What SAVAK was: SAVAK (Sāzmān-e Ettelā‘āt va Amniyyat-e Kešvar / “Organization of Intelligence and National Security”) was the secret police and intelligence service of the Pahlavi monarchy. It was established in 1957 by national security law and operated until the Iranian Revolution in 1979, when it was dissolved.
Surveillance, repression, and torture: SAVAK is widely described as being responsible for extensive political surveillance and for the repression and torture of political dissidents.
Foreign assistance (CIA / Mossad): Multiple sources describe U.S. (CIA) involvement in establishing/training SAVAK, and other accounts also describe Israeli (Mossad) assistance/training during its formative years.