Iranian Liberal Democrat

the National Front has no credibility and belongs to the dustbin

of History. Mr Kazemzadeh your arguments are laughable and they are designed to blame everyone except the man who made Tahmassebi's release possible.

Jebhe Gheir e Milli supporters have been too successful for too long to turn Mossadegh into a martyr and hide his failures. Everyone else is to blame to hide their incompetence. This is a very piss poor attempt to sweep things under the rug:

//www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,8...

There is no question that Mossadegh slept with the devil and paid the price. The shame was that he ruined a country. The further shame is that fanatical supporters like you, do not accept logic and reason. Rational debate with fanatics is impossible.

Mr. Fozolie

Dear Mr Katouzian,

your arguments seem to centre on deflecting any criticism of Dr Mossadegh.

I have a lot of respect for Dr Mossadegh as a patriot, although I believe that he missed a historic opportunity to navigate the country correctly during his stewardship of the Government, by making alliances that ultimately led to his fall. one of those alliances was with Kashani and Fadaeean Islam.

On the question of the majlis bill to release Safavi & Tahmasebi, Dr Mossadegh as the most powerful prime minister in Iran's history can not escape the ultimate responsibility for the passage of the bills in Majlis. I think there is a weight of evidence mainly from Jebheh meli sources & Mossadegh supporters that suggests Dr Mossadegh's Government and Jebheh Meli Faction in Majlis (to which Kashani belonged), were the drivers to pass the bill paving the way for the release of first Tahmasebi and then Nabavi.

I think FR has provided multiple factual references, rather than opinions to support this. at any rate thank you for your reply and lets agree to disagree.

KP

فرمان ایت الل

فرمان ایت الله خمینی  در ۱۳۵۸ برای برگذاری مراسم روز قدس زمان بود
 که اکثر مردم ایران هنوز نسبت به خمینی و رژیم  او توهم داشتند.
 بزودی روز قدس, مانند بسیاری از شعارهای عوام فریبانه, افشا گردید.
 در واقع رژیم با نقاب دفاع از مردم " مسلمان و تحت اشغال صهیونیسم"
کوشید  ذهنیت مردم را از ماهیت ارتجاعی وضد انسانی خود منحرف کند.

قدس را به پا كردند تا خيل حزب الله داخلی و خارجی را منسجم كنند و بعد اماده سرکوب های خونین دهه اول انقلاب شوند. تابستان خونين سال ٦٠ و اعدامهاي چندین هزار زندانی سیاسی در تابستان ۶۷ به دستور خمینی و ترورهای خارج کشور به کمک حزب الله جهانی
 گویای این واقعیت بود که جمهوری اسلامی خود با خوئی
 اشغالگرانه به مراتب وحشی تر از " اشغلگران صهیو نیستی"
به جنگ ملت ایران امده است.
عمر سی ساله ای رژیم یکی از شوم ترین دوران تاریخ ایران است.
 رژیم وحشی و متجاوز( متجاوزبه هر معنای کلمه) خود بزرگترین دشمن
 ازادی و حمیت انسانیست.

این رژیم با خصلت تجاوز و اشغالگری جائی برای اصلاح پذیری بجا
 نگذاشته است. اما برخی از موئسسان این نظام, با وجود سوابق سیاه خود,
 اصلاح پذیری این رژیم را موعضه میکنند و انرا مستمسکی کرده اند تا عمر
 این رژیم را بدین گونه افزایش دهند.  
  
تمام جناح های رژیم میدانند که مردم ایران در شرایط ازاد و با نظارت یک نهاد
 بین مللی خواستار یک رژیم سکولار و دمکراتیک خواهد بود. با چنین
 اگاهی, جناح  " اصلاح طلب" رژیم از پتانسیل مردم خشمگین سو
 استفاده میکنند تا در چار چوب نظام و ولایت فقیه  کل رژیم را از خطر سقوط 
نجات دهند. 

اینان در تلاشند مردم  سرنگوني طلب را به  سیاهی لشكر حامي نظام جمهوري اسلامي تبديل كننند. افرادی مانند موسوی, هاشمي و كروبي ازازادی, سکولاریسم و دومکراسی بیشتر هراس دارند تا دستگیری
 و یا زندانی شدن خودشان بدست جناح دیگر رژیم.

جناح خامنه ای و احمدی نژاد خواستار ادامه خشونتند چون راه دیگری برای
 حیات انگلی خود نمیبنندد. در حالیکه جناح موسوم به اصلاح طلبان ميخواهند قدرت سیاسی را در خیابان معامله کنند.
 
هدف انان ازیک سو کنترل رادیکالیسم مردم و از سوی دیگر سو استفاده
 از همین خشم مردم برای مطامع شخصیست.  خنثی کردن این پتا نسیل
 سرنگون طلب و حفظ تمامیت رژیم پر نکبت جمهوری اسلامی خواست
 مشترک هر دو جناح است و این دهن کجی است به مردمی که خواستار
سقوط کل نظام جهل و جنایت اسلامی هستند. 

