Forqan Group

Forqan Group (Persian: گروه فرقان, romanized: Gorouh-e Forqan) was an Iranian militant opposition group. It had a clandestine cell system, and had a Shia anti-clerical Islamist ideology, and were thought to be primarily a leftist Islamic group. Forqan assassinated senior Iranian officials including Gen. Valiollah Qarani, Morteza Motahari, Mohammad Mofatteh and Mohammad Ali Qazi Tabatabaei. It also attempted to assassinate future Supreme Leader Khamenei in 1981. The primary motive behind these assassinations was Forqan's rejection of the ayatollahs, whom they considered "reactionary clerics". The group became defunct following the arrest and execution of its key members in 1980. The Forqan Group opposed other social sectors such as the "wealthy bazaaris", the "liberal politicians" and the "Marxist atheists" who, in their view, "were plotting to betray the Islamic Revolution". The group self-proclaimed to be followers of Ali Shariati, however, according to Ronen Cohen, the claim was used instrumentally to look more "prestigious" and allow them to develop their combined ideology.