Savak and Iran Protests Highlight Surveillance, Intimidation, and Repression Claims

Weeks of nationwide anti-government protests in Iran, tied to a long economic crisis, kept growing. The unrest renewed talk about Iran’s pre-1979 period. Many Iranians again discussed Savak, the Shah-era secret police. Foreign capitals also watched closely, as crowds demanded political change.

The turmoil also raised wider security fears. Observers tracked possible military moves by US President Donald Trump. Others weighed steps Tehran might take after any attack. In this tense setting, Savak’s secret work and collapse were reassessed in debates, research, and diaspora circles.

Interest in Savak rose again in 2025 due to a Florida civil case. Parviz Sabeti faced a lawsuit seeking 225 million dollars. Court filings linked the case to reported prison abuses in Tehran and elsewhere. Sabeti was described as the alleged head of the secret police and "chief torturer" under the Shah.

By 2025, Sabeti was 89 and living in the United States. Sabeti fled Iran in 1978. Reporting by The Guardian said neighbours knew Sabeti and a spouse as Peter and Nancy. Locals saw them as friendly retirees. The court claims contrasted with that quiet public image.

Savak played a central role in the Shah’s security system. The US Department of State website said Savak began in 1957. A national security law created it. It absorbed counter-intelligence work once split between police, gendarmerie, and military intelligence units across Iran.

Al-Manar TV Lebanon cited research by the Union Center for Research and Development. The report said US intelligence agencies directly backed Savak’s formation. Its internal model was said to resemble the Central Intelligence Agency and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. This approach mixed intelligence gathering with internal policing functions.

Savak and Iran protests highlight surveillance, intimidation, and repression claims

From early on, Savak worked in two broad areas. It collected intelligence and enforced internal security. Over time, it gained a reputation for heavy surveillance. Critics also pointed to intimidation and political repression. Dissidents, students, and clerics often reported Savak’s presence in campuses and workplaces.

As opposition to the monarchy grew, Savak’s reach widened. Before the 1978–79 Islamic Revolution, it operated as the Shah’s secret police. Savak’s formal name was the Organization of National Security and Information. The agency became linked to arrests, harsh interrogations, and executions of those accused of resisting rule.

During 1978, revolutionary mobilisation increased and anger deepened. Savak’s methods became harsher, which fuelled resentment. Offices and facilities tied to Savak were attacked in several cities. The agency also controlled newspapers closely and faced criticism. From mid-1978, that press grip weakened, though suppression continued.

The following table lists key milestones linked to Savak and later debates.

Year	Event	Details
1957	Creation of Savak	Established under national security law as Iran's central intelligence and security body.
1978–79	Revolution period	Public anger rose; Savak offices attacked and press control weakened.
1979	Dissolution	New leadership dissolved Savak after Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini's return.
2025	Sabeti lawsuit	Parviz Sabeti sued in Florida over alleged torture and prison abuses.

Savak and Iran protests link to the Shah’s final political manoeuvres

As the revolution grew, shifts also occurred at the top. Shapour Bakhtiar became caretaker prime minister in the Shah’s last months. This was a late attempt to contain unrest. As Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini’s return neared, Bakhtiar reportedly looked for outside support to stop the cleric’s movement.

In January 1979, Bakhtiar approached Israel’s new Mossad chief, Eliezer Tsafrir. Bakhtiar asked for Khomeini’s assassination while Khomeini lived in exile in France. Former Mossad official Yossi Alpher described the approach. The account appeared in Periphery: Israel's Search for Middle East Allies, cited by The Guardian.

The plan did not move forward. On 1 February 1979, around two weeks after the Shah left Iran, Khomeini returned. Khomeini flew to Tehran on an Air France flight. Reports in The Jerusalem Post described huge crowds. Millions of supporters lined the route and gathered in the capital.

After Khomeini’s return, Bakhtiar acted against the old security system. Savak was dissolved soon after, ending a feared arm of the royal state. Savak’s last director, Nasser Moghaddam, was executed within weeks. Bakhtiar later fled to Paris. Historical accounts said Iranian agents killed Bakhtiar in 1991.

Yossi Alpher later spoke about the choice not to proceed. Alpher said, "If the Mossad had killed Khomeini, history might have taken a better course." The comment kept debate alive about turning points. It also showed how Savak-era events still shape arguments about Iran’s direction.

Savak’s story stayed tied to both memory and current pressure. Protesters facing economic hardship and political controls drew on lessons from the Shah’s security state. For many Iranians and observers, Savak’s rise and fall served as a warning. It showed how intelligence agencies can affect power and provoke resistance.