SAVAK Hand-to-Hand Combat Techniques: A Personal Account
Growing up as the son of a SAVAK officer, I was deeply immersed in the shadows of Iran's political upheavals, both before and after the Islamic Revolution. SAVAK, the secret police, domestic security, and intelligence service of the Imperial State of Iran, operated under the Pahlavi regime from 1957 until 1979. It was a formidable force, tasked with maintaining internal stability, combating insurgencies, and neutralizing opposition. One of the lesser-known aspects of SAVAK’s operations was its focus on hand-to-hand combat techniques, which were employed for both defense and offensive actions during covert operations.
My father, who served as a SAVAK officer, was a master of these combat techniques. He believed that self-defense was not only a skill but a necessity for survival in a world where political enemies lurked in every shadow. As a child, I was trained rigorously by him in these techniques, which later became crucial for me, especially after the Islamic Revolution, when SAVAMA—the Islamic Republic’s successor to SAVAK—targeted individuals associated with the Pahlavi regime. This training was vital not only for survival but for navigating the dangerous political landscape that followed the revolution.
The Origins and Development of SAVAK Combat Techniques
SAVAK's hand-to-hand combat system drew from a wide range of influences. While much of the training was designed to mirror the CIA and Israeli Mossad’s counter-insurgency tactics, it was also uniquely tailored to Iran’s regional threats. SAVAK agents were trained in martial arts, disarming techniques, and survival skills, drawing from both Western and Eastern martial disciplines.
One of the most important aspects of SAVAK’s hand-to-hand combat training was its emphasis on quick, lethal efficiency. In a region fraught with instability, it was crucial for agents to incapacitate threats rapidly. My father often spoke of how their training prioritized neutralizing an enemy within seconds, minimizing noise and maximizing control over any potential attacker. The techniques were designed to be simple but effective, often utilizing the opponent's force against them. These methods included a combination of judo, krav maga, and military hand-to-hand combat strategies.
My Father’s Teachings: Defense and Survival
From an early age, my father imparted these skills to me. As a child in the midst of the Iranian Revolution, I did not understand their significance. Only later, when the Islamic Republic sought to purge any remnants of the previous regime, did I realize that these techniques could be the difference between life and death.
I was taught how to disarm an attacker, using minimal movement to either escape or incapacitate. Techniques such as wrist locks, chokeholds, and pressure point strikes were part of my daily lessons. But it wasn't just about physical techniques. My father ingrained in me the mental fortitude necessary to face danger without fear, to assess threats calmly, and to make split-second decisions in high-stress situations.
One technique I remember vividly is a maneuver that my father called the "SAVAK escape." This was a method of breaking free from an enemy’s grip, quickly disorienting them, and either fleeing or launching a counterattack. This method became especially useful when we were on the run from SAVAMA agents after the revolution. The key was to always maintain a calm, focused mind and never let the enemy know your next move. To this day, those lessons remain a part of me.
SAVAMA and Post-Revolutionary Survival
After the fall of the Shah and the rise of the Islamic Republic, SAVAMA (later rebranded as the Ministry of Intelligence) took over the operations of SAVAK. While SAVAK was focused on maintaining the Shah’s regime and crushing communist and Islamist insurgents, SAVAMA was built to root out and eliminate any remnants of loyalty to the Shah. Former SAVAK officers and their families, including mine, became prime targets for the new regime.
My father’s training became our lifeline during this turbulent time. He knew that survival under the SAVAMA regime required the ability to disappear, evade, and, when necessary, engage. His teachings prepared me for a life on the run. The escape techniques he drilled into me allowed us to avoid capture on more than one occasion.
Many of SAVAK’s former officers faced brutal torture and execution at the hands of SAVAMA, as the new regime sought to erase any traces of the Shah’s reign. However, those of us who had received this specialized combat training had a fighting chance. Whether it was evading capture or defending ourselves in tight, high-stress situations, the skills my father passed down became the key to my survival.
A Legacy of Strength
The history of SAVAK is often painted in broad strokes, with little attention paid to the detailed training its agents received. While the organization’s role in political repression is well-documented, the practical skills imparted to its officers remain a lesser-known aspect of its history. These techniques were not just about subjugation but survival—skills honed in a volatile and dangerous environment.
For me, the legacy of SAVAK is deeply personal. My father’s teachings have not only shaped my understanding of combat and self-defense but also left a lasting impact on how I navigate life. As an ex-Muslim Iranian-American, I see the value in these lessons—how the knowledge of self-defense, quick thinking, and mental strength can be applied not just in physical confrontations but in all areas of life.
My father's SAVAK training protected us from the forces of SAVAMA, and his techniques still resonate with me today as I live in exile. These teachings are a reminder of a lost era, a time when Iran was a different country, and we were forced to defend ourselves from both external threats and internal political shifts. That era, and those techniques, remain with me—a part of my identity as both an Iranian and an American.
Conclusion
SAVAK's hand-to-hand combat techniques, passed down through generations, played a pivotal role in my survival and the survival of others like me. My father, a SAVAK officer, was not just a government agent but a protector, teacher, and a father who ensured that his knowledge of defense and survival would carry us through one of the darkest times in Iran’s history. In many ways, those lessons in self-defense and combat have come to symbolize my own journey—from Iran to America, from Islam to Christianity, and from survival to freedom.
Citations:
Gholam Reza Afkhami, The Life and Times of the Shah. University of California Press, 2009.
Abbas Milani, The Shah. Palgrave Macmillan, 2011.
Ervand Abrahamian, Tortured Confessions: Prisons and Public Recantations in Modern Iran. University of California Press, 1999.
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