Geopolitics
Montefiore claims Saddam offered to assassinate Khomeini; Shah refused
Triggernometry
True History of the Middle East with Simon Sebag Montefiore
What was said
"In 1978, Saddam Hussein, president of Iraq, rang the sha several times and said, "What do you want me to do about um Ayatollani? Can I kill him for you?" He literally made this offer three times. And the sha said, "We don't do that sort of thing.""
Montefiore claims Saddam Hussein repeatedly offered to kill Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini while Khomeini was in exile, and that the Shah refused, believing assassination would turn Khomeini into a martyr. He presents the moment as part of a wider pattern of misjudgements by the Shah as the Iranian revolution gathered pace.
Verification status
Attributed speaker claim
Egleze verified who said this and where. The underlying claim has not been independently established by Egleze.
Source and context
Egleze verified who said this and where. The underlying claim has not been independently established by Egleze.
- Programme
- Triggernometry
- Episode
- True History of the Middle East with Simon Sebag Montefiore
- Clip time
- 1:55:02
- Original source
- Watch the source segment →
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