دکتر سيد علی شايگان بلافاصله مورد عفو ملوکانه ای که در خواست کرده بود قرار گرفت. بر اساس اظهار خودش به کشوری که طراح کودتا بود يعنی آمريکا مهاجرت نمود و در همانجا حقوق وزارتی خودش را مرتبا دريافت می نمود. او در آمريکا زندگی و در دانشگاه نيو جرسی تدريس می کرد. خود من، و بسياری از دانشجويان ايرانی ديگر در آن زمان اين امکان را داشته ايم که بار ها اورا در اجتماعات ايرانيان بخصوص نوروز و يا 16 آذر ببنيم.

بعد از استقرار جمهوری اسلامی در يازدهم فوريه 1979 دکتر شايگان به ايران بازگشت به اميد اينکه به رياست جمهوری ايران برسد، اما امام اين شانس را به او ندادند ولی فقط اين افتخار را به اودادند که به دستان امام  بوسه زند.  دکترشايگان خوش مرام در آخر فوريه آنسال به آمريکا برگشت. آنهم دستمزد اينهمه سال مبارزه برعليه شاه بود.

نکته ای که در اينجا هست اينکه، همانطور که پيشتر اشاره شد، نه برای اينکه در مورد 25 يا 28 امرداد به قضاوت بنشينيم، بلکه به اين چند نکته که به دلايل مهمی که همواره توسط مخالفين شاه زير قالی جارو و پنهان شده اشاره می کنم:

1-وقتی کسانی در بيرون از دايره جبهه ملی/حزب توده/نهضت آزادی و ديگران کمی خط  خود راعوض می کنند اين حضرات به آنها عنوان خيانت ميدهند و بدنامشان می کنند و اعلام ميدارند که اينها فاحشه های سياسی ومزد بگيران بيگانه هستند. معلوم نيست کسانی را که طالب پوزش همايونی کرده اند را چه نام خواهند داد، اما وقتی يکی ازخودشان همان کار را می کند اينها سکوت می کنند و حتی به او امتياز هم ميدهند. من میخواهم اين را "شجاعت گزينشی" بنامم.

2-دکتر شايگان فورا مورد عفو قرار گرفت، اجازه يافت که کشور را ترک کند، و همچنان حقوق وزارتی خود را دريافت میداشت. آنرا با آنچه به وزرای شاه بعد از جبهه ملی/توده/نهضت آزاد واتحاد آنها با ملايان جمهوری اسلامی واقع شد مقايسه کنيد.

3-       چرا رژيم شاه عروسک خيمه شب بازی ايالات متحده آمريکا بود درحاليکه آشکارا اعلام ميداشتند ميخواهند در بلوک غرب باشند ولی مخالفينش عروسک خيمه شب بازی بحساب نمی آيند درحاليکه آزادانه نه تنها روابط ويژه ای با ايالات متحده برقرار می کنند بلکه به آنجا مهاجرت نموده و در همانجا به شهروند ايالات متحده نيز مبدل می شوند؟

ممکن است يکی با کمی فکر بگويد؛ اگر دکتر شايگان و بقيه جبهه ملی چی ها آنچنان ضد آمريکائی هستند وآنرا مسئول کودتای سرنگون شدن مصدق می دانند پس چرا همين آدم ها به طلب بهشت موعود به کمپ مخالف رو آورده اند؟ ضرب المثل معروف پارسی می گويد: "مرگ خوب است برای همسايه"!

آيا اين مردمان واقعا ضد آمريکائی هستند، آنطور که میگويند هستند در عمق فکر و روحشان ضد آمريکائی هستند؟؟ يا اين شعار را همانطور که میگفتند بر حسب عادتی که کرده اند بر ضد شاه بکار می گيرند؟ انگشت اشاره من به دکتر شايگان بخصوص نيست. اورا فقط بعنوان نمونه انتخاب کردم؛ بعد از اينهمه، او تنها عضو جبهه ملی نبود که مدينه فاضله اش را باوجود توليد کننده  کودتا بودن آمريکا، در همان آمريکا يافته است. ديگران هم به همان اندازه، دکتر سيد نصرالله سيف پور فاطمی (برادر دکتر سيد حسين فاطمی) و چند تن ديگر ازفاميل های ديگر فاطمی ها و همچنين دکتر کريم سنجابی از اين قماشند. آری همان دکتر کريم سنجابی که از شتافتن به ياری کشورش در زمانی که درخطربود به عنوان نخست وزير سر باز زد و به پاريس رفت که دستان امامش را ببوسد و اعلام کرد امام شخصيتی است که فقط درهر 200 يا 300 سال يکبار نمايان می شود.

