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Mohammad Mossadegh, an Iranian nationalist, democrat, socialist, and leader of foreign imperialism, was born in Tehran. His father was the finance minister under the Qajar king, Naser al-Din, and his mother was a granddaughter of Crown Prince Abbas Mirza. His marriage to a Qajar princess strengthened the linkage with the royal family. Before entering politics Mossadegh, who received higher education in Paris and Switzerland in law and economics, taught at the Political Science Institute of Tehran. In fact he was the first Iranian to have a law degree. His exposure to Europe had its influence in the making of his liberal political outlook. Though elected to the first Majlis (parliament) in 1906 as a representative for Isfahan in central Iran, Mossadegh refused to accept it as he was too young. Between 1917 and 1923 he served as minister of finance, governor of Azerbaijan, and finally as minister of foreign affairs. When reelected to the Majlis as a representative for Tehran in 1923, Mossadegh voted against the selection of the prime minister, Reza Khan, as the new Shah of Persia. But by 1926 Reza Khan took the crown for himself as His Imperial Majesty Reza Shah Pahlavi after deposing the royal Qajar dynasty. In 1925 Mossadegh retired from politics into private life in disgust and despair. During World War II, Iran seemed to have evolved towards a parliamentary system. Reza's ... log in or subscribe to read full text