INTENTION OF KURDISH LEADER AL-BARZANI TO APPROACH THE UNITED STATES GOVERNMENT FOR ASSISTANCE; IRANIAN INTELLIGENCE REQUEST FOR EXPRESSION OF UNITED STATES GOVERNMENT WILLINGNESS TO OVERTHROW THE BA'THI REGIME OF IRAQ

• Document Type: FOIA
• Collection: FOIA Collection
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): 0005715730
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: U
• Document Page Count: 2
• Document Creation Date: June 24, 2015
• Document Release Date: July 26, 2011
• Case Number: F-2011-01687
• Publication Date: March 9, 1972

CENTRAL INTELLIGENCE AGENCY
WASHINGTON, D.C. 20505
Near Eastern and South Asian Affairs
91 MAR
Intention of I&dish Leader A1-Barzani
of Iraq
to Approach the United States Government
for Assistance; Iranian Intelligence Request
for Expression of United States Government
Willingness to Overthrow the Ba' i Regime
1. In early March 1972 a reliable Agency source/reported
th t Mu11a Mustafa al-Barzani, 1 r of the Iraqi Ku4'ds, was
uni
his cause. (Th last meeting between the Unted...Sta-tes-Government ~W
i i'.an emissary from a - arzani took_p'"ace,?in Bei.ru.t,i.n'earl.y _, Ald~
Barzani o p
I/t.C) that he will not sign any agreement with the Ba'th Party of Iraq
t'1 he has reassessed the position of the United States toward ~j
a
under considerable pressure fr e Soviet Union to effect a
rapprochement with te Ba thi_regme in Baghdad.Together with
this effort, the Soviet Union is also exerting pressure upon the
Ba'th Party of Iraq and the Communist Party of Iraq to resolve
their differences and work together toward a national front
government. As a result of his pressure, al-Barzani believes
that both the Iraqi Kurdish.fhovement as well as the Iraqi nation
are in danger since he will have to acquiesce unless he receives
help from outside Iraq. Consequently, al-Barzani is again planning
II to send an emissary to persuade the United States Government of
his concern and to arrange travel to the United States for al-
t lead his case ct-e-r-`?-o-n 1 Al-Barzani has indicated
9689,,3 November 1971.)
9 inn 6 March 1972_ a senior official of the Iranian National
to advise that SAVAK believes that. Iraq is
falling increasingly under Soviet domination. The SAVAK official
cited Soviet pressures on al-Barzani and the imminence of a Soviet-
Iraqi treaty. The SAVAK official stated that these factors presage
further Soviet inroads into Iraq with consequent difficulties for
Iran and for the Persian Gulf. The SAVAK official concluded by
APPROVED FOR RELEASE - CIA INFOL
DATE: 13-Jul-2011
----NW31715 --
System Doc ID: 444575 - Page 1
 I/
asking for the latest United States position on the question of
attempting to replace the Iraqi Ba'thist government. The SAVAK
official also wished to know if the United States would be prepared
to provide financial and military support for the attempt and
assist in drawing together Iraqi exiles who would comprise the
nucleus of a separatist government initially harbored by al-Barzani.
Our representative replied that he would inform his headquarters of
SAVAK's queries.
;John H. Waller
Chief, Near East and
South Asia Division
cc: Director of Intelligence and Research
CSDB-312/01101-72
NW 31715
System Doc ID: 444575 - Page 2