Iran: no Operation TP-Ajax

in one of the CIA's first major international moves, operatives based out of the US embassy in Tehran orchestrated the overthrow of the democratically elected (and apparently popular) prime minister, Mohammad Mossadegh, and installed the Shah in his place. This event is still a sore point with many Iranians of all ages. Part of the reason for the targeting of the US embassy in 1979 was memory of the coup being based from there. Many Iranians feel that this operation was the eventual cause of the Islamic fundamentalist takeover there in later years, because the Shah and his plans for quickly 'westernizing' inspired a backlash.

WI the CIA hadn't done this? For a POD, we'd probably need something along the lines of Mossadegh clearly stating his desire to align with the west and an avowal to never ally with the USSR (something that might not have been wise, what with them being right next door). What would Iran look like nowadays if the Shah had never been returned to power by the CIA?

Note: this thread was inspired by the latest issue of National Geographic, which has an excellent article on Iran, both modern and ancient... I recommend it to all us history buffs... :)
 
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