True Spies Classic: Operation Ajax | CIA & MI6

True Spies Classic: Operation Ajax | CIA & MI6

Author: SPYSCAPE April 28, 2026 Duration: 51:56
In the early 1950s, Iran elected a forward-thinking new leader. But where previous regimes had played ball with British and American oil companies in the country, Mohammed Mossadegh refused. In response, Western intelligence services mounted a deadly coup. In this classic episode of True Spies, Sophia Di Martino and historian Ervand Abrahamian unpick the shocking downfall of Iran's last democratic leader. From SPYSCAPE, the home of secrets. A Cup And Nuzzle production. Series producer: Joe Foley. Produced by Morgan Childs. Music by Nick Ryan.

Imagine pulling back the curtain on the most secretive missions ever conducted. That’s the experience offered by True Spies, a podcast from SPYSCAPE that moves beyond the Hollywood gloss to sit down with the actual intelligence officers, detectives, and operatives who lived these events. Hosted by a compelling roster including Hayley Atwell, Vanessa Kirby, and Daisy Ridley, each episode is a direct conversation with the people who know the answers. You’ll hear firsthand about the split-second decisions, the specialized skills, and the profound moral dilemmas faced in the shadows. This isn’t speculative fiction; it’s a deep exploration of authentic espionage cases, political intrigues, unsolved murders, and complex investigations that have shaped real-world events. The narratives covered in this podcast consistently reveal how the most astonishing truths are often more gripping than any invented thriller. By focusing on documentary-style storytelling and historical context, the series provides a rare, unfiltered look into the high-stakes worlds of crime and national security. Each story invites you to consider not just what happened, but how it felt to be in the room, and what you might have done when everything was on the line.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 100

True Spies: Espionage | Investigation | Crime | Murder | Detective | Politics
Podcast Episodes
True Spies Classic: The Limping Lady | WW2 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 43:54
In this classic episode of True Spies, Vanessa Kirby goes behind enemy lines with Virginia Hall, one of the bravest Allied heroines of WWII. As part of ‘Churchill's Secret Army’, Virginia was sent into occupied France to…
True Spies Debriefs: David McCloskey On His Life After Espionage [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 31:55
True Spies producer Morgan Childs joins former CIA analyst, author and podcast host David McCloskey for a deep dive into his post-Agency career, and what he's learned along the way. David McCloskey's latest novel, The Pe…
The Many Lives of Agent Zo | WW2 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:01:48
Author Clare Mulley has built her formidable reputation on finding the remarkable stories that have been left out of the history books. This is one of them - the remarkable, heartstopping story of Elzbieta Zawacka, AKA A…
True Spies - Brief Histories: Counterintelligence [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 25:48
From the lagoon of Venice to revolutionary Russia, counterintelligence has always been an important aspect of statecraft. In Brief Histories, the new monthly special from True Spies, series producer Joe Foley is your gui…
True Spies Classic: The Spy In The Cornfield | FBI [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 46:40
In the golden cornfields of rural Iowa, mysterious men are stealing seeds. Corn is big business - and the secret of growing good corn is priceless intellectual property. But is this a simple case of corporate theft, or f…
True Spies Debriefs: Brett Janis on Economic Intelligence [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 29:39
This time on the Debrief, Morgan Childs joins former CIA economic analyst Brett Janis to discuss the Agency's role in monitoring global financial trends, Ukraine, and the future of the USA's place at the heart of the wor…
Chasing Chi, Part Two: One Man's Trash... | FBI [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 40:59
By 2004, FBI Special Agent Jim Gaylord has seen a lot of counterintelligence operations go right. But he's also seen plenty go wrong, especially when it comes to the People's Republic of China. But now, he has a chance t…
True Spies - Brief Histories: Women in Espionage [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 28:12
NEW from True Spies: Brief Histories. From 7th Century China to Nazi-occupied France, discover a selection of stories from the long history of female spies. In Brief Histories, the new monthly special from True Spies, se…
Chasing Chi, Part One: The Engineer | FBI [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 44:38
By 2004, FBI Special Agent Jim Gaylord has seen a lot of counterintelligence operations go right. But he's also seen plenty go wrong, especially when it comes to the People's Republic of China. But now, he has a chance t…
True Spies Classic: Blood on the Waterside | MI5 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 48:04
In this classic episode of True Spies, Vanessa Kirby meets a spy who infiltrated the political wing of the Irish Republican movement. Willie Carlin risked his life in Derry, Northern Ireland, on a daily basis to provide…