Assassination attempt on Ali Khamenei

Assassination attempt on Ali Khamenei
Portrait of Ali Khamenei (1981) in hospital
Date June 27, 1981 (1981-06-27)
Location Aboozar Mosque, Tehran, Iran
Organised by Disputed
Suspect(s) Masud Taqi Zade, Mohammad Javad Qadiry, Orooj Amir Khan Zade

An assassination attempt on Ali Khamenei occurred on 27 June 1981. When he gave the speech for prayers at the Aboozar Mosque, a bomb in the tape recorder placed in front of him exploded and his arm, vocal cords and lungs were seriously injured.

Background

In the early 1980s, Mojahedin-e Khalq attempted to assassinate more than 70 of Iran’s clerics and politicians.[1] After Abolhassan Banisadr was deposed and then joined People's Mujahedin of Iran, the American assassination plan named 'Phoenix' was implemented in Iran with the help of their Iranian agents. Assassinations and commotions on the streets were controlled by militant groups like MEK. The assassinations in the summer of 1981 commenced by attacking Ali Khamenei and was followed by bombing at headquarters of the Iran Islamic Republic Party (IRP) in Tehran.[2]

Event

Five days after Banisadr was deposed, the news of the day was about the Iran–Iraq War after the declaration of armed conflict. On 27 June 1981,[3] while Ali Khamenei had returned from the frontline and had visited the Ayatollah Khomeini, he went to the Aboozar Mosque to give a speech to the prayers as per his Saturday schedule. At that time, he was the Ayatollah Khomeini’s representative at the Supreme Council of National Defense. After the first prayer, Ayatollah Khamenei began to answer questions submitted by listeners. A one tape recorder with papers was set on the desk in front of Ali Khamenei by a young man who pressed the play button. After on minute the tape recorder sounded like a loud whistle and exploded then.[4] After the bombing the cleric who praying at that mosque said that the tape recorder[4] were divided into two parts written on the inner wall of the tape recorder "the gift of Forqan Group to Islamic republic".[5][6]

The convalescence of Ayatollah Khamenei took several months and his arm, vocal cords and lungs were seriously injured.[1]

Place of the assassination

Perpetrator

According to the sources, some people said Masud Taqi Zade from Furqan Group was the perpetrator of assassination attempt and others said Mohammad Javad Qadiry from Mojahedin-e Khal was the perpetrator .[7][8]

On the article from Iraj Mesdaqi, political activist he denied Qadiry as perpetrator of this adventure and introduced Orooj Amir Khan Zade. Due to Islamic Revolution Document Center the person who settled the tape recorder on the desk in front of Ayatollah Khamenei was called Masud Taqi Zade.[9]

See also

References

  1. 1 2 Murphy, John (2007). Ali Khamenei. Chelsea House Publications. p. 91. ISBN 978-0791095171.
  2. ↑ Staff, Writer. "Review on causes and consequences". mashreghnews.
  3. ↑ Maloney, Suzanne (2015). Iran's Political Economy since the Revolution. Cambridge University Press. p. 152. ISBN 978-0521738149.
  4. 1 2 Kahlili, Reza (2013). A Time to Betray: A Gripping True Spy Story of Betrayal, Fear, and Courage. Threshold Editions; Reprint edition. p. 155. ISBN 978-1439189689.
  5. ↑ Qaffari, Mostafa. "Report about assassination attempt on adventure of 27 June 1981". Khamenei.ir.
  6. ↑ Staff writer. "Review on the assassination attempt on Ayatollah Khamenei". AsrIran.
  7. ↑ R. Mattair, Thomas (2008). Global Security Watch―Iran: A Reference Handbook. Praeger. p. 156. ISBN 978-0275994839.
  8. ↑ Blair, David. "Profile: Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, the man who has the final word in Iran". The telegraph.
  9. ↑ Alavi, Hamid. "Assassination attempt on Ali Khamenei 35 years later". BBC.
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