Postcolonial Reading of Identity in the Thought of Mohammad Mossadegh: Emphasizing the Method of Deconstruction

ABSTRACT Mohammad Mossadegh is known as a nationalist and anti-colonialist leader in the dominant narrative of Iran’s contemporary history. Is Mossadegh’s thought a reflection of colonial discourse or anti-colonial resistance? What is the idea of self and other in Mohammad Mossadegh’s thought? To answer this question, deconstructive analysis is used to segregate the text structure of Mossadegh’s letters, and postcolonial theories are used to interpret the information obtained from the deconstruction method. The findings of this research show that the superiority of the West and the inferiority of Iran are not inherent and formed in connection with each other. Mossadegh did not equate the West with colonialism, nor did he consider Iranian society to be devoid of elements of resistance and civilization. In Mossadegh’s system of thought, “self” is identified through the imitation and blending of native culture with the desirable characteristics of the colonialist culture. With selectivity from the West, Mossadegh wanted the formation of a third identity to use as a center of resistance against the colonial discourse. Therefore, Mossadegh’s thought is a reflection of the active anti-colonial resistance that takes advantage of the internal contradictions of the colonial discourse.