Kazemzadeh! Don't avoid the Question.

Mr Kazemzadeh with certitude of 100% you have proven NOTHING to exonerate your hero Mossadegh from the charge of duplicity with the  Fedaeeyan Islam.

In the characteristic style of Jebhe Melli supporters Kazemzadeh twists the facts (with 100% certitude) and even lies on behalf of the other authors like Abrahamian and hides behind them. Here is the most definitive day-by-day account of the events as they happned (dates are in Persian calendar):

16 Esfand 1329: General Haji Ali Razm Ara is assassinated by three bullets from a hand gun held by one Khalil Tahmasebi, a member of the terrorist group, Fadaeeyan Islam.

17 Esfand 1329: In a huge gathering at the invitation of Ayatollah Kashani, the spirtitual leader of Fedaeeyan Islam, Hossein Makki and Dr Baghaii, two of Mossadegh's closest allies, congratulate the nation for the murder of of Razm Ara.

13 khordad 1330: Navab Safavi, the leader of the terrorist group, Fadaeeyan Islam is arrested  by Mossadegh as a barganing chip in his dealings wirh Kashani.

16 Mordad 1331: Government of Mossadegh is in power after its return in Tir 1331. Jebeh Melli is the most populated party faction  in the parliament and the Speaker of the parliament is Ayatollah Kashani, Mossadegh's ally and Jebhe Melli's MP from Tehran. The bill to free Khalil Tahmasebi is passed with 3 degrees of urgency.

24 Aban 1331:  Government of Mossadegh frees Tahmasebi and is triumphantly received and thanked by the same Kashani, the sipritual leader of the terrosit Fadaeeyan Islam. 

24 Bahman 1331: Navab Safavi, the leader of Fadaeeyan who had ordered the killings of the Scholar and Lawyer Ahmad Kasravi, former prime minister Abdolhossein Hajhir and General Razm Ara is freed by Mossadegh as a concession to Ayatollah Kashani.

Source: Rooz shomar tarikhe Iran by Bagher Agheli.

//www.adinebook.com/gp/product/9646895522

FR

A History of Assassinations by Reza Shah and Mohammad Reza Shah

Dear Mr. Parsa,

You are incredibly lucky to have had Professor Katouzian as your professor.

Please check out the book by Katouzian and read those 3 pages. There are a lot of references there, and you could follow them as well. Professor Katouzian is NOT expressing his opinion. He is presenting evidence and making scholarly inferences. The evidence is quite solid on most aspects of the assassination.

1. We know for 100% certitude that Alam asked Razmara to go to the Mosque (Masjed Shah) on 16 Esfand 1329.

2. We know for 100% certitude that at the same time, Khalil Tahmasebi and an Army Sargent with a Colt arrive at the same time. Even the IRI’s site for Navab Safavi admits to this.

3. The liaison between the darbar and Fadaian Islam was Seyyed Zia. Alam and Zia had been working for MI6 for a long time.

4. Shah was terrified of Gen. Razmara and was working hard to get rid of him. The Shah asked Mossadegh to become prime minister in order to undermine Razmara, an offer which Dr. Mossadegh refused.

5. We have evidence that Col. Daihimi was asked by Alam to organize the assassination. Col Daihimi discusses this with the Shah. Col. Daihimi says that an Army Sargent was assigned to shoot Gen. Razmara if Khalil Tahmaseni’s assassination did not work. The evidence is that the wounds on Razmara indicate that the mortal wound did not come from the weak gun by Tahmasebi, but by a powerful gun like Colt (the kind used by the Sargent sent by Alam).

Based on the evidence, Mohammad Reza Shah and Alam decide to assassinate Gen. Razmara. Alam personally brings Gen. Razmara to the place where he was killed. Alam also has Col. Daihimi send an Army Sargent with a Colt to be present and ordered to assassinate Gen. Razmara. Alam has Seyed Zia to coordinate Khalil Tahmasebi to be present and assassinate Gen. Razmara. Tahmasebi proudly confesses that he killed Gen. Razmara. At least three shots were fired. How many of the shots are from Tahmasebi’s weak gun and how many from Alam’s Army Sargent’s Colt are not known.

Mohammad Reza Shah, like Reza Shah, had assassinated many powerful individuals. There are many "theories" on Reza Shah killed soooooooooo many of his own lieutenants. One speculation was that because Reza Shah was a heavy opium uses, that might have caused him to become paranoid and kill his own top aids. One top scholar, Professor Stephanie Cronin, argues that Reza Shah’s heavy use of opium many not be the explanation of why he killed sooooo many of his own supporters. Professor Cronin argues that Reza Shah was getting old and he believed that his son was too young and inexperinces and that his own powerful lieutenants might make a coup and get rid of Mohammad Reza Pahlavi. Therefore, Reza Shah killed all those who MIGHT one day undermine his son. See Stephanie Cronin, Tribal Politics in Iran: Rural Conflict and the New State, 1921-1941 (London and New York: Routledge, 2007).

