Page:Documents from the Den of Espionage.djvu/192

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IRAN

FORMER IRANIAN PREMIER BAKHTIAR'S NASCENT EFFORTS TO RETURN TO POWER (DOI: MID-OCTOBER 1979)

A MAMBER OF A PROMINENT KURDISH FAMILY WHO HAS LONGSTANDING TIES TO KURDISH LEADERS. HE ATTENDED A MEETING WITH BAKHTIAR. HIS REPORTING RELIABILITY HAS NOT BEEN FULLY ESTABLISHED.

1. FORMER IRANIAN PREMIER SHAPHUR BAKHTIAR HAS BEEN HOLDING DISCUSSIONS IN PARIS WITH INFLUENTIAL MEMBERS OF VARIOUS KURDISH FACTIONS, AS WELL WAS WITH EXILED IRANIAN GROUPS IN WESTERN EUROPE AND THE U.S. BAKHTIAR HAS STRESSED TO THESE GROUPS THAT SHOULD HE RETURN TO POWER IN IRAN, HE WOULD FAVOR KURDISH AUTONOMY BUT NOT SEPARATION FORM IRAN. BAKHTIAR HAS ALSO INDICATED THAT HE HAS ENOUGH POLITICAL SUPPORTERS AND WILL SOON AHVE ENOUGH FINANCIAL AID TO CARRY OUT POLITICAL AND MILITARY ACTIONS AGAINST THE KHOMEINI REGIME. HE FURTHER IMPLIED THAT HE HAS BEEN IN IDIRECT CONTACT WITH THE FORMER SHAH, BUT THAT HIS PAST LOYALTIES TO THE SHA PLAY NO TOLE IN HIS PRESENT OR FUTURE PLANS VIS-A-VIS RETURN TO POWER IN IRAN.

2. BAKHTIAR HAS GIVE HIS MORAL SUPPORT TO THE KURDS. AT KURDISH REQUEST, BAKHTIAR HAS ALSO AGREED TO ENLIST THE AID OF FORMER SAVAK OR IRAN ARMY OFFICERS TO GO TO BEEN IN CONTACT WITH KURDS BOTH THE KERKANS AH AND MAHABAD AREAS WOULD LEAD THESE FORCES IN THEIR RESPECTIVE AREAU. HE IS PLANING TO DISPATCH IN MID OR LATE NOVEMBER AN EMISSARY TO IRAN TO NEGOTIATE A POLITICAL AND MILITARY LIAISON WITH THE KURDISH DEMOCRATIC PARTY

3. IN ADDITION TO COMING TO TEMS WITH THE KURDS, BAKHTIAR REALIZES THAT HE MUST ESTABLISH A RAPPORT WITH THE IRANIAN COMMUNISTS IF HE IS TO REGAIN AND RETAIN INFLUENCE IN IRAN.

4. (SOURCE COMMENT: BAKHTIAR SPEAKS WITH CONFIDENCE ABOUT HIS EVENTUAL RETURN TO POWER, AND GIVES EVIDENCE OF