Savak's rise, repression and dramatic collapse offer a stark reminder of how intelligence power once shaped the Shahs' rule . . .

By NDTV News Desk - Jan 15, 2026

Installation depicting a torture chamber used by the Shah era SAVAK domestic security

Weeks of nationwide anti-government protests in Iran against the ever-deepening economic crisis, which has shown no signs of improvement in years, have brought renewed focus on the nation's pre-revolution history, notably Savak, the Shah-era intelligence agency.

The unrest has heightened global tensions, with concerns over possible intervention by US President Donald Trump and Tehran's preparations to counter external attacks. Against this backdrop, Savak's history and its final, controversial days once again entered public debate.

Savak And The Shah's Security State

Prior to the 1978-79 Islamic Revolution, Iran's secret police and intelligence service, Savak, short for the Organization of National Security and Information, was tasked with protecting the Shah's regime. The agency became notorious for arresting, torturing and executing dissidents. After the fall of the Shah's regime, Savak was formally dissolved, marking the end of one of the most dreadful institutions of pre-revolutionary Iran.

Khomeini's Assassination Request

In the final days of the Shah of Iran's reign, as protests engulfed the country and Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini's return appeared imminent, a dramatic proposal surfaced. Shapour Bakhtiar, appointed caretaker prime minister by the Shah in an attempt to stem the unrest, sought foreign help to halt the Islamic movement led by Khomeini.

In January 1979, Bakhtiar approached Israel's newly appointed Mossad chief, Eliezer Tsafrir . . .

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