آه، داشت فراموشم ميشد، بر اساس اسنادی که در سفارت آمريکا در تهران بدست آمد، بلافاصله بعد از کودتای طراحی شده 28 امرداد 1332 توسط آمريکا برای سرنگون کردن دکتر مصدق آقای هدايت الله متين دفتری (نوه مصدق) بورسيه ای از آمريکا دريافت نمود و به شهر واشنگتن رهسپار شد تا فرا بگيرد کنگره آمريکا چطور کار می کند. نميدانم شما آن بيرون چگونه فکر می کنيد ولی من يک آدم قديمی هستم. اگر پدر بزرگ من توسط آمريکا سرنگون شده بود هرگز چنين بورسی را از آنها نمی پذيرفتم.!

اما، هی، من کی باشم که حرف بزنم؟؟ شايد هدايت خان همانطور مثل همراهان نزديک دکتر مصدق آگاه بودند که انگليس پشت قضيه سال 1332 بود نه آمريکا. اين دليل به همراه حقيقت ديگر اينکه دکتر مصدق خودش هرگز آمريکا را در سرنگونی حکومتش مقصر ندانست  (من سندمربوط به اين موضوع را شخصا نديده ام و ممکن است اشتباه کنم). بيائيد در اين مورد فکری بکنيم، اين برهان و استدال منطقی شعور حقيقی پيدا می کند. بعد از همه، بيشتر اعضای والای جبهه ملی اغلب آمريکا را به عنوان "بهشت موعود" خود انتخاب کرده اند حتی بعد از اينکه انقلاب اسلامی رخ داد. هرگز اين اميد را هم از دست نداده اند که روزی آمريکا شاه را ترک نموده واز اين ها حمايت خواهد نمود تا آنها را بقدرت برساند. اين آرزوی آنها در 11 فوريه سال 1979 برآورده شد. همانطور که مشهور است بقيه تاريخ است...

يادداشت: مطالب مربوط به کنگره به آسانی قابل دسترسی است. من فقط مطلب منتشر شده ای را که توسط سفارت آمريکا منتشر شده بود بطور نمونه برداشتم. آيا کسی هست که می خواهد يا می تواند در اينخصوص تحقيقی به من کمک کند. حتی ميتوان در کامپيوتر انجام شود (آنانی که با کامپيوتر آشنائی کامل دارند من مطمئنا متخصص نيستم). سپاسگزار خواهم بود که بررسی متقابلی صورت گرفته باشد.

Following the positive feedback I received from my note on Circle of History, I thought it might be of interest to readers to continue these informal short notes. So, Circle of History is now part of Lessons of History

Lessons of History

Part I

Dr. Seyyed Ali Shayegan, Jebhe Melli and America

Much has been written about the events of 25^th to 28^th Mordad 1332 (16^th to 19^th August, 1953), and the claims of how groups of thugs led by Shaaban Jaafari, and women of ill-repute led by Malekeh Etezadi and the likes in a CIA engineered coup overthrew the government of Prime Minister Dr. Mohammad Mossadegh. From then on, the opponents of the late Shah have always called Iran a colony of the USA, the Shah an American puppet, and have held America responsible for not only all Iran’s problems, but also the problems of the entire world.

It is not my intention to analyze the events of Mordad, 1332 here and discuss whether it was a national/popular uprising or a "foreign-engineered coup". I am going to shelf that for the time being and will get to it in future notes. For now, I am going along with the Shah's opponents and assume that what had occurred on 28 Mordad 1332 was, indeed, an "American coup engineered by the CIA".

In this case, it would be only logical if the Shah's opponents mainly the National Front (Jebhe Melli) leaders and activists would have stayed anti-American and stayed away from America and anything and everything American. But did they? Let's examine one particular case.

By any standard, one of the most loyal supporters of Dr. Mohammad Mossadegh and one the Shah's strongest opponents was Dr. Seyyed Ali Shayegan. He was one of Mossadegh's few supporters who was with him all the way from the first sit-in at the Royal Court to his house being under attack by his opponents on 28th Mordad. After the fall of Mossadegh, Dr. Shayegan was one the most prominent opponents of the Shah and was one the major leaders of political and student opposition to the Shah. He is well-remembered for his fierce anti-Shah speeches during the 25 to 28 Mordad 1332, and is always mentioned as one those leaders who never compromised! Really?

So, let's review his uncompromising position. On 29 Mordad, 1332 Dr. Shayegan, along with Dr. Mossadegh, Dr. Sedighi, and Mr. Seifullah Moazemi, turned themselves into the authorities. On 12^th and 13^th Khordad, 1333, Dr. Shayegan, and several others were freed on bond.

