Hassan Zia-Zarifi - The Siahkal Attack and Its Aftermath

The Siahkal Attack and Its Aftermath

Some of Jazani and Zia-Zarifi’s colleagues evaded capture and succeeded in putting their theories into practice. They expanded the organization and actively pursued training in military tactics and strategy. Thus they formed the Organization of Iranian People's Fedai Guerrillas. The OIPFG began conducting surveys of Iran’s mountainous and verdant northern provinces because it believed the area provided ideal ground for initiating a successful guerilla uprising.

On 19 Bahman 1349 (8 February 1971) nine members of the group launched their first attack on the gendarmerie post of the small village of Siahkal, situated close to Lahijan, Zia-Zarifi’s hometown. The attack proved disastrous: the group’s contact in the village, a school teacher, had already been captured by SAVAK, and the local farmers immediately turned against the guerillas. The government mobilized a tremendous military response, much larger than anticipated by the guerillas. Thousands of troops and several helicopters scoured the country-side for days until ultimately all were killed or captured. Although the Siahkal assault was unquestionably a military defeat, it proved a political and propaganda turning point in the struggle against the Shah, as it pointed out the development of a hitherto unseen level of resistance against the imperial regime. The government’s overwhelming response only served to highlight the Shah’s fear of armed resistance and imbued the fighters with a popular mystique. Siahkal eventually became known as the foundation of the anti-Shah guerilla movement and as a major step in the struggle that led to the overthrow of the Shah.

The government strongly suspected that Zia-Zarifi had played an important role in planning the attack on Siahkal. An OIPFG member, Ghaffour Hassanpour, had been captured by SAVAK before the Siahkal incident. Under intense torture, Hassanpour confessed that he had met with Zia-Zarifi at Rasht prison and discussed with him the conditions of the group and the possibility of Zia-Zarifi escaping from prison. Based on this information, the government transferred Zia-Zarifi by helicopter from Rasht prison to Tehran, and for two months he was held strictly incommunicado. According to SAVAK documents, Zia-Zarifi was again subjected to horrific torture and interrogation, in part to gather more information about the guerillas’ structure and plans, and in part as punishment for his perceived role in organizing the assault on Siahkal.