The following is on page 173 of Cronin book:

The shah’s fear of assassination had become very visible from at least the mid-1920s and these fears only heightened with time. By the early 1930s he had become dominated by a sense that his own life and the future of his dynasty were in danger. Although he had little concern about any rival to himself, he was extremely conscious of the vulnerability of the succession, owning to the Crown Prince’s youth and weakness. His own health was suffering, his use of opium taking its toll, his morale further damaged by the attitudes and behaviour of those surrounding him, and he became morbidly preoccupied with the real or imagined ambitions of those closest to the court.

In conclusion, Reza Shah and Mohammad Reza Shah have a long history of killing other powerful individuals. In order to avoid responsibility for killing them, Reza Shah and Mohammad Reza Shah made them look like suicide in prison, or assassination by other groups.

I hope this is helpful.

Best,

Masoud

Why Jebhe Melli cannot answer a few simple questions?

1. Who said to Prime Minister Razm Ara, in a speech delivered in Majles in 1329: I will (personally) kill you?
2. Under whose premiership was the assassin of General Razam Ara pardonned and freed?
3. Who called Razam Ara mahdur ol dam (one whose blood is halal to be shed)?
4. Who called Ghavam ol Saltaneh, a former Prime Minister, mofsed fel arz (agent of corruption on earth - a lablel used by the Islamic regime to justify the killing of its opponents)?
5. Whose government freed Navab Safavi, the leader of the terrorist group Fadaeeyan Islam, indicted for ordering the murder of Ahmad Kasravi, and a few other terrosistic acts, after a short period of detention in 1331?
6. Who was the spirtitual leader of the Fadaeeyan Islam?
   
7. Who congratulated the people of Iran in a statement in a huge gathering opposite the Majles after the assassination of Prime Minister Razm Ara in 1329?
8. Who was Jebeh Melli's number one candidate for Tehran, and later the Speaker of the Parliament, in the parliamentary elections of 1331 (17th legsilative session)?

Answers to Q1 to Q5: Mohammad Mossadegh

Answers to Q6 to Q8: Ayatollah Kashani

Now can you dispute the duplicious relations between Mossadegh and Kashani until neither were useful to each other in 1332?

FR

One problem with Mr. Kazemzadeh

is that he refers you to Stephan Kinzer or Homayoun Katouzian.... or people who cross reference each other from Jebheh Melli without much validated resources. Whereas there is massive amount of counter data and documents to the stuff that he says! Those who have direct family connection to top Jebheh Melli leaders, can also be giving more of a one sided personal views rather than an accurate historical perspective. As Kaveh Parsa indicated, personal opinion can not be referenced as historical facts because one enjoys an academic chair.

As respectable as Mr. Katouzian can be in certain fields of his study, he seems to be producing few stories from Reza Shah's time, and some from 1953 coup with no credible documents. But, people like Mr. Kazemzadeh who doesn't go much deeper in his research than checking Kinzer or some western online materials just keeps on cross referencing those.

Ali P. I think had a very good point as well on different groups alignment according to their own interest at the time  rather than being permanently married to a person or ideology. Kashani, Khalil Maleki, Baghai are glaring examples of this. Jebheh Melli itself was Jebheh Melli because it was a collection of groups who were not coherent in many things, yet had "some" common interests. 

مصدق خطاب به رزم آرا: من شما را میکشم

مذاکرات مجلس شانزدهم، 8 تیرماه 1329
دکتر مصدق از تریبون مجلس خطاب به رزم آرا:
"به
وحدانیت حق، خون می کنیم! خون می کنیم! می زنیم و کشته می شویم! اگر شما
نظامی هستید، من از شما نظامی ترم. می کشم! درهمین مجلس شما را میکشم...."

  چهار روز بعد رزم آرا بدست فداییان اسلام ویا به قول نویسنده
کتاب  " اسرار قتل رزم آرا  " به تیر گارد محافظ نخست وزیر کشته شد و در
یک فاصله زمانی کوتاه  ( سه ماه ) بعدآقای دکتر محمد مصدق بر کرسی صدارت
تکیه زدند  .

//www.manoochehryazdi.blogfa.com/post-85.aspx

همچنین رجوع کنید به کامنت من (تاریخ امروز شنبه ۵ سپتامبر) در بلاگ آقای فضولی:

//iranian.com/main/blog/fozolie/history-v...

مشکل کاظم زاده این است که نه با زبان فارسی‌ آشنایی عمیق ندارد و نه میتواند یک بحث مستدل بکند بدون اینکه از این شاخ به آن‌ شاخ بپرد. کاشانی که رهبر روحانی فدأییان اسلام بوده با همه ساخت و همکاری میداشت از جمله با مصدق و جبهه ملی‌. سئوال این است: آیا آقای کاظم زاده که داد از مدرک و دلیل میزند می‌‌تواند مدرکی نشان دهد که مصدق بر علیه آزادی خلیل طهماسبی رای داده یا سخنی گفته یا اعتراضی کرده. حتا استاد کاظمزاده یعنی آبراهامیان هم مدرکی‌ ندارد. مجلسی که رای به آزادی طهماسبی داد به ریاست کاشانی بود و با اکثریت جبهه ملی‌ به رهبری مصدق. دلیلی‌ بالاتر از این؟

FR

Dear Dr. Kazemzadeh

Thank you for your reply. I know Mr Katouzian quite well as he was my teacher at university.

