How Did Tehran Enter the Palestinian Arena?

The story of Anis Naccache, a Lebanese activist, offers a window into the complex international political landscape of the late 20th century, particularly concerning Palestinian liberation movements and the Iranian Revolution. Naccache's journey began as a young activist with Fatah, working under the patronage of prominent figures like Abu Jihad.

His involvement extended to highly publicized international incidents, including serving as an aide to Carlos the Jackal during the 1975 OPEC ministers' kidnapping in Vienna. This operation, orchestrated by Wadie Haddad of the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine, brought Carlos international notoriety and highlighted the reach of militant groups.

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The world had never witnessed an operation of that kind.

Naccache's activities evolved with the political climate in Iran. In 1978, he received permission to train Iranian opponents of the Shah in Fatah camps in Lebanon. He later claimed to have been present at a meeting in Beirut where the idea for Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) was conceived, an idea later embraced by the leaders of the Iranian Revolution.

Following the revolution, Naccache reportedly volunteered for a mission to assassinate Shapour Bakhtiar, the Shah's last prime minister, who was living in exile in France. According to Naccache, a revolutionary court had sentenced Bakhtiar to death, with Ayatollah Khomeini's approval. Although the assassination attempt on July 18, 1980, failed due to a reinforced door, it underscores Naccache's continued engagement in clandestine operations.

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According to Naccache, the idea of eliminating Bakhtiar was raised. He revealed that a revolutionary court had sentenced Bakhtiar to death and that Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini had approved the sentence without publicly announcing it, effectively transforming it into something akin to a fatwa authorizing his killing.