Why Britain Is the Enemy of the Regime

In the current show trials that are going on, it appears the regime wants to present Great Britain as the real enemy that is leading the current uprising in Iran. Yet why would the regime pick a second rate super power that has so little international power compared to the United States.

Certainly part of it is the Obama administration's successful efforts to remove America from the equation in Iran and not give the regime any chance to blame the US government for what is going on in Iran. Another factor is the fact that Britain has an embassy in Iran and this could make logistically planning the uprising seem more plausible.

Yet Iranians have traditionally been paranoid about the influence of Britain in Iran and viewed "England" as the most evil country in the world. It all began when Britain was actually the greatest super power in the world in the 19th century and British imperialism was the first major outside influence in Iran. The British government forced unfair trade agreements with Iran and they also bean to exploit Iran's oil resources with unfair compensation.

The British also played a critical role in Iran's politics helping to orchestrate the 1925 coup that brought the Pahlavi dynasty to Iran. They also led the 1941 coup that brought the hated last Shah of Iran to power and British troops helped to occupy Iran during World War II. With the onset on the Cold War, America and the Soviet Union replaced Great Britain as the superpowers of the world, but Iranians were always still weary of Britain.

Given the strong American support of the Shah, America also became an enemy for many Iranians for backing a brutal dictator. Yet with the removal of American influence in Iran and the rise of the current regime, many Iranians began to appreciate the freedom and technological advancement American society offered.

Today among many Iranians, America is a symbol of hope and there is a deep fascination with all things American. Yet Britain still retains its place as a hated country in Iran mainly because it has had the longest history of interfering in Iran and it was the first power to subjugate Iran. That is why the regime is trying to present the current unrest as a plot by Britain against Iran. Yet the Iranian people know that this is a homegrown movement to bring freedom to Iran and few believe that Britain actually has anything to do with what is going in Iran.