In October 1981, KGB officer Vladimir Kuzichkin approached the British Embassy in Tehran, seeking to defect to the United Kingdom. Kuzichkin, who identified himself as the head of the KGB section in Tehran responsible for undercover agents, expressed deep disillusionment with the Soviet Union and the KGB's corruption.
Nicholas Barrington, a secretary in the British diplomatic corps, was initially wary of the approach, suspecting it might be a trap by the Iranian regime. However, he passed Kuzichkin's details to MI6 officer Ian McCredie, who was in Tehran ostensibly as First Secretary, Commercial. McCredie, new to the post, found himself without established intelligence infrastructure but was intrigued by the potential intelligence Kuzichkin offered.
After initial checks in London yielded no trace of Kuzichkin, MI6, with the personal approval of Foreign Secretary Lord Carrington and likely Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher, authorized McCredie to proceed. The defection was considered high-risk due to the precarious diplomatic situation in post-revolutionary Iran.
Kuzichkin's motivations for defecting extended beyond professional disillusionment; he also cited personal problems, specifically an inability to satisfy his wife, Galina, in bed. He hoped Western medicine could provide a cure for his erectile dysfunction and save his marriage.
Their first clandestine meeting took place at a discreet restaurant, where Kuzichkin demonstrated his knowledge of KGB surveillance techniques. He provided McCredie with the Soviet Embassy's telephone directory, a list of over 100 Soviet diplomats and officials in Iran, as well as detailed information about the KGB network in Iran and the Middle East, including the identities of undercover agents and Soviet assets in various countries. He also disclosed secret plans of the Iranian communist party, Tudeh, backed by Moscow, to overthrow the Ayatollah Khomeini.
Following his initial intelligence disclosures, Kuzichkin confided in McCredie about his personal struggles, seeking help for his erectile dysfunction. McCredie, though surprised by the request, assured him that he would try to assist.
McCredie arranged for Kuzichkin's exfiltration into the embassy compound, a high-tension operation that highlighted the risks involved. Once inside, Kuzichkin provided further extensive intelligence on KGB operations and personnel. He requested a camera for photographing documents and for vodka. MI6's clandestine Chief Medical Officer, Air Marshal Charles Soutar, offered advice and sent a special pen containing medical suggestions and a placebo vitamin supplement to help with Kuzichkin's condition.
Despite the unusual personal request and the inherent dangers, Kuzichkin proved to be a valuable asset, providing a wealth of information about the KGB's structure, personnel, and operations. McCredie developed a working relationship with the Russian, codenamed Redwood, acknowledging the significant personal risks they both faced in operating within Tehran's volatile environment.