Shaban Jafari, widely known as “Shaban the Brainless,” was one of the controversial figures in political and street history during the 1940s and 1950s. Born in Tehran in 1921, he practiced traditional wrestling and had considerable influence in Tehran’s traditional gymnasiums and among groups commonly associated with jahels and lutis—figures rooted in the city’s street culture and traditional social networks. Jafari became particularly prominent amid the political struggle between the government of Mohammad Mosaddegh, the court of Mohammad Reza Shah Pahlavi, and the political forces of the period.
Jafari’s political fame was above all associated with the events of August 19, 1953 (28 Mordad 1332 in the calendar), when Mosaddegh’s government was overthrown and General Fazlollah Zahedi became prime minister. Historical documents have confirmed the role of the U.S. Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) and Britain’s intelligence service in planning and supporting the operation to overthrow Mosaddegh, which the CIA referred to by the codename “Ajax.” Within Iran, pro-Shah military officers, political and religious networks, and various street groups also played roles in the events of that day.
