The conquering generation in the battlefield of oil industry independence

By: Dr. Akbar Nematollahi

On 19th March 1951, Iranian nation’s hard efforts to exercise sovereignty over its national wealth, even though after many hardships, bore fruit and the management of Iranian oil industry, as the symbol of independent and self-reliance, was handed over to the Iranians so that Iran’s oil industry was reborn.

Despite the hardships on the way and huge pressures from the United States and Britain governments to discourage Iranians and forcing them to revise in their uprising, the nationalization movement followed by other nations, who were willing to end the tragic dominance of great powers on their economies, which had deprived them of their right to self-determination. The Egyptian people and rulers were among those who welcomed the Iranian prime minister Dr. Mohammad Mosaddegh’s initiative on nationalization and followed suit.

The impact of the successful experience of oil industry nationalization was so great that even the post-coup d'état government not only could not repeal it but was forced to embrace it as a national achievement.

Iranian nation on 19th March 1951 stamped its independence in the management of oil industry and paved the way for the next generations to run the industry by reliance on their will and determination.

If the nation is moving forward successfully with the development of the various South Pars gas field phases and if the sanctions and hurdles have failed to interrupt its move; there is no doubt that this is the result of the will and determination of the nation in the light of the Islamic Revolution and relying on the history of oil industry nationalization lessons. In the meantime, we should take into consideration the reformist administration initiatives, which took office for the first time after the victory of the Islamic Revolution. In other words, the nationalization movement achievements have been repeated frequently since 1951 by the next generations.  

The reformist administration’s good governance and its ability to foil attempts on imposing sanctions against the country and creating a rift among western currents and governments encouraged the French, Japanese, Italian and Korean companies to take part in South Pars gas field projects. This development along with successful management of the economy during a period when the sanctions were burning the roots of everything, all indicate the country has used the lessons it learned from the exercising sovereignty over its oil industry and running it independently.

The Iranian conquering nation has demonstrated that no one can undermine its firm determination regarding the development of different phases of South Pars gas field. Nowadays, Assaluyeh, the site of onshore installations of South Pars gas field, remind us that the spirit of the oil industry nationalization movement is alive, passing from one generation to the next generations.  

Now, on the verge of the anniversary of the nationalization of Iran’s oil industry, let’s congratulate warmly the 19th March 1951 achievements to the Iranian nation and to the independent seeking peoples around the world.