Who Was Sadegh Sharafkandi?
Sadegh Sharafkandi was a Kurdish Iranian politician born in 1938 in Mahabad who succeeded Abdul Rahman Ghassemlou as Secretary-General of the KDPI — only to be assassinated himself by Iranian state agents at the Mykonos restaurant in Berlin on 17 September 1992, along with three colleagues.
The subsequent German criminal trial produced a landmark 1997 verdict by the Berlin Court of Appeal explicitly attributing responsibility to Iran's Supreme Leader and President — the first time a European court directly held the Iranian government responsible for political assassinations.
Key Takeaways
• Succeeded Ghassemlou as KDPI leader after Ghassemlou's 1989 assassination in Vienna.
• Assassinated at Mykonos restaurant in Berlin, 17 September 1992.
• German court verdict (1997) attributed responsibility to Iran's highest leadership.
• Two KDPI leaders assassinated in Europe within three years — a systematic campaign.
Quick Facts
Table of Contents
Early Life
Born in Mahabad in 1938, Sharafkandi rose through KDPI ranks and assumed leadership after Ghassemlou was killed in Vienna in July 1989, inheriting both the party's mission and its dangers.
Historical Context
Iran's campaign to eliminate KDPI leadership through assassination was systematic — Ghassemlou in Vienna (1989), then Sharafkandi in Berlin (1992). The Mykonos restaurant attack killed four people during what appeared to be a political gathering.
Achievements
The Mykonos Verdict
The 1997 Berlin Court of Appeal verdict directly attributing responsibility for the Mykonos murders to Iran's Supreme Leader Khamenei, President Rafsanjani, and other senior officials was the first European judicial finding of Iranian state responsibility for political assassination — a landmark in the documentation of state terrorism.
Timeline
Debates
Iran rejected the verdict. The diplomatic fallout was significant but temporary. Questions of accountability for perpetrators who escaped remain unresolved.
Legacy
His assassination and the Mykonos verdict are landmarks in the documentation of Iranian state terrorism. Two KDPI leaders killed in Europe within three years demonstrated Iran's systematic determination to eliminate Kurdish political leadership.
Connections
Abdul Rahman Ghassemlou — his predecessor, assassinated in Vienna 1989
Qazi Muhammad — KDPI founder, executed 1947
FAQ
Who was Sadegh Sharafkandi?
Sadegh Sharafkandi (1938-1992) was KDPI Secretary-General assassinated by Iranian agents at the Mykonos restaurant in Berlin on 17 September 1992. The 1997 German court verdict attributed responsibility to Iran's highest leadership.
Was he Kurdish?
Yes. He was from Mahabad in Iranian Kurdistan and led the Democratic Party of Iranian Kurdistan.
References
Wikipedia contributors. 'Sadegh Sharafkandi.' Wikipedia. Accessed 2025.
Wikipedia contributors. 'Mykonos restaurant assassinations.' Wikipedia. Accessed 2025.