Millions Affected As US Intervenes In Foreign Leadership, From Iran’s Succession To Venezuela’s Crisis
The US has historically influenced foreign leadership, intervening in nations from Iran to Venezuela over decades.
The recent appointment of Mojtaba Khamenei as Iran’s new supreme leader has renewed scrutiny of the United States’ historical role in influencing foreign leadership changes. Mojtaba succeeds his father, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who was reportedly assassinated last month. Before the transition was formalised, former US President Donald Trump publicly claimed Washington should have a say in Iran’s leadership, comparing the situation to his administration’s intervention in Venezuela.
“They are wasting their time. Khamenei’s son is a lightweight. I have to be involved in the appointment, like with Delcy [Rodriguez] in Venezuela,” Trump told Axios. He described Mojtaba Khamenei as “unacceptable” and said the United States sought a leader who would bring “harmony and peace” to Iran. Analysts note that such statements echo a long-standing pattern of US involvement in other nations’ political transitions to safeguard strategic interests.
Historical records indicate that the United States has intervened in at least 81 foreign elections between 1946 and 2000, according to a 2016 study. Classic examples include Iran in 1953, when the CIA and Britain’s MI6 orchestrated Operation Ajax to remove Prime Minister Mohammad Mosaddegh following his nationalisation of the country’s oil industry. This led to the restoration of Shah Mohammad Reza Pahlavi, who ruled as an authoritarian until the 1979 revolution.
Also Read: Indian Delegation Heads To US To Finalize Trade Deal Legal Text
Other notable interventions include Guatemala in 1954, where the CIA-backed coup ousted President Jacobo Arbenz over land reform disputes; the Congo in the 1960s, where Prime Minister Patrice Lumumba was assassinated following US opposition; and Brazil in 1964, when US logistical and diplomatic support facilitated a military coup against President João Goulart. Chile’s 1973 coup against President Salvador Allende similarly involved CIA backing, culminating in General Augusto Pinochet’s long rule marked by widespread human rights abuses.
More recently, in January 2026, US forces intervened militarily in Venezuela, detaining President Nicolás Maduro and installing Vice President Delcy Rodríguez as acting leader. Trump has indicated that Cuba could face similar pressure, drawing comparisons to past interventions in Venezuela and other nations.
Experts say these actions illustrate a longstanding US policy of influencing political outcomes abroad, often under the justification of promoting stability, democracy, or regional security, but frequently generating controversy and geopolitical tensions in affected countries. The appointment of Mojtaba Khamenei highlights ongoing debate over external influence in sovereign leadership transitions.
Also Read: Pratap Sarnaik Announces Temporary Freeze On Auto-Rickshaw Permits In Maharashtra
