSA Archive) In the Iranian television series “Shahrzad”, it is the accidental killing of a member of that mob that changes the course of the protagonists’ lives. Written by Hassan Fathi and Naghmeh Samini, the first season premiered in fall of 2015 through domestic DVD and online distribution. The most expensive production of its kind ever produced in Iran, Shahrzad has been so successful that, according to the BBC Persian program Pargar, it has become an engine of the cultural industry, generating sales of jewelry and commodities inspired by its story and characters. “Shahrzad” is the story of the romantic relationship between two characters, Shahrzad and Farhad, and how it is affected by the coup of 1953. Farhad, whose name alludes to a figure from medieval Persian romantic literature, is a journalist. His father owns a carpet shop in the bazaar. His beloved, Shahrzad, is pursuing her dream of becoming a doctor. Shahrzad’s father has a restaurant in the city. Economically speaking, both Shahrzad and Farhad’s fathers are completely subordinate to a big landowner and Godfather-type figure called Buzurg Aqa. On the day of the coup, Farhad accidentally kills a member of the mob that attacks his office. Consequently, Farhad is arrested and sentenced to death by the post-coup government. Although Farhad is granted a pardon, Buzurg Aqa—who is secretly the commander of the mob—forces Shahrzad to marry his son-in-law Qubad. This is the only way for Shahrzad to secure Farhad’s safety, and it is also desirable for Buzurg Aqa, whose own daughter is unable to bear a child and give him an heir to his wealth. Farhad and Shahrzad’s fathers, driven by their indebtedness to Buzurg Aqa, also push for Farhad and Shahrzad to separate. “Previous to “Shahrzad”, almost all post-revolution dramas and narratives stressed the decisive role of imperialist forces, even to the extent of neglecting or downplaying domestic agency altogether.” As in any historical narrative, what is omitted is as important as what is revealed. Like other forms of cultural production that happen in Iran through official channels, TV series distributed through domestic DVD and online distribution networks are also meticulously monitored by governmental censorship organs, though it is widely claimed that censorship is less stringent for works distributed through these channels. A look into the deeper historical context of “Shahrzad”, however, reveals some bold omissions. According to the “Shahrzad” narrative, the political players in post-coup Iran were divided into three categories: the sympathizers of Mosaddeq, the leader toppled by the coup, exemplified by both Shahrzad and especially Farhad; the oppressive ruling class (the Shah, landlords, etc.); and the communist Tudeh Party.