The excerpts you have quoted from his book are his opinions and are not evidence of complicity. While opinions from well regarded scholars have value, they can not be considered as evidence.

For example: while there are lots of opinions and theories as to JFK being killed by CIA (amongst others), the evidence points to Oswald being responsible for the assassination?

KP

Role of the Shah and Alam in the Assassination of Gen. Razmara

Dear Mr. Parsa,

Thank you for your excellent question. For a detailed discussion of the role of the Shah, Alam and others in the assassination of Gen. Razmara see:

Homa Katouzian, Musaddiq and the Struggle for Power in Iran (London and New York: I.B. Tauris, 1990), pp. 82-84.

Professor Katouzian is widely regarded as one of the very top scholars of Iran. In my opinion, Professor Katouzian is the number 1 scholar of Iran. He is currently at the University of Oxford. The following are from his book:

　===============================

Musaddiq having thus refused to co-operate, the shah and his friends began to think of other means of dealing with the fearsome general.

Razmara was assassinated on 7 March 1951 while attending a funeral service at a mosque in Tehran. The self-confessed assassin was Khalil Tahmasibi, a member of the Fada’iyan-e Islam....

Immediately after the assassination, Sayyed Zia had confided in his friends that he believed that the shah was involved in the incident. The Sayyed had related that was with the shah when Alam – who had accompanied Razmara to the mosque where he was shot dead– had hurriedly arrived at the palace, and joyfully told the shah: ‘They killed him and we are relieved.’ ....

However, Colonel Musavvar-Rahmai’s detailed discussion of the event in his recent memoirs had left little room for speculation that the plot had had sides to it. Thus he wrote:

"An army sergeant, in civilian clothes, was chosen for the deed... He had been told to shoot and kill Razmara with a Colt, the moment Tahmasebi began to shoot... Those who had examined the wounds in Razmara’s body were in no doubt that he had been killed by a Colt buller, not by the bullet of a weak gun."

Furthermore, Musavvar-Rahmani relates his conversations with Colonel Daihimi shortly after the event, and the letter from Daihimi to the shah which the latter had read out to him, ending with the following words (which Rahmani emphasizes he is paraphrasing from memory): ‘As Your Majesty knows very well, no one had a greater role in getting rid of General Razmara than Mr [Asadullah] Alam and this servant.’

　====================================

There are a lot of published evidence on the role of the Shah, Alam, and Seyyed Zia in organizing the assassination of Gen. Razmara. Many people including Dr. Mossadegh said that the Shah killed Gen. Razmara.

Best regards,

Masoud

Dear Dr. Kazemzadeh

You said:

....Khalil Tahmasebi did something (assassination of Gen. Razmara) that was organized and assisted by Seyyed Zia, the Shah, and Alam......

hmmm! thats a new one!! is this what Mr Abrahamian is saying? and on what evidence is this based on?

KP

Ali jaan

Ali jaan,

You wrote: "The JM dominated Majlis passed a bill (with 3 urgencies) granting him an official pardon, releasing him as a 'hero".

　It is factually incorrect to say that the Majles was dominated by JM. JM members constituted a minority of Majles members. Only in big cities (e.g., Tehran) that all parties were present, clean elections were held in which JM members won. Most seats were from rural areas held by big land-owners who were conservative and their votes were up for sale. Usually Britain would simply pay money for their votes.

At that time, Fadaian Islam was supported and used by Ayatollah Kashani, Seyyed Zia (in pay of the British), the Shah (did whatever the British told him to do), Rashidian brothers (official agents of the British who would distribute the money to those willing to support British interests). The British literally would deliver hard cash to Majles members for their votes. The British literally would deliver hard cash to akhund Falsafi, or Ayatollah Behbahani.

Dr. Mossadegh had a LOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOT of problems with the Majles. In order to protect and promote the national interests of Iran, Dr. Mossadegh had to threaten and/or cajole members of the Majles. Again and again, Dr. Mossadegh appealed to the people outside the Majles to force members of the Majles not to do what the British and the Shah wanted, but do what was in the national interests of Iran.

Khalil Tahmaseni did something (assassination of Gen. Razmara) that was organized and assisted by Seyyed Zia, the Shah, and Alam. It was, therefore, in the interest of the Shah, Ayatollah Kashani, Zia, and the British to let Tahmasebi released.

Did Dr. Mossadegh use the differences between the Shah and Razmara to promote and protect the national interests of Iran? Yes. Did Dr. Mossadegh use the differences between Fadaian Islam/Kashani and the Shah to promote the national interests of Iran? Yes. The resources and power of the Mossadegh/Melliun/democrats were much more limited that our enemies (the Shah, Fadian Islam, the British).

