The Daily Gist: With Ben Istiphan

Iranian President, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, wants an apology from America. Ahmadinejad has called on the White House to apologize for the US-backed overthrow of Iran’s nationalists government in 1953. This comes after the Obama Administration issued a letter to the Iranian government in hopes of improving relations between the two states. I can finally say that Ahmadinejad has a request that should be honored by the other side. The Obama Administration should apologize, but not only to the Iranian government, but directly to the people of Iran.

The coup of 1953 not only exacerbated the animosity towards the U.S., but it also set precedence for undemocratic governance in Iran. Many will argue that Iran in the early 1950’s under Prime Minister Mohammed Mosaddeq was heading towards a sustainable democracy. Instead, the U.S. over exaggerated the communist threat in Iran in order to secure multi-national oil contracts, and as a result, the country witnessed the rise of Western-backed dictators and then later Islamic Fundamentalism. An apology might bring about reconciliation, but it may also motivate Iranian society to shift towards a more democratic society like it did in the past, because hopefully this time around, the people can be assured that imperialism will not get in the way of their own self-determination.