SAVAK

SAVAK was Iran’s intelligence and security service under the Pahlavi monarchy from 1957 until the 1979 revolution. It monitored political activity and became notorious for arrest, interrogation, and torture of opponents.

Political surveillance: The monitoring of people and organizations to gather information about political activity. SAVAK tracked opposition networks, publications, and suspected threats to the monarchy.
1953 Iranian coup d'état: The overthrow of Prime Minister Mohammad Mosaddegh by Iranian and foreign-backed forces in 1953. The coup restored the shah’s authority and intensified efforts to secure his rule.
Teymur Bakhtiar: An Iranian general who became SAVAK’s first director. Bakhtiar organized the service before falling out with the shah and leaving Iran.
Iranian Revolution: The 1979 revolution that ended Iran’s Pahlavi monarchy and established an Islamic republic. SAVAK’s repression contributed to grievances directed against the shah’s government.
Iranian police: The civil law-enforcement institutions responsible for policing within Iran. SAVAK’s intelligence and political-security remit extended beyond routine policing.
Informant network: A system of recruited sources who provide information to an organization, often covertly. Informants extended SAVAK’s reach into workplaces, universities, and political circles.
Mohammad Reza Pahlavi: The shah of Iran from 1941 until the monarchy ended in 1979. He authorized the creation of SAVAK to strengthen royal control over internal security.
Nematollah Nassiri: An Iranian general who directed SAVAK from 1965 to 1978. Nassiri led the agency during much of its most feared period.
Black Friday (Iran): The killing of demonstrators by Iranian security forces in Tehran on September 8, 1978. The massacre intensified opposition to the monarchy and its security apparatus.
Military intelligence: Intelligence gathered and analyzed to support a state’s armed forces and military operations. SAVAK focused heavily on domestic political security rather than only military threats.

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