Ms. Rusta has made the following allegation:

Hidden Histroy: Mossadegh freed Razm Ara's assassin

by Farah Rusta on Tue Sep 01, 2009 10:43 AM PDT

One of the least talked about and most shameful political appeasements performed by the so-called law-abiding and democracy loving prime minister, meaning Mossadegh, was passing a bill through the Majles (mordad 1331) which freed Razma Ara's murderer, Khalil Tahmasebi. Mossadegh who needed Ayatollah Kashani's support called Razm Ara mofsede fil araz and mahdour ol dam (one whose blood is halal to be shed).

This must be the darkest indictment against a prime minister who freed his predecessor's murderer (without any due process) because in his judgment and that of the Islamic Fadaeeyan, Razm Ara was a traitor!

Now are we still in any doubt about Mossadegh's real colors and intensions or should we continue beleiving the myth making machine of Jebhe Melli and its blind and misguided followers?

//www.etemaad.ir/Released/87-12-28/296.htm

FR

==========================================================

as evidence, she gave us this link:

//www.etemaad.ir/Released/87-12-28/296.htm

in addition you gave us the IRI site for Navab Safavi. I also provided the ONLY professional historian’s account of the events.

In these 3 sources, there is NOT an iota of evidence that Dr. Mossadegh said what Ms. Rusta alleges: "Mossadegh who needed Ayatollah Kashani's support called Razm Ara mofsede fil araz and mahdour ol dam (one whose blood is halal to be shed)."

In these 3 sources, there is no evidence that Dr. Mossadegh FREED Tahmasebi. The evidence provided so far, actually show that it was the Majles that passed a resolution, a Majles that was dominated by opponents of Mossadegh, a Majles that a majority of members who sold their votes to the British. Tahmasebi had the support of Seyyad Zia, Mohammad Reza Shah, and Ayatollah Kashani.

The evidence also shows that it was in fact Mossadegh who put in prison, Navab Safavi, the leader of the group that Tahmasebi was a member of. The Shah had not put Navab Safavi in prison, although the crime for which he was convinced occurred BEFORE Mossadegh became PM.

Ms. Rusta is saying that Dr. Mossadegh was appeasing Islamic fundamentalists, which she regards as "most shameful." The FACTs are:

Mohammad Reza Shah was involved in the assassination of Gen. Razmara

Mohammad Reza Shah had not imprisoned Navab Safavi (1945-1951);

Mohammad Reza Shah was collaborating with akhund Falsafi, ayatollah Behbahani, Grand Ayatollah Brujerdi (Khomeini’s boss), Ayatollah Kashani, and Fadaian Islam at various periods.

In actual fact, one of the charges against Dr. Mossadegh in his trial after the coup was that Dr. Mossadegh was kafar.

Best,

Masoud

Masoud jaan

You state:" If the story in this site is correct, the Majles passes a bill that calls Navab Safavi a hero."

No one claimed that. They did this to Tahmassebi, not NavabSafavi.

Farah Rusta allegations, remains :

"One of the least talked about and most shameful political appeasements
performed by the so-called law-abiding and democracy loving prime
minister, meaning Mossadegh, was passing a bill through the Majles
(mordad 1331) which freed Razma Ara's murderer, Khalil Tahmasebi."

Facts are:

1) Tahmassebi was arrested and charged with Razmara's murder.

2) The JM dominated Majlis passed a bill (with 3 urgencies) granting him an official pardon, releasing him as a 'hero".

The Shah, Kashani, Dr, Mossadegh, the British, the Americans they all have their own interests and agendas, and at times each sided with another one. In politics, there is no permanant friend, or foe.

Further, arresting Navab Safavi was the right thing, and I am glad someone did it .My problem is his release; that probably didn't come under due process of the law, but because of a deal between Mossadegh and Kashani.

Navab Safavi had already been involved in too many murders (Kasravi, Hajeer, Razmara) to be paroled, had the judicial system been free of influence.

Yours,

Ali P.

For Fozolie

Mr. Fozolie,

1. It is a FACT that JM has been, since its founding in 1949, the main pro-democracy organization in Iran. It is a FACT that the monarchist regime was a brutal dictatorship. There was no freedom of expression, no freedom of the press, no free elections. The same holds for the fundamentalist terrorist regime. Whether you like it or not, JM has been Iran’s main pro-democracy organization; period. The Shah tortured, raped, assassinated Iranian people. Same with Khomeini and Khamenehi terrorist gang. JM did not torture anyone, JM did not execute anyone, JM did not assassinate anyone. Compare this with the Shah who executed our foreign minster, burned alive Karimpour Shirazi in prison to a hellish death. Hundreds were tortured to death by the Shah immediately after the coup. These are FACTS. Between 1953 and 1979, even high school kids were imprisoned and tortured by the Shah merely for writing ensha (composition) critical of the Shah’s policies.

2. You have every right to call JM incompetent. Our leaders have made a lot of mistakes. They will make a lot of mistakes. Competence is a matter of degree. I am the first to enumerate shortcomings of JM leaders yesterday and today. It is very frustrating to have incompetent democratic leaders. But it is qualitatively different to have a bunch of tyrants (of whatever kind) brutalizing our people.

