28 August 2000

On June 16, 2000, the New York Times published on its Web site PDF files of a secret CIA report: "CLANDESTINE SERVICE HISTORY, OVERTHROW OF PREMIER MOSSADEQ OF IRAN, November 1952-August 1953," an operation planned and executed by the CIA and British SIS:

http://www.nytimes.com/library/world/mideast/041600iran-cia-index.html

The Times wrote in an introductory note that names of participants in the overthrow were digitally edited from the report "after consultations with historians who believed there might be serious risk that the families of some of those named as foreign agents would face retribution in Iran."

Cryptome discovered a flaw in the method used to conceal names of agents and transcribed some of the PDF files into text; see: http://cryptome.org/cia-iran.htm.

After learning of this flaw the New York Times revised the security method in a subsequent offering of the files, though the files could only be viewed not printed.

In response to requests of researchers the original New York Times PDF files are offered here.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

HISTORIAN'S NOTE (282KB)

SUMMARY (1.4MB)

I. PRELIMINARY STEPS (654KB)

II. DRAFTING THE PLAN (1.1MB)

III. CONSOLIDATING THE OPERATIONAL PLAN (503KB)

IV. THE DECISIONS ARE MADE: ACTIVITY BEGINS (881KB)

V. MOUNTING PRESSURE AGAINST THE SHAH (2.7MB)

VI. THE FIRST TRY (958KB)

VII. APPARENT FAILURE (2.2MB)

VIII. "THE SHAH IS VICTORIOUS" (1.2MB)

IX. REPORT TO LONDON (960KB)

X. WHAT WAS LEARNED IN THE OPERATION (1.4MB)

APPENDICES

A Initial Operation Plan for TPAJAX, as Cabled from Nicosia to Headquarters on 1 June 1953 (848KB)

B "London" Draft of the TPAJAX Operational Plan (3.4MB)

C Foreign Office Memorandum of 23 July 1953 from British Ambassador Wakins to under Secretary of State Smith (344KB)

D Report on Military Planning Aspect of TPAJAX (1.4MB)

E Military Critique - Lessons Learned from TPAJAX re Military Planning Aspects of Coup d'Etat (2.8MB)