C O N F I D E N T I A L
NO FOREIGN DISSEM
IRAN
RECENT ANTI-IRANIAN GOVERNMENT AND
ANTI-AMERICAN ACTIVITIES WITHIN
RELIGIOUS CIRCLES IN QOM
MARCH 1966
IRAN, TEHRAN 30 MARCH 1966
A SENIOR MULLAH WITH GOOD CONTACTS IN COURT AND RELIGIOUS CIRCLES. HE HAS PROVIDED OCCASIONAL BUT ACCURATE INFORMATION ON RELIGIOUS ACTIVITIES SINCE 1963
1. ON 17 MARCH 1966 IRANIAN GOVERNMENT SECURITY OFFICERS ARRESTED SHEIKH FNU MONTAZERI AND AT LEAST THREE OTHER MULLAHS IN QOM AFTER AN ANTI-IRANIAN GOVERNMENT TALK AT WHICH A LEAFLET CRITICIZING THE GOVERNMENT OF THE FOLLOWING THREE POINTS WAS DISTRIBUTED.
A. THE FAILURE OF THE GOVERNMENT TO PERMIT AYATOLLAH RUHOLLAH KUSAVI KHOMEINI TO RETURN TO QUOM FOR THE NO RUZ HOLIDAYS.
B. THE ATTEMPTS OF THE MINISTRY OF EDUCATION TO ESTABLISH THE SAME CONTROLS OVER THE RELIGIOUS SCHOOLS THAT IT MAINTAINS OVER THE PUBLIC SCHOOLS.
C. AN ALLEGED GOVERNMENT PROPOSAL TO GIVE STUDENTS DOLES FROM THE GOVERNMENT-CONTROLLED ENDOWMENTS OFFICE IN AN ATTEMPT TO BRIBE THE STUDENTS TO REFRAIN FROM ANTI-GOVERNMENT ACTIVITIES.
AS OF 30 MARCH, THE LEARNED SOCIETY OF QOM FORMED BY REPRESENTATIVES OF ALL THE MAJOR RELIGIOS LEADERS IN QOM, WAS ATTEMPTING TO CONTACT AYATOLLAH SEYED ANMAD KHONSARI IN TEHRAN TO REQUEST THAT HE ASK SECURITY AND COURT OFFICIALS FOR THE RELEASE OF THE ARRESTED MULLANS.
2. THE ULTRA-CONSERVATIVE SUPPORTERS OF AYATOLLAH KHOMEJNI HAVE ALSO ATTACKED AYATOLLAH SEYED KAZEM SHARIAT-MADARI OF QOM. THEY CLAIM THAT THE RELIGIOUS PROPAGANDA CENTER, FOUNDED BY SHARIAT-MADARI IN QOM IN 1965, MUST HAVE A SECRET GOVERNMENT.
C O N F I D E N T I A L
NO FOREIGN DISSEN