3. Dr. Mossadegh is not regarded as saint by us. We in JM have the right to criticize Dr. Mossadegh; we have and we will.

Best,

MK

Mr. Fozolie

Mr. Fozolie,

1. Ms. Rusta has made an allegation. I have provided direct quotes from a prominent historian of the period that shows that Ms. Rusta’s allegation is false.

2. Thanks to Ali P., we have another source to look at. It also shows that Dr. Mossadegh actually put the leader of Fadaian Islam in prison and kept him there for 20 months for a crime that he had committed in 1326.

3. In addition, I provided the context of the period, which shows the close collaboration of the Shah, Seyyed Zia, Ayatollah Kashani, British intelligence, and Fadaian Islam in the assassination of Gen. Razmara.

4. I do NOT regard Professor Abrahamian a god. Hello, I do not even regard my hero, Dr. Mossadegh, to be god. If you would like to read my criticisms of this very book of Professor Abrahamian, you could read my long review of if at:

Kazemzadeh, Masoud. 1996. "Review Essay of Ervand Abrahamian, Khomeinism: Essays on the Islamic Republic." Middle East Policy. 4(3): 161-165.

Best,

Masoud

On Navab Safavi

Ali jaan, 

You wrote: I have Prof. Abrahamian's book. I could not find a reference to where Navab is released AFTER the coup. Please  provide reference if you have one.

I already provided direct quote from Abrahamian with page number.  On page 109, beginning with line 15, it states that the Shah returns to Iran on August 22, 1953.  On August 19, Mossadegh was overthrown in the coup.  On and after August 19, Gen. Zahedi is prime minister.  Abrahamian writes that Safavi was then promptly released from prison (after Aug 22). 

the following is from Ervand Abrahamian, op. cit., p. 109.  Also available at //tehranbureau.com/history-abused/

On the shah’s triumphant return home on August 22, the Fedayan-e Islam newspaper hailed the coup as a “holy uprising,” demanding Mosaddeq’s execution and praising the shah as the world’s Muslim hero. Not surprisingly, Navab Safavi, their leader, was promptly released from prison and permitted to go on a world tour. Meanwhile, Kashani told a foreign correspondent that Mosaddeq had fallen because he had forgotten that the shah enjoyed extensive popular support. A month later, he went even further and declared that Mosaddeq deserved to be executed because he had committed the ultimate offense: rebelling against the shah, “betraying” the country, and repeatedly violating the sacred law.

=======================================

In conclusion, the site you provided (IRI's site for Navab Safavi) states that Safavi was released on 14 Bahman 1331 (after serving 20 in prison after Mossadegh put him in prison), but Abrahamian states that he was released AFTER August 22, 1953. 

Whatever date is correct, the available evidence clearly shows that Dr. Mossadegh did the right thing. 

Best regards,

Masoud

P.S. I very much enjoy reading your superb contributions to this wonderful site.

I am sorry but this blog is based on emotion and not on reason

so I remain unconvinced.

And you keep quoting Professor E.B as though he is god while I have found the good professor's work biased and not free of errors.

It is undeniable fact that Tahmasbi was released on 24th Aban 1331. The only delay in the process was caused by the Senate whose formation was vehemently opposed by your Saint Mossadegh.

Try as you might, Jebhe Melli's i(f not appeasement then) incompetence, was again shown in the events during and after the revolution.   They lost all respect because of their actions and no amount of theorizing without proper evidence will change that.

Mr. Fozolie

On Navab Safavi from the site in IRI

Ali jaan,

Thanks for the site. The fundamentalist regime regards Fadaian Islam terrorist group as their forerunner. Members of the Fadaian Islam have held powerful positions in IRI.

One should not trust the fundamentalist regime on history. From Khomeini to Khamanei, they are all a bunch of liars. But let me cut-and-paste what they say on this issue:

مجلس شوراي ملي در سال 1331 با تصويب ماده واحده‌اي خليل طهماسبي را به جهت ترور رزم آرا و راهگشايي براي ملي شدن صنعت نفت, قهرمان ملي ناميد و او پس از بيست ماه از حبس آزاد شد.

پس از ترور رزم آرا و استعفاي حسين علا, با تلاش نواب و آيت الله كاشاني, مصدق بر مسند نخست وزيري نشست اما پس از 3 ماه, تمام زحمات آن دو را به فراموشي سپرد و دستور بازداشت نواب را صادر نمود. مأموران در تيرماه 1330 نواب را در خيابان ژاله (شهدا) دستگير كردند.

پس از اعتراض مردم نسبت به اين عمل, مصدق پاسخ داد: «نواب از قبل, 2 سال محكوميت داشته, او در سال 1326 در مسافرتي كه به آمل داشت سخنراني نمود و مردم بعد از سخنان ايشان به تظاهرات پرداختند و شيشه چند مغازه مشروب فروشي را شكستند. اما حقيقت اين بود كه نواب خواستار اجراي احكام اسلامي و در مراحل بعد تأسيس حكومت اسلامي بود.

