1953 Iranian parliamentary dissolution referendum

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1953 Iranian parliamentary dissolution referendum
State flag of Iran (1933-1964).svg
3–10 August 1953 (1953-08-03 – 1953-08-10)
Dissolution or Continuation of the 17th National Consultative Assembly
Results
Choice
Votes%
Check-71-128-204-brightblue.svgYes2,043,38999.94%
Light brown x.svgNo1,2070.06%
Valid votes2,044,596100.00%
Invalid or blank votes40.00%
Total votes2,044,600100.00%

A referendum on the dissolution of Parliament , the first referendum ever held in Iran, was held in August 1953. The referendum was in direct contravention of the then Constitution of Iran which normally reserved the power to dissolve parliament to the Shah. The vote was boycotted by the opposition, including influential figures like Ayatollah Kashani. [1] Prime Minister Mosaddegh justified it as "the will of the people is above law" to legitimize the dissolution of Parliament. The referendum was approved by more than 99% of voters, with the result being described as fraudulent. [2]

Contents

Following the referendum, there were talks about another referendum to abolish the Pahlavi dynasty and make Iran a republic, however the government was overthrown by a coup d'état shortly after. [3] [4]

Timeline

Campaign

PositionOrganizationRef
Yes
 Iran Party [4]
Iranian People Party [4]
Tudeh Party [4]
Pan-Iranist Party [4]
Nation Party [4]
Third Force [8]
Boycott
 Toilers Party [4]
Muslim Warriors [4]

Controversy

The balloting was not secret and there were two separate voting booths, i.e. the opponents of Mossadegh had to cast their vote in a separate tent. [9] [3] Voters were required to give name, address and the number and place of issuance of his identity card. [10] Critics pointed that the referendum had ignored the democratic demand for secret ballots. [11]

Officials at the voting booth in favor of the motion reportedly did not check identity cards or stamp voter's hands to indicate having submitted a ballot, leading to accusations of voter fraud. Voters at the booth against the motion were presented with intimidating signs such as “Only Traitors Vote for Non-Dissolution.” [12]

Rural areas were also excluded from the ballot, under the argument it would take too long to count the votes from remote areas. [13]

Results

ChoiceVotes%
For2,043,38999.94
Against1,2070.06
Invalid/blank votes4–
Total2,044,600100
Source: Direct Democracy

By city

CityYesNo
Tehran [14] 101,39667
Tabriz [15] 41,5023
Isfahan [15] 43,50511
Ahvaz [15] 22,7712
Mashhad [15] 26,5479

Reactions

Domestic

International

References

  1. ↑ Lovespecial, Kennett (1953), Mossadegh Gets 99.9% of the Vote In Iran Plebiscite on Majlis Ouster, USA: The New York Times, retrieved 19 January 2026
  2. ↑ Herter, Christian (1953), IRAN: 99.93% Pure, vol. LXII (2nd ed.), USA: TIME, retrieved 19 January 2026
  3. 1 2 Elton L. Daniel (2012). The History of Iran. ABC-CLIO. p. 154. ISBN   978-0313375095.
  4. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Siavush Randjbar-Daemi (2017). ""Down with the Monarchy": Iran's Republican Moment of August 1953". Iranian Studies. 50 (2): 293–313. doi:10.1080/00210862.2016.1229120. hdl: 10023/13868 .
  5. 1 2 3 4 Rahnema, Ali (2014), Behind the 1953 Coup in Iran: Thugs, Turncoats, Soldiers, and Spooks, Cambridge University Press, p. 287, ISBN   978-1107076068
  6. 1 2 3 4 5 Ebrahimi, Mansoureh (2016). "Dr. Mosaddeq's pre-emptive Measures". The British Role in Iranian Domestic Politics (1951-1953). SpringerBriefs in Environment, Security, Development and Peace. Vol. 5. Springer. pp. 95–97. ISBN   9783319310985.
  7. ↑ Bayandor, Darioush (2010). Iran and the CIA: The Fall of Mosaddeq Revisited . Palgrave Macmillan. p.  215. ISBN   978-0-230-57927-9.
  8. ↑ Katouzian, Homa (2013). Iran: Politics, History and Literature. Routledge. p. 84. ISBN   9780415636896.
  9. ↑ Majd, Mohammad Gholi (2000), Resistance to the Shah: Landowners and Ulama in Iran, University Press of Florida, pp. 260–261, ISBN   978-0813017310
  10. ↑ Lovespecial, Kennett (1953), Mossadegh Gets 99.9% of the Vote In Iran Plebiscite on Majlis Ouster, USA: The New York Times, retrieved 19 January 2026
  11. ↑ Milani, Abbas (2008). Eminent Persians: The Men and Women who Made Modern Iran, 1941-1979. Vol. 1. Syracuse, N.Y.: Syracuse University Press. p. 243. ISBN   978-0815609070.
  12. ↑ Herter, Christian (1953), IRAN: 99.93% Pure, vol. LXII (2nd ed.), USA: TIME, retrieved 19 January 2026
  13. ↑ Koch, Scott (2017) [First published 1998], THE CENTRAL INTELLIGENCE AGENCY AND THE FALL OF IRANIAN PRIME MINISTER MOHAMMED MOSSADEQ (PDF), USA: Central Intelligence Agency, retrieved 19 January 2026
  14. ↑ Abrahamian, Ervand (1982). Iran Between Two Revolutions . Princeton University Press. p.  274. ISBN   978-0-691-10134-7.
  15. 1 2 3 4 Mervyn Roberts (2012). "Analysis of Radio Propaganda in the 1953 Iran Coup". Iranian Studies. 45 (6): 759–777. doi:10.1080/00210862.2012.726848.
  16. ↑ Bayandor, Darioush (2010). Iran and the CIA: The Fall of Mosaddeq Revisited . Palgrave Macmillan. p.  89. ISBN   978-0-230-57927-9.
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