On 23 Esfand, 1334, Dr. Shayegan publicly asked for a royal pardon by publishing this note in Kayhan:

To the blessed presence of His Imperial Majesty:

This obedient servant with full confidence of royal kindness and blessings, hereby begs Your Imperial Majesty's pardon and hopes that Your Imperial Majesty who has never refused any of his servants pleas would also include this obedient servant as well. I wish Your Imperial Majesty a long life and glory to continue leading the country toward progress and keeping Iran's name alive.

1334/12/23

Obedient servant,

Dr. Shaeygan

(Kayhan, dated 1334/12/28)

My translation. Please see the attachment for the original Persian version as it appeared in Kayhan.

Dr. Seyyed Ali Shayegan immediately received the royal pardon he asked for. Of his own free will, he immigrated to coup-engineering America and continued to receive his ministerial salary. He lived and taught university in New Jersey. I myself, like all other Iranian students of the time, had the opportunity to see him numerous times during Iranian gatherings such as Nowruz and 16^th Azar Days.

After the Islamic Revolution of 11 February 1979, Dr. Shayegan returned to Iran hoping to become the first President of the Republic of Iran, but the Imam gave him no chance except the opportunity to kiss Imam's hands. The good Dr. Shayegan returned to American before the end of February. So much for his rewards of fighting the Shah for all these years.

The point here is, as I mentioned earlier, not to judge the events of 25-28^th Mordad and pass judgment, but rather to point out several important factors that are always conveniently brushed under the carpet by the Shah's opponents.

I.   When people outside of Jebhe Melli/Hezbe Tudeh/Nahzat Azadi, etc. change a little in direction, they are called traitors, agents of foreign powers or political prostitutes. Who knows what would they call someone who asked for a royal pardon. But, when one of their own does the very same thing, they keep quiet and still sing praises for him. This is what I call selective bravery

II.   Dr. Shayegan received an immediate pardon, was allowed to leave the country, and continued to receive his ministerial salary. Compare that with what happened to the Shah's minister after Jebhe Melli/Tudeh/Nahzat Azadi united with the Mullahs to establish the Islamic Republic.

III.   Why is it the Shah and his regime were puppets of the United States while they openly admitted that they wanted to be in the Western bloc, but his opponents are not consider puppets when they have not only open relationship with the United States, but also immigrate there and at times become citizens of the United States. One would think that if Dr. Shayegan and the rest of Jebhe Melli are so anti-American and they held America responsible for the coup that overthrew Dr. Mossadegh, these people would have sought haven in the opposing camp. As the famous Persian proverb goes death is good, but only for the neighbor.

Are these people really as anti-American as they say they are or deep inside are they not anti-American? They just used and continue to use that as a slogan against the Shah? I am not picking on Dr. Shayegan here. He is simply a good example; after all, he was not the only Jebhe Melli leader who found a haven in coup-producing America. Others include such notables as Dr. Seyyed Nassorrah Seifpour Fatemi (Dr. Seyyed Hossain Fatemi's brother), several other members of the Fatemi clan, and, finally, Dr. Karim Sanjabi. Yes, the same Dr. Karim Sanjabi who refused to come to the help of his country when he was called to serve as the Prime Minister and went to Paris to kiss the Imam's hand and declare that the Imam is a personality that only would appear every 200 to 300 years.

Oh, I almost forgot! According to documents seized at the American Embassy in Tehran, soon after the American CIA-engineered coup of 28 Mordad 1332 and overthrow of Dr. Mossadegh's government, Mr. Hedayatullah Matin-Daftari (Mr. I am Mossadegh's grandson) received a scholarship to spend a year in Washington, DC, to learn how American Congress works. I don't know about you out there, but I am an old-fashion person. If I thought that my grandfather was overthrown by America, I would have not accepted that scholarship.

But, hey, who am I to talk? Maybe Hedayat Khan, like most of Dr. Mossadegh's closest associates, knew it was the British not the Americans who were behind the events of 1332. This reason plus the fact (I have not seen any documents to suggest that of course, I could be dead wrong) that Dr. Mossadegh himself never blamed the Americans for his downfall. Come to think about it, this logic does make sense. After all, most prominent Jebhe Melli members have always chosen America as their haven even after the Islamic Revolution. They never gave up the hope that someday America would abandon the Shah and support their effort to take power. Their wish came true on 11 February 1979. The rest, as the famous saying goes, is history.

PLEASE NOTE: Internship in the Congress could easily be verified by checking the Congressional Records. I have simply taken the published reports of the American Embassy as the source here. Anyone out there who is interested in helping me out with a little research? It could be done on the computer as well (for those who are computer savvy I sure am not). I would appreciate cross-referencing this item for future writings.<