Front for the Liberation of Iran
Iran Liberation Front | |
|---|---|
| Leader | Ali Amini |
| Founded | 19 January 1982 |
| Headquarters | Paris, France |
| Ideology | Monarchism |
Front for the Liberation of Iran (FIL),[1][2] Iran Liberation Front (ILF)[3] or the Saviour Front[4] (Persian: جبهه نجات ایران) was an Iranian monarchist organization based in Paris, which sought to restore the Pahlavi dynasty following the Iranian Revolution.[3] It was led by Ali Amini, former Prime Minister of Iran, who announced establishment of the group on 19 January 1982.[5]
In July 1983, the organization signed an agreement with the National Resistance Movement of Iran, another French-based organization led by Shapour Bakhtiar over shared policies, which included installing Reza Pahlavi.[3] By 1984, personal conflicts had reduced effectiveness of this alliance, according to Anoushiravan Ehteshami.[3]
Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) reportedly funded the organization since 1982, paying a monthly stipend of $100,000.[6][7] The money included $20,000–$30,000 for the expenses of a radio named Radio Nejat (lit. 'Radio Liberation') which was broadcast from Egypt to Iran four hours a day.[6] The radio's greatest achievement in September 1986, when the CIA overrided Iranian domestic TV frequencies, sending the 11-minutes speech of Reza Pahlavi.[6]
When the news of CIA money circulated media in the United States, France and Iran, Amini who felt his reputation was damaged, withdrew from politics.[7]
Amini was replaced by Manouchehr Ganji in 1986.[8]
References
- ^ "Rivalry complicates Iranian exile struggle". The Christian Science Monitor. 3 July 1986. Retrieved 4 August 2013.
- ^ "Ali Amini; Foe of Iran's Islamic Government". The Los Angeles Times. 17 December 1992. Retrieved 4 August 2013.
- ^ a b c d Anoushiravan Ehteshami (2002). After Khomeini: the Iranian Second Republic. Routledge. pp. 15–16. ISBN 9781134838851.
- ^ Sreberny-Mohammadi, Annabelle; Mohammadi, Ali (January 1987), "Post-Revolutionary Iranian Exiles: A Study in Impotence", Third World Quarterly, 9 (1): 108–129, JSTOR 3991849
- ^ Rizvi, Sajid (17 February 1982), "Former Iranian Prime Minister Ali Amini said today Iranians...", United Press International, retrieved 20 March 2020
- ^ a b c Prados, John (2006). Safe for Democracy: The Secret Wars of the CIA. Rowman & Littlefield. p. 500. ISBN 9781615780112.
- ^ a b Milani, Abbas (2008). "Ali Amini". Eminent Persians: The Men and Women who Made Modern Iran, 1941-1979. Vol. 1. Syracuse, N.Y.: Syracuse University Press. pp. 63–71. ISBN 0815609078.
- ^ Gasiorowski, Mark (2015), "US Covert Operations toward Iran,February–November 1979: Was the CIA Trying to Overthrow the Islamic Regime?" (PDF), Middle Eastern Studies, 51 (1): 115–135, doi:10.1080/00263206.2014.938643, archived from the original (PDF) on 2021-07-09, retrieved 2020-03-20