CONFIDENTIAL
STATE
NONE
CHG
AMEMBASSY TEHRAN
SECSTATE WASHDC, NIACT IMMEDIATE
E.O.
TAGS:
SUBJ: HEIGHTENED TENSIONS AFTER MOTAHARI'S ASSASSINATION
1. (C-ENTIRE TEXT) THIS IS A REPORTING CABLE.
2. SUMMARY: ASSASSINATION OF AYATOLLAH MOTAHARI HAS SHARPLY INCREASED AXIETIES AMONG GOVERNMENT AND RELIGIOUS LEADERS. EARGAN GROUP HAS CLAIMED CREDIT, SAYS YAZDI, ? AND GHOTBZADEH ARE NEXT. SUSPICIONS OF U.S. LIKELY TO INCREASE. END SUMMARY.
3. FROM NUMBER OF SOURCES AND PERSONAL OBSERVATION OF POLOFFS FOLLOWING IS ACCOUNT OF IMPACT AND REVERBRATIONS OF ASSASSINATION OF AYATOLLAH MORTEZA MOTAHARI EVENING MAY 1.
4. PGOI AND RELIGIOUS LEADERS HAVE BEOCME VISIBLY ANXIOUS ABOUT THEIR OWN SAFETY IN WAKE OF ASSASSINATION, WHICH WAS THOROUGHLY PROFESSIONAL JOB CARRIED OUT TO HIT A MAN UNDER SUBSTANTIAL SECURITY PROTECTION. REPORTS THAT HE WAS A MEMBER OF THE REVOLUTIONARY COUNCIL HAVE NOT BEEN DENIED, AND IT IS GENERALLY ACCEPTED THAT GROUP (AT LEAST TWO WERE INVOLVED) THAT HIT HIM MUST HAVE KNOWN THIS AS WELL. EMBASSY'S OWN MUJAHIDIN GUARDS HAVE PERCEPTIVELY HIGHER EDGINESS THAN BEFORE, AND SHOOTING IN EVENINGS HAS PICKED UP AGAIN IN SOUTHERN AND CENTRAL SECTORS OF CITY. FAR NORTHERN PART OF CITY HAS BEEN LARGELY QUIET, ACCORDING TO TWO OBSERVERS. SOME NEWSMEN REPORT TENSENESS IN OTHER PROVINCIAL TOWNS BUT NOT SUBSTANTIAL VIOLENCE.