عصر روز سه شنبه چهاردهم بهمن ماه سال 1331 پس از بيست ماه نواب از زندان مصدق, آزاد شد.

If the story in this site is correct, the Majles passes a bill that calls Navab Safavi a hero. But it was Mossadegh who arrests and imprisons Safavi 3 months after he comes to power. The charge against Safavi carried a 2 year imprisonment, of which he spent 20 months. Based on what is in navab safavi’s site, Dr. Mossadegh did extremely well against this Islamic fundamentalist terrorist.

Safavi was not imprisoned for the crime he had committed in 1326, but in 1951, Mossadeh imprisons him.

Masoud jaan

Let me first say, I am a fan of yours, and your articles here on Iranian.com, and I do respect you, much.

I certainly appreciate, and flattered by, this opportunity to discuss this subject with you.

I don't know if you know, but Navab Safavi is considered a hero under IRI, and they have even set up a website for him:

//navabsafavi.com

I have Prof. Abrahamian's book. I could not find a reference to where Navab is released AFTER the coup. Please  provide reference if you have one.

I would rely on Navab's official website . I understand that the Shah, Kashani, and Dr. Mossadegh had their own visions on Iran, and that made them each other unholy allies, against each other at one point or another.

Navab Safavi attempted to assassinate Kasravi in 1945, and for that alone , he should have been put away. Powerful allies kept him out of jail, for 10 years, when finally- under Zahedi- he was put on trial and received the death penalty.

At the time of the coup, Fadaeeyan Islam were powerful bunch , roaming the streets, terrorizing opponants, sometimes under the protection of the royal court, some time under the support of the Jebheh Melli, some time supported by the bazaar.

Politics makes for unklikely bedfellows.

And  this is just the nature of the beast .

For Ali and Natalia

Ali jaan,   First and foremost, please call me “Masoud.”  I directly quoted Professor Abrahamian on this subject.  He is one of the most prominent historians of Iran, especially on this period.  If Abrahamian is wrong, one should provide evidence.  ALL scholars could be wrong.  It is possible that Abrahamian could be wrong, but it needs to be shown that what he has published in incorrect.   Abrahamian explicitly writes that Mossadegh did not pardon any of the Fadaian Islam assassins (which was one of the reasons that Kashani moved away from him and came close to the Shah).  Abrahamian also writes that Navab Safavi was released AFTER the coup.    Dr. Mossadegh pardoning Tahmasebi in February 1953 seems implausible.

1.      At this particular juncture (9 Esfand 1331 or about 28 February 1953), the Shah and Ayatollah Kashani (Fadaian Islam’s supporter at this time) were working closely.  On this date, there was a plan to assassinate Dr. Mossadegh.

2.      Fadaian Islam made an assassination attempt on Dr. Fatemi, badly injuring him.

3.      Fadaian Islam had plans to assassinate Dr. Mossadegh.      At this juncture, Kashani, Fadaian Islam and the Shah were close to each other.  Why would Dr. Mossadegh release Tahmasebi?    Moreover, the group that made the coup in August 1953 was involved in all sorts of conspiracies.  Gen. Zahedi, Ayatollah Kashani, Baqai kidnapped, tortured, and murdered Gen. Afshartoos (Mossadegh’s ally and the head of the Police). 

   It simply does not make sense to release an assassin from a group that is working with your enemies (Kashani and the Shah) at a time that your enemies are planning and engaging in assassinating you and your organization’s members.  Tahmasebi did the assassination with the knowledge and help from Seyyed Zia, the Shah, and Alam.  Tahmasebi’s release would benefit Ayatollah Kashani and the Shah and harm the JM.      In conclusion, Abrahamian could be wrong.  My opinion in this blog could be wrong.  But so far, no evidence whatsoever has been presented to show this.  So far, the evidence and logic indicate that Dr. Mossadegh had nothing to do with releasing the assassins of a group that were involved in assassinations of JM leaders.   Best wishes,Masoud        ============================   

Natalia jaan,   I am glad you liked it.  Best, Masoud  

Thank you for the information

Best

ناتاليا

Dear Dr. Kazemzadeh

I started eagerly reading your article, as a rebuttal of the argument set forth by another Iranian.comer, Farah Rusta, but I do need to tell you, that I was disappointed.

You have correctly stated the balance of power, and who benefited from what by whom, but the article does not address the official pardon granted to Tahmassebi, Razmara's assassin.

And your last comment,

is factually inaccurate.

Navab Safavi was released in Feb. 1953, at the height of Mossadegh's power and popularity ( due to pressure by clerics) and six months before "Shah's truimphant return".

Two years later, with Dr. Mossadegh out of power, he was charged with attempted murder of Hossein Ala, and condemned to death by execution.

