323. Intelligence Information Cable Prepared in the Central Intelligence Agency1
COUNTRY
- Iran
SUBJECT
- Recent Developments in Oveisi Movement [date not declassified]
SOURCE
- [2 lines not declassified]
1. During mid-July, Buick Saber, a trusted aide of Iranian exile leader Gholam Ali Oveisi, made two trips to Cairo to meet with the Shah and members of the royal family at the behest of Ardeshir Zahedi, the Shah’s former Ambassador to the United States. Zahedi advised Oveisi that the Shah was attempting to fund other Iranian exile leaders and was informing these leaders that Oveisi was a tool of the United States and was not to be trusted. Zahedi felt that such activity was divisive to the exiles and suggested Oveisi send a representative at once to clear up the matter. When Saber saw the Shah, he proceeded to refute the Shah’s claims that Oveisi was being used by the United States to denigrate him and prevent the royal family from returning to Iran. The Shah told Saber that if Oveisi would announce publicly that he wished to restore the 1906 Constitution to Iran, that would be sufficient to appease him. The Shah said he knew he could not return to Iran but still hoped that his son could. If Oveisi agreed, he would provide his movement with U.S. dollars 20 million, the assistance of the royal family, and would attempt to gain Jordanian support for him. Saber then returned to Paris and delivered the message to Oveisi. Oveisi refused to accept the offer and told Saber to go back to Cairo and make clear to the Shah that Oveisi harbored no personal animosity toward him or his family. However, he felt the Shah and the royal family were no longer really an issue, and his only real concern was getting Iran away from Khomeini and the mullahs and preventing it from falling into the hands of the Communists. Once this had been accomplished, the people could determine if they wanted a return of the monarchy. Also, he felt that the Shah’s involvement with the exiles [Page 865] and his offers of money to certain leaders among them was disruptive to the whole effort. ([less than 1 line not declassified] Comment: Oveisi believed that an apparent loss of interest in him by the Egyptians was the result of the Shah negatively influencing President Anwar Sadat.) Saber returned to Cairo with Oveisi’s message and carefully presented it to the Shah and the royal family. The Shah told Saber that he appreciated Oveisi’s explanation, would heed his words, and wished Oveisi well. Shortly after Saber left, Zahedi called an aide of Oveisi and said that the Shah and the royal family had agreed to stop supporting the various factions. Zahedi explained further that in fact only one exile leader had actually been given money, and that was General Ariana in Paris who had received U.S. dollars 100,000.
2. On 16–17 July, Oveisi travelled to Geneva to meet with Ayatollah Hojat, a religious leader from Qom, and a number of his followers. Hojat had reportedly been closely associated with Ayatollah Khomeini but recently had become disillusioned with the course of events in Iran and decided to go into exile. Hojat used a medical problem as an excuse to travel to Switzerland and now plans to base himself in London and eventually lead an anti-Khomeini publicity campaign. Hojat accepted U.S. dollars 20,000 from Oveisi to cover his living expenses in London until he is ready to begin his anti-Khomeini campaign. He also agreed to provide Oveisi with religious contacts in Iran. After the meeting, Hojat’s followers returned to Iran. During the Geneva meeting, Hojat told Oveisi that one of the major causes of his disillusionment with Khomeini was Khomeini’s policy of crushing any form of opposition to him. Hojat had once told Khomeini that while he was not opposed to selective executions, he felt that they should go unpublicized, and that widespread awareness of the killings was promoting a poor image of Iran in the world. Khomeini had responded to Hojat that world opinion meant nothing to him and that the killings would continue. Khomeini went on to explain that mercy was interpreted as weakness and that killing was necessary for the revolution to survive. Hojat also said that Khomeini was using Palestinians to eliminate opposition to him outside of Iran and was providing these members with the names of those to be eliminated and the support to carry out the missions.
3. On 22 July Oveisi and an aide departed for Cairo at the invitation of Anwar Sadat. After the completion of the Cairo visit, Oveisi intends to travel to Hamburg where he will meet with the son of Ayatollah Shariat-Madari in an attempt to gain more active support for his movement from Shariat-Madari.
4. ACQ: [date not declassified]
5. [Omitted here is dissemination information.]
- Source: Carter Library, National Security Affairs, Staff Material, Middle East File, Box 36, Subject File, Iran Cables and Press 7/80. Secret; [handling restriction not declassified]. Sent to INR, DIA, the National Military Command Center, NSA, the NSC Staff, the White House Situation Room, and the NFAC.↩