June 8, 1953 — The Associated Press
The Mossadegh Project | March 24, 2021 |
BRAWL DISRUPTS IRAN’S PARLIAMENT
Fists, Kicks Fly in Melee As Mossadegh Bill to Shear Shah’s Power Stalled Anew
TEHERAN (Iran), June 7 (AP) Another fist swinging brawl erupted in Parliament to day and Premier Mohammed Mossadegh’s bill to curb the power of the Shah got stalled again.
In the melee of blows, kicks and general punching, at least one of the Premier’s deputies suffered a bad beating around the head. The uproar was touched off by opposition charges that Deputy Speaker Ahmed Razavi was not presiding
according to the rules. [Ahmad Razavi]
Hussein Maki, once a Mossadegh supporter, jumped to his feet and shouted at Razavi: “You are discriminating and I demand you get out of here.” [Hossein Makki] Another member of the opposition,
Mehdi Mir-Ashrafi, stormed out of his seat and charged down the aisle toward the speaker’s chair. Mahmoud Nariman, independent but pro-Mossadegh, rushed to Razavi’s defense and the battle was on.
In a twinkling at least six deputies were swinging away. Spectators in the gallery got in the act, shouting “Long live Mossadegh!” and “Down with Mossadegh’s enemies!”
Razavi left his chair while Parliament guards pulled the battlers apart and eventually restored order. Older and wiser heads among the deputies proposed a recess to cool everybody off and the House quit until Tuesday.
At issue is Mossadegh’s bill which would interpret the constitution in such a way as to deprive youthful Shah Mohammed Reza Pahlevi of any claim to control over the Iranian armed forces.
[Mohammad Reza Pahlavi] It is part of the aged Premier’s struggle to gain complete power over the monarch.
The legislation has been stalled for weeks by opposition deputies absenting themselves from the capital and preventing the mustering of a quorum.
Alternate headlines:
Brawl Upsets Iran Parliament
Brawl Erupts In Iran Parliament
Brawl Stalls Bill In Iran Parliament
Parliament Erupts In Fist Fight
Swinging Brawl In Iranian Parliament
Fight Stalls Bill To Curb Iran Shah
MPs in Iran Enjoy More Fist Fights
Mossadegh’s Curb Shah Bill Again Has Deputies Brawling
Iranian Parliament In Uproar Amidst Mossadegh Power Fight
Mossadegh Measure Is Stalled Anew — Premier’s Deputy Beaten About Head In Another Brawl
Related links:
Communist Rioters Hurl Stones at U.S. Jeeps in Tehran | UP, March 2, 1953
Infantile Tempers Flare In Iran Crisis Concerning Oil | AP, September 3, 1951
Sweeping Victory Is Seen for Premier At Polls Tuesday | INS, December 2, 1951
MOSSADEGH t-shirts — “If I sit silently, I have sinned”




