Cablegate: Assassination/Kidnap Plot Against Shah Revealed

O 021400Z OCT 73
FM AMEMBASSY TEHRAN
TO SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 4042

UNCLAS TEHRAN 7005

Declassified/Released US Department of State EO Systematic Review 30 JUN 2005

E.O. 11652: N/A
TAGS: PINS IR
SUBJECT: ASSASSINATION/KIDNAP PLOT AGAINST SHAH REVEALED

SUMMARY: GOI ANNOUNCED TODAY ARREST OF TWELVE PERSONS
INCLUDING TWO WOMEN FOR PLOTTING TO KIDNAP OR KILL SHAH,
EMPRESS AND OTHER MEMBERS OF IMPERIAL FAMILY. PLOTTERS
SAID TO BELONG TO WING OF OUTLAWED TUDEH (COMMUNIST) PARTY
AND ARE SAID TO HAVE MADE CONFESSIONS. END SUMMARY.

1. MINISTRY OF INFORMATION ANNOUNCED OCTOBER 2 THE ARREST OF
TWELVE PERSONS INCLUDING TWO WOMEN ON CHARGES OF PLOTTING TO
KIDNAP OR KILL MEMBERS OF THE IMPERIAL FAMILY. ACCORDING TO
OFFICIAL ANNOUNCEMENT, GROUP, WHICH INCLUDED FILMMAKERS, CAMERAMEN
AND NEWSPAPERMEN, HAD RECONNOITERED SHAH'S CASPIAN PALACE
AT NOWSHAHR AS WELL AS RESIDENCE OF HIM'S YOUNGER SISTER
PRINCESS FATEMEH. PLAN WAS TO KILL SHAH, EMPRESS, CROWN
PRINCE AND POSSIBLY OTHERS, PERHAPS INCLUDING UNNAMED FOREIGN
AMBASSADOR, OBTAIN AN AIRLINER TO FLEE COUNTRY WITH HOSTAGES
AND DEMAND RELEASE OF POLITICAL PRISONERS, THREATENING DEATH TO
ROYAL FAMILY IF DEMANDS REFUSED. SHAH'S FORMER SON-IN-LAW AND
PRESENT IRANIAN AMBASSADOR TO US ARDESHIR ZAHEDI AND HIM'S
GRANDDAUGHTER MAHNAZ ALSO REPORTEDLY TARGETED.

2. SECURITY AUTHORITIES ANNOUNCED THAT QUATITIES OF
FIREARMS AND EXPLOSIVES WERE SEIZED AND ALL MEMBERS OF THE
GROUP HAVE BEEN CAPTURED. INTERESTINGLY, ONE OF PLOTTERS
WAS MANOUCHEHR MOGHADAM-SALIMI, WHO WAS SENTENCED TO THREE
YEARS IN PRISON FOR HIS PART IN ATTEMPT ON SHAH'S LIFE AT
MARBLE PALACE IN 1965. ONE OF TWO WOMEN INVOLVED WAS
MARYAM ETEHADIEH (MEMBER OF WELL-KNOWN MERCANTILE
FAMILY AND NEWSPAPER EMPLOYEE) WHO PROVIDED DATA ON MOVEMENTS
OF PRINCESS MAHNAZ. SECOND WOMAN WAS
SHOUKOUH FARHANG (NEWSPAPER EMPLOYEE), WHO JOINED WITH
HUSBAND EBRAHIM FARHANG-RAZI (COMMERCIAL COMPANY EMPLOYEE).
OTHERS INCLUDED MORTEZA SIAPOUSHI (NEWSPAPER EMPLOYEE) AND
FARHAD QEYSARI.

3. PLOTTERS REPORTEDLY MEMBERS OF OUTLAWED TUDEH (COMMUNIST)
PARTY AND ARE SAID TO HAVE CONFESSED, AMONG OTHER THINGS,
TO PLANNING ASSASSINATION ATTEMPT ON EMPRESS FARAH OR OTHER
MEMBER OF IMPERIAL FAMILY AT CHILDREN'S FILM FESTIVAL
SCHEDULED FOR LATER THIS MONTH. A MAJOR FIGURE IN THIS
PORTION OF PLOT WAS REZA ALAMEZADEH, A CANDIDATE FOR
PRIZE FOR YEAR'S BEST CHILDREN'S FILM. OTHERS INCLUDED
ABBAS ALI SAMAKAR, TEYFOUR BATHAII (FILMMAKERS),
RAHMATOLLAH IRAJ JAMSHIDI (REPORTER), AND KERAMATALLAH
DANESHIAN (CONSTRUCTION COMPANY EMPLOYEE). PLAN CALLED FOR
ALAMEZADEH AND SAMAKAR TO GO ARMED TO PRIZEGIVING CEREMONY
AND MAKE ASSAULT AT MOMENT OF PRESENTATION. OTHER THREE
TOBE PRESENT AT CEREMONY, ALSO ARMED, TO PROVIDE DEVERSION
IF NECESSARY.

COMMENT: NO INDICATION OF DATE ARREST TOOK PLACE. WILL
REPORT FURTHER DEVELOPMENTS.

HELMS

Declassified/Released US Department of State EO Systematic Review 30 JUN 2005

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