Iranian wants WWII reparations

[Scurrilous]

Source: Associated Press

<snip>

"Iran's hardline president has ordered the formation of a team to study the damages the country suffered from the 1941 Allied invasion in order to demand compensation.

Mahmoud Ahmadinejad said Iran suffered immensely after it was invaded by Britain and the Soviet Union during World War II despite its declared neutrality and was never compensated.

"A team has been assigned to calculate all the damages (inflicted on Iran) in the Second World War. This will be an invoice they (Allies powers) must pay to the Iranian nation," he said in remarks broadcast live on state television on Saturday.

Ahmadinejad didn't elaborate on the details but he had earlier said he would write to United Nations Secretary General Ban Ki-moon to ask that Iran be compensated for the damages caused to its people during the war and for the use of its territory and resources by Allied powers.

Britain and the Soviet Union invaded Iran on August 26, 1941, codenamed "Operation Countenance" to secure Iranian oil fields and ensure supply lines for the Soviets fighting Axis forces."

Read more: http://news.smh.com.au/breaking-news-world/iranian-wants-wwii-reparations-20100109-m068.htm

[Clovis Sangrail]

1. sounds silly

AFAIK - the Brits and the Soviets invaded because Iran was nuetral and the shah didn't want to get involved in WWII.
Something like 2 weeks later he abdicated the thrown to his son who agreed with the allies.

I realize the shah(s) were crap bags and didn't necessarily represent their people and the people eventually made this known - but this little bit re: WWII happened even *before Mossedegh

Ahmadinejad is just looking for a quick fundie popularity boost.

[DissedByBush]

5. Iran wasn't all that neutral

Iran was supplying the Germans.

Remember also that Iran was sympathetic to Hitler's Jewish "problem."

[RZM]

10. Exactly

The Shah was very pro-German and Germany was Iran's number one trading partner at the time. The ostensible reason the Brits and Soviets gave for the invasion was the Shah's refusal to expel the small German population living in Iran, though the biggest reason was probably to secure a safe warm-water port to send supplies to the USSR. I think bringing it up now is less about this specific time period and more about calling attention to the long history of great power meddling in Iran as a way to justify Iran's current policies.

[Po_d Mainiac]

2. Pizzing off Stalin might void the warranty..n/t

[Historic NY]

3. Like wise then they should be willing to pay for infrastructure & improvements. .

then again the US wasn't even involved when the Brits went in. I think his argument is mute because the Shah signed a treaty with the Soviets & British which would negate this claim, in fact Iran did declare War on the Axis in 1943. Iran benefited greatly from the outcome.

[Kurska]

4. So Iran is going to sue Russia and the UK?

Iran, making friends world wide all the time.

[SkyDaddy7]

6. Ahmadinejad has to have a BOOGEY MAN...

to try and divert his brutal crackdown on his own people.

[Fearless]

7. Is he trying to head a populist movement in his country now?

Trying to prod the evils of bygone imperialism to suit his own needs? Sounds like he's been drinking the Hugo Chavez Kool aid. :eyes:

[L. Coyote]

8. The enemy is never within. At least this one is in the past.

[Wizard777]

9. This is going to hurt their relations with Russia.

Bad for Iran's position. But good for ours.