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Viewing cable 73TEHRAN7005, ASSASSINATION/KIDNAP PLOT AGAINST SHAH REVEALED

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Reference ID Created Released Classification Origin
73TEHRAN7005 1973-10-02 14:00 2011-08-24 01:00 UNCLASSIFIED Embassy Tehran
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 
 
NNN