Iranians Blame U.s. For Death Bid (Press, 28 May 1979)
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Summary: Iranians Blame U.s. For Death Bid (Press, 28 May 1979)
On 28 May 1979, it was reported that Iran's ruling clerics accused the United States and Iranian Leftists of orchestrating the attempted assassination of Hojatolleslam Hashemi Rafsanjani, a significant religious and political figure in Iran. Rafsanjani, aged 45, who is associated with the secretive Revolutionary Council and is known for his strong anti-Communist stance, was seriously injured during an attack at his home in Teheran. The assailants, two gunmen, gained access under false pretences and struck while Rafsanjani's bodyguard was occupied with prayers. The attack, which occurred on the night of Friday, 25 May 1979, could have marked the third assassination of a prominent individual in Iran's new regime that month. A shadowy guerrilla group claiming responsibility for these attacks has positioned itself as ultra-Islamic, yet Iran's religious authorities contend that the attackers are disguising their Leftist and foreign-inspired agendas. One of the most notable victims of the recent violence was Ayatollah Morteza Motahari, who chaired the influential Revolutionary Council and shared educational ties with Rafsanjani, having studied under Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeiny—the revolutionary figure who is now regarded as Iran's de facto leader. Following the assassination attempt, a campaign against perceived moral corruption continued with the execution of three individuals for sexual crimes. This included the execution of Khan Muhammad Mokhtar, aged 35, convicted of raping his nine-year-old niece in the Caspian Sea town of Shahsavar. Additionally, Musa Ashrafi and Esmail Neisari were executed in Teheran for engaging in homosexual relations. These executions were part of a broader initiative aimed at cleansing the nation of what the authorities deemed corrupt elements, bringing the total number of executions for sexual crimes to at least 19 since the revolution in February.
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