Mohammad Mossadegh

Mohammed Mossadeg, Man of the Year (http://content.time.com/time/covers/0%2C16641%2C19 (Boris Chaliapin ))

Mohammad Mossadegh is my hero because of the wonderful things he has done in his life. He was the son of a public official in Iran. Mossadegh grew up as part of the Iranian ruling elite. He graduated from the University of Lausanne in Switzerland and accepted a Doctor of Law degree. He was elected to the Iranian parliament in 1923. In 1925, when Reza Khan was elected to be the King of Iran, Mossadegh opposed the move and was pressured to go into a private life. Then, he re-joined public service in 1944. That was when he started to help Iran. In my opinion, the three most important characteristics that would describe Mossadegh and his actions would be that he was a leader, worked hard to make the world a better place, and that he was a positive role model.

One reason Mossadegh was a leader is because he nationalized the establishment of the British-Owned Anglo-Iranian Oil Company in Iran. Then, in March 1951, the Majiles, or parliament, passed his Nationalization of Oil Act. Mossadegh's power grew, and eventually Mohammad Reza Shah Pahlavi, the shah or king, had to appoint him premier. The second reason I consider him a leader is because Mossadegh spoke on the radio about how the kids could rebel against the British. He said that the children should only buy and wear Iranian made clothing. This is a personal connection to me because my grandpa took part in this act and when his dad asked him if he would have liked to wear a fancy, dashing British suit, my grandfather refused. He was a supporter of Mossadegh. The final reason of why I think of Mossadegh as a leader is because he inspired the people of Iran to take more pride in themselves and their country, and to become independent from Great Britain. Mossadegh was an amazing, inspiring, and rebellious person. He was definitely a leader.

Mohammad Mossadegh worked very hard to make the world a better place and these are three examples of how he showed that characteristic. The first example of how he worked hard to make the world a better place is that he tried very hard to make Iran a democracy and to ensure the political freedom and economic progress of the country, during and after WWII. I was astounded that one man could have tried to make a whole country a better place and succeeded. The second reason that I think he worked hard to make the world a better place is because he confronted British Petroleum, the company that controlled Iran's oil resources. He did that because he wanted to show Iran's true wealth by revealing the truth about the oil in Iran, and British Petroleum was trying to prevent that from happening. The third and final reason that Mohammad Mossadegh worked hard to make the world a better place is because he strongly influenced rising anti-colonial movements in other developing nations. He was a very influential man in his time. These are all reasons why Mossadegh worked very hard to make the world a better place.

The third and last characteristic about Mohammad Mossadegh is that he was a positive role model. An example of how Mossadegh was a role model was that he showed and helped the Iranian people so much, that when the king decided to dismiss him from his position in government, people were ranting in the streets and protesting. Eventually, this action forced the Shah to leave the country. I thought that was unbelievable and that those things only happened on TV. The second example of why he was a role model is because he fought for what he believed in and did not care about the consequences. He only cared about helping Iran and spreading the anti-colonial movement throughout the then Third World, so that Iran and other countries could achieve independence. He gathered a lot of supporters and is still a man to be admired. The final reason of why Mohammad Mossadegh was a positive role model is because he was named Man of The Year for TIME Magazine for all of his important contributions. To be awarded Man of The Year is an extraordinary honor and Mossadegh deserved that. In my opinion, anyone who could have gotten that title is a positive role model.

To conclude, the examples and characteristics of why Mohammad Mossadegh was a hero is that he presented the true fortune of Iran to the Iranian people with all of the oil that it had. He went on the radio and talked about how to oppose the British-Owned Anglo-Iranian Oil Company. He also inspired the people of Iran to believe and take pride in themselves. He attempted to make Iran a democracy, during and after World War II. He inspired other countries to strive for their true rights. Mohammad Mossadegh persevered to make Iran a better place. He inspired other countries to try and obtain independence as well. His acts impacted the people of Iran so much, that when the Shah of Iran tried to kick him out of office, people rebelled in the streets. He even received a special title for his actions. Mohammad Mossadegh was a man who achieved many things in his time. He will always be remembered as a leader, a man who worked hard to make the world a better place and a positive role model.