Who Released Navab Safavi from Prison? [hint: the Shah]

the following is from Ervand Abrahamian, op. cit., p. 109.  Also available at //tehranbureau.com/history-abused/

On the shah’s triumphant return home on August 22, the Fedayan-e Islam newspaper hailed the coup as a “holy uprising,” demanding Mosaddeq’s execution and praising the shah as the world’s Muslim hero. Not surprisingly, Navab Safavi, their leader, was promptly released from prison and permitted to go on a world tour. Meanwhile, Kashani told a foreign correspondent that Mosaddeq had fallen because he had forgotten that the shah enjoyed extensive popular support. A month later, he went even further and declared that Mosaddeq deserved to be executed because he had committed the ultimate offense: rebelling against the shah, “betraying” the country, and repeatedly violating the sacred law.

For the Record

By releasing a member of Fadaian Islam, I presume you are talking about Khalil Tahmasebi. Tahmasebi assassinated Prime Minister Razmara.

1. There is a lot of evidence, that the assassination was organized by Seyyed Zia, with the consent of the Shah. Zia was extremely close to the British (intelligence) and the Fadaian Islam.

2. Razmara was a very competent and ambitious military man. He was also very popular with the military officers. Razmara was close to the US and USSR. He had helped many Tudeh member escape from a prison. The Shah feared that Razmara was a Reza Shah type figure who could cobble together a domestic alliance with foreign backing and make a coup and assume power the way Reza Shah had done.

3. Fadaian Islam was close to Ayatollah Kashani. Kashani was the Speaker of the Majles. From July 1952, (after 30 Tir), Kashani gradually left JM and Dr. Mossadegh and became increasingly close to the Shah.

4. The coup in August 1953 was the result of the cooperation of CIA, MI6, Ayatollah Kashani, Fadaian Islam, other Shia clerics (akhund Taghi Falsafi, Grand Ayatollah Brujerdi), Gen. Zahedi, and the Shah.

In conclusion, to state that JM was responsible for releasing Tahmasebi is not true. Both Ayatollah Kashani and the Shah had power in this matter and their interests were close to Tahmasebi.

Khomeini on Dr. Mossadegh and the CIA Coup

Khomeini's words opposing Dr. Mossadegh and supporting/justifying

the 1953 CIA coup: 

"He [Mossadegh] was not a Muslim. On that day, I was in the home of one of the clerics in Tehran when I heard the news that they had put on glasses on a dog and called it ‘Ayatollah’ and walked the dog around Tehran. I told the said cleric that this is not only an opposition to one person. He [Mossadegh] will be slapped in the face. Shortly afterward, that he [Mossadegh] was slapped. And if he [Mossadegh] remained, he would have slapped Islam"

//iranian.com/main/news/2009/03/15/khomeini-supports-sheikh-fazlollah-nouri-and-attacks-mossadegh-and-jebhe-melli

 حضرت امام خميني در سخنان ذيل به اين شرايط تلخ و مظلوميت و غربت آيت الله كاشاني و تحركات ملي گرايان غرب گرا! تصريح مي كنند :
« يك گروهي كه از اولش باطل بودند من از آن ريشه هايش مي دانم يك گروهي كه با اسلام و روحانيت اسلام سرسخت مخالف بودند از اولش هم مخالف بودند اولش هم وقتي كه مرحوم آيت الله كاشاني ديد كه اين ها خلاف دارند مي كنند و صحبت كرد اين ها يك سگي را نزديكي مجلس عينك به آن زدند و اسمش را « آيت الله » گذاشتند! اين در آن زمان بود كه اينها فخر مي كنند به وجود او. او هم مسلم نبود. من در آن روز در منزل يكي از علماي تهران بودم كه اين خبر را شنيدم كه يك سگي را عينك زده اند و به اسم « آيت الله » توي خيابان ها مي گردانند. من به آن آقا عرض كردم كه اين ديگر مخالفت با شخص نيست اين سيلي خواهد خورد. و طولي نكشيد كه سيلي را خورد. و اگر مانده بود سيلي بر اسلام مي زد . » (4 )
حضرت امام خميني در قبل و بعد از اين سخنان به حركت ضداسلامي جبهه ملي پس از پيروزي انقلاب و در مخالفت با لايحه قصاص و اعلام راهپيمايي عليه حكم ضروري قرآن اشاره مي كنند و به اين واقعيت تصريح مي كنند كه ملي گرايان امروز همان ملي گرايان ديروز هستند و جريان مرموز غرب گرايي كه ديروز و امروز با انتساب خود به مردم و حكومت ملي پنجه در چهره مقدس اسلام انداخته است با استعمار خارجي در تقابل با دين حق و عداوت با قوانين الهي و تلاش مخرب براي جلوگيري از تحقق حكومت اسلامي در ايران داراي خط مشي واحد مي باشند.
عبارت حضرت امام خميني پس از مطرح كردن جنگ رواني و هتك حرمت و ترور شخصيت آيت الله كاشاني توسط ملي گرايان و طرفداران مصدق و پس از اشاره به مخالفت جبهه ملي با لايحه قرآني قصاص چنين است :
« اينها تفاله هاي آن جمعيت هستند كه حالا قصاص را حكم ضروري اسلام را غيرانساني مي خوانند! » (5 )