(Sanitized)ASSESSMENT OF THE TUDEH PARTY (Sanitized)

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP80-00810A003100720009-9
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: S
• Document Page Count: 2
• Document Creation Date: December 15, 2016
• Document Release Date: June 28, 2004
• Sequence Number: 9
• Publication Date: December 16, 1953
• Content Type: REPORT

Approved For Release 2004/07/29 : CIA-RDP80-0081OA003100720009-9
CENTRAL INTELLIGENCE AGENCY
INFORMATION REPORT
SUBJECT Assessment off' the Tudeh Part
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This Document contains Information affecting the Na-
tional Defense of the United States, within the mean-
ing of Title 18, Sections 793 and 794, of the U.S. Code, as
amended. Its transmission or revelation of its contents
to or receipt by an unauthorized person is prohibited
by law. The reproduction of this form is prohibited.
REPORT NO.
DATE DISTR.
NO. OF PAGES
REQUIREMENT NO.
REFERENCES
THE SOURCE EVALUATIONS IN THIS REPORT ARE DEFINITIVE.
THE APPRAISAL OF CONTENT IS TENTATIVE.
(FOR KEY SEE REVERSE)
25X1 The following is an assessment of the Tudeh Party
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].6 Dec. 1953
Subsequent to 19 august 1953,1 a large number of Tudeh members and activities
abandoned the Party and openly criticized its policy. These members, deceived
and charmed by the numerous successes achieved by the Party during former Prime
Minister Mossadegts,Government, left the Party after the National Front's defeat
and the collapse of the Tudeh network. They were disillusioned and some of them
reported this to their responsibies and contacts.2 Later, when the Tudeh post-
poned its plan for an armed revolt (because the Party was sure that it would be
defeated) and therefore called upon its members to conduct explanatory work, the
members accused the Party of betrayal and supported their arguments with con-
vincing proofs,; They not only did not cooperate with the Party, but went A
far as to take a path entirely opposite to that of the "Party line." In order
to safe itself by means of further lies and distortions, the Party admitted that
a large number of its members had deviated and acted against the Party interests.
2. Among those who left Party activities after 19 August was a group of poor workers
and craftsmen who had joined the Party because of the hardships they experienced..
The.promisee made by the Party had great charms for these wretched people and they
were entirely fascinated by the "goldden air castles" that the Tudeh had. built.
When 19 August came, they realized that the very little which they had. earned
was in danger. They did not know what would happen to their families if they
were arrested by the Police, which they expected to occur at any maoent. Some
of them wished that the Party would revolt, and wanted the Party to give them arms.
They wanted a revolution, which they believed, and had been given to understand,
would realize their golden aspirations, but the Party would not revolt. This
astonished the members and caused, them to give up Party activities. It is quite
likely that, fearing the Police, some of the members exposed their responsibles
and divulged Party secrets.. A number of r,,esponsibles have reported their en-
counters with such members.
3. A group of more intelligent members also has given up Party activities because it
no longer believes in the Party. This group, including a number of intellectuals
(Notes Washington Distribution Indicated By "X"; Field DEs1r'butlon By
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and students, consists of between 15 and 20 percent of the members? These accuse
the Party of having misappropriated Party funds, and believe that the :Leaders
have not only betrayed the members but have embezzled the money collected from
poor members.
l+. Some members believe that a number of effective Tudehists, working actively for
2 5X1 the higher committees and organs, have resigned because they realized that it
would not pay them to conduct further activities.
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5. In general, it can be asserted that the Tudeh Party has now lost a fairly large
number of its supporters and activities, and tb t the main force of the Tudeh,
upon which the,Party has depended and of which it has always been ,proud, has now
diminished. Forty five percent off' the Party members have' given up their activities
because of the reasons described above. It is rrdbable that more members will
abandon the Party because of the pressure exerted by the Government upon the
Tudeh activists.
The Tudeh is also losing the success which it had recently achieved with the
peasants who generally are devoted to the Shah. In the recent developments it
was made clear to the peasants that'the Tudeh was opposed to the Shah,, There-
fore, they not only left the Party but also began to conduct anti-Tudeh activities.
25X1 Comment The date of the overthrow of the Moseadeq Government.
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Approved For Release 2004/07/29 : CIA-RDP80-0081OA003100720009-9