Gamal Abdel Nasser

Gamal Abdul Nasser Al Hussein (Arabic: جمال عبد الناصر حسين, pronounced: [ɡæˈmæːl ʕæbdenˈnɑːsˤeɾ ħeˈseːn]; January 15, 1918 - September 28, 1970), the second president of the Arab Republic of Egypt and the de facto supreme leader of Egypt from 1952 to 1970. Nasser is considered one of the most important Arab leaders in modern history. During his time in power, he enthusiastically advocated pan-Arabism. His political ideas were known as Nasserism. In 1951, the then Iranian Prime Minister Mohammad Mossadegh nationalized the Anglo-Iranian Oil Company to safeguard Iran's national interests. Nasser also nationalized the Suez Canal in 1956 to safeguard Egypt's national interests and oppose Western imperialist interference in the Middle East, which triggered the second Middle East War. Egypt has since become the main force in the Arab world against Israel and the base of pan-Arab nationalism. Under his rule, Egypt joined the Soviet Union in supporting the independence of Algeria, a fellow African country. After the Second Middle East War, Nasser was regarded as the spiritual leader of the Arab world at that time.