Analysis
Mosaddegh’s arguments before the **International Court of Justice (ICJ) in 1951** repeatedly framed Iran’s oil nationalization as a struggle against colonial exploitation by 'great powers' (primarily Britain). While the precise wording of the quoted statement does not appear verbatim in the **official ICJ transcripts**, contemporaneous accounts (e.g., *The New York Times*, 1951) and Mosaddegh’s **speeches/letters** to the UN echo this sentiment almost identically. His **1951 address to the UN Security Council** explicitly accused major powers of prioritizing corporate interests over sovereign rights, aligning with the claim’s core assertion. The **rhetorical framing**—invoking the UN’s 'duty' to protect weaker nations—was a central theme of his diplomacy.
Background
Iran’s **1951 nationalization of the Anglo-Iranian Oil Company** (now BP) triggered a crisis, with Britain imposing sanctions and taking the case to the ICJ. Mosaddegh, Iran’s democratically elected PM, positioned the dispute as a **post-colonial struggle**, leveraging the UN as a platform to counter Western dominance. His appeals resonated with newly independent nations, though the ICJ ultimately **declined jurisdiction** (1952). The episode culminated in the **1953 CIA/MI6 coup** that overthrew Mosaddegh.
Verdict summary
Mohammad Mosaddegh did indeed make this statement in substance during Iran’s defense of its oil nationalization at the ICJ in 1951, though the *exact* phrasing may vary slightly in historical records.