Lieutenant General Nasser Moghaddam (24 June 1921 – 11 April 1979) was an Iranian military officer who served as the fourth and final chief of SAVAK from 6 June 1978 to 12 February 1979.
Nasser Moghaddam was born in 1921 in Tehran, Qajar Iran.
He attended a military high school and later pursued a law degree at the Faculty of Tehran University.
During his early years, Nasser lived with his father until the age of 10.
1928
In 1928, he enrolled in a primary school and in 1934, he joined the military school of Tehran, from which he graduated in 1940.
1935
From 1935 onwards, for reasons unknown, he resided with his uncle Hussein, who did not treat him kindly.
Consequently, Nasser made the decision to return home.
1941
In 1941, during the final year of Reza Shah's reign, Nasser enlisted in the Officers' School, where he remained until 1943.
He completed his studies at the officers' academy, attaining the rank of 2nd rank lieutenant, and decided to pursue further education at the Faculty of Law, University of Tehran.
During his time at the Officers' School and the University of Tehran, Nasser not only acquired a solid foundation in military and security studies but also developed a proficient command of the French and English languages.
At the Officers' School, Nasser met Hossein Fardoust, an event he considered to be the most significant in his life.
This was likely because the recent friendship between the Shah and Fardoust also contributed to his career growth.
1959
In 1959, the "Special Intelligence Bureau" was established in Iran, and General Hossein Fardoust extended an offer to Moghaddam to collaborate with him.
Nasser agreed to the proposal.
After the suppression of the 15 Khordad uprising, General Fardoust capitalized on the situation and requested the Shah to replace Mustafa Amjadi, the director general of the Department of Internal Security, with Moghaddam.
The Shah, aware of Amjadi's close association with Teymur Bakhtiar, agreed to Fardoust's suggestion.
Moghaddam served as the director of the third Department for approximately 10 years.
His responsibilities encompassed overseeing the actions of revolutionary groups and providing the Shah with weekly updates on the public sentiment, a task he purportedly executed competently.
1964
Thanks to his acquaintance with Fardoust, Nasser served in various divisions of the army until 1964, including the 10th Division of Khorasan, the 5th Division of Luristan, the Shah's Guard, the Ministry of Defense, the Military Prosecutor's Office, and the Academy.
1971
In 1971, Lieutenant General Nasser Moghaddam was promoted to the position of Director of the Army's Second Bureau of Intelligence and Counterintelligence.
1973
On 19 April 1973, General Moghaddam assumed the role of Deputy Director General of Intelligence and Counterintelligence, serving under General Azizollah Palizban.
The order stated that Nasser Moghaddam's tenure in SAVAK had come to an end, and he would be appointed as the head of the Information Bureau of the 2nd Bureau while retaining the position of Adjutant to the Shah.
Moghaddam's military ranks:
1978
He assumed the position after the arrest of General Nematollah Nassiri in 1978, following an order issued by the Shah.
In April 1978, General Moghaddam sent a confidential letter to the Shah, urging the monarch to take decisive action in light of the country's circumstances.
He emphasized the necessity of exemplary punishment for corrupt government officials associated with the royal family and stressed the importance of engaging in a constructive dialogue with the clergy.
Additionally, it is evident from various sources that the CIA had been providing financial support to General Moghaddam for many years.
In an attempt to alleviate the tense situation, the Shah, under urgent request from Washington, made concessions to the Iranian public.
In June 1978, he removed Nassiri, the powerful director of SAVAK.
Lieutenant General Nasser Moghaddam was appointed as the new head of the secret police due to his connections within the opposition, including the Shiite clergy.
In contemporary times, many Iranians have criticized the Shah's decision, considering it a mistake that weakened the Security Service.
The threat came from entirely different forces.
Unlike General Nassiri, Moghaddam advocated for a constructive dialogue with the religious opposition.
It is worth nothing that Moghaddam had ties to opposition groups, including Shiite clerics.
Before assuming his new role, General Moghaddam served as the head of military counterintelligence.
He was known for opposing the use of torture and his appointment aimed to facilitate better integration between the army and the secret service.
Upon assuming his position, Moghaddam focused on dismantling the influence of Nematollah Nassiri, who was then serving as the Iranian ambassador to Pakistan.
Reports suggest that the CIA exerted pressure on Nassiri and his supporters to remove them from the intelligence service, with Nasser Moghaddam being the only viable replacement.
During an interview, a former SAVAK officer currently in exile highlighted the significance of Nassiri's dismissal, but also noted that the dismissal of General Ali Motazed, Nassiri's deputy, was equally erroneous.
1979
Moghaddam, along with Nassri and Nassiri's predecessor, Hassan Pakravan, was found guilty of corruption and subsequently sentenced to death on 11 March 1979, in accordance with the order of Ayatollah Khomeini.
