Importants Events before the Victory of the Islamic Revolution in Iran

Compiled By: Syed Ali Shahbaz
On January 20, 1979 AD, pillars of the Pahlavi regime were shaken by popular protests and waves of the Islamic Revolution. On this day, the Iranian Muslim people stormed the Shah's prisons to release thousands of prisoners. Simultaneously, a large number of Air Force officers staged demonstrations, announcing their solidarity with the revolutionary masses, as the press reported that the beloved Leader of the Islamic Revolution, Imam Khomeini (RA) would be returning to Iran from years of exile in a few days. People rejoiced on hearing this news, and everyone prepared to accord a unique and historical welcome to their beloved leader.
On January 21, 1979 AD, during the crucial days of the Islamic Revolution, the Shah's troops killed and wounded a large number of people. The Iranian nation, in anticipation of the coming home from years of exile, of the Father of Islamic Revolution, Imam Khomeini (RA), made the necessary arrangements to accord a unique and historical welcome to the Imam. For this reason, a headquarters, comprised of ulema and representatives of different strata of the people of Tehran was formed to accord welcome on an unprecedented scale to the Imam. Many people from other cities and villages also flooded Tehran to participate in the welcoming ceremony. Meanwhile, following the massive public rallies, 4,000 air force officers, in a show of support for the courageous Iranian nation, went on hunger strike, and demanded the expulsion of Americans from Iran.
On January 22, 1979 AD, the Shah’s troops, faced by the people’s firm resolve, withdrew from the holy city of Qom, while in Tehran, the revolutionary masses, under the supervision of the ulema, established a central committee for coordination to prevent chaos. The committee called on the people to continue strikes and demonstrations until the victory of the Islamic Revolution.
On January 23,1979 AD, on reports of the imminent return home from exile of the Father of Islamic Revolution, Imam Khomeini (RA), the Shah's premier, Shapour Bakhtiyar, fearful of losing power, ordered the closure of all airports in Iran. The people, however, continued to hold demonstrations to demand the opening of all airports. Led by Ayatollah Morteza Motahhari and Ayatollah Seyyed Mohammad Hussaini Beheshti, many staged a sit-in at the Tehran University Mosque.
On January 24, 1979 AD, more people attained martyrdom in various cities of Iran while confronting the military forces of the Shah's despotic regime. On this day, a number of air force officers took to the streets of Tehran, staging protests and announcing their loyalty to the Father of Islamic Revolution, Imam Khomeini (RA). They also issued a resolution, strongly condemning the atrocious crimes committed by the Shah’s British-installed and US-backed regime.
On January 26, 1979 AD, several ulema held a sit-in at Tehran University Mosque in protest to obstructions placed by the Shah's premier, Shapour Bakhtiyar, on the return home from exile of the Father of Islamic Revolution, Imam Khomeini (RA). This sit-in was a decisive measure and foiled the Pahlavi plots.
On January 27, 1979 AD, the fugitive Shah’s premier, Shapour Bakhtiyar, tried to deceive the people of Iran by announcing that he would visit Paris for talks with the Father of Islamic Revolution, Imam Khomeini (RA). The Imam, however, quelled this deceptive move by saying he will meet Bakhtiyar only when he resigns as prime minister and comes as an ordinary Iranian citizen. Meanwhile, on this day the people of Tehran gathered near Mehrabad Airport to make arrangements for according a glorious welcome to Imam Khomeini on his eventual return home from exile.
On January 28, 1979 AD, following the sit-in of ulema at the Tehran University Mosque, in protest to the Pahlavi regime’s bid to stop the return home from exile of the Father of Islamic Revolution, Imam Khomeini (RA), massive throngs of people converged on this mosque to voice solidarity with the ulema. In other cities of Iran, people took to the streets, calling for return home of their Beloved Leader. Several people were martyred and wounded when the US-backed regime’s forces opened fire on the people of Tehran.
On January 29, 1979 AD, in the wake of the sit-in of ulema at the Tehran University Mosque, teachers and other strata of the community announced their solidarity and joined the sit-in. While the number of strikers rose every moment, Shapour Bakhtiyar, the prime minister of the fugitive Shah, was forced to lift the obstructions he had placed at the airports to prevent the return home from exile of the Father of the Islamic Revolution, Imam Khomeini (RA). The welcoming committee for Imam Khomeini announced that the beloved leader would arrive in Tehran on February 1, 1979, at 9 a.m. It also called on people to be prepared to accord a warm welcome to the Imam. Meanwhile, with the opening of Tehran airport, the US military planes flew the Americans out of Iran.
On January 30, 1979 AD, the demoralized forces of the Shah’s regime staged a parade in the streets of Tehran in a futile bid to scare the Iranian Muslim nation. To the horror of the Shah’s generals, during the parade, many of the soldiers joined the masses and expressed solidarity with the Islamic Movement against the despotic British-installed and American-supported Pahlavi regime. At the same time, news agencies announced that the Father of Islamic Revolution, Imam Khomeini (RA) would be leaving Paris at 3:30 a.m. local time on February 1, and arriving in Tehran at 9:30 a.m. With the announcement of this report, the Iranian people poured into the streets to prepare a glorious welcome home to their beloved leader.
On January 31, 1979 (Bahman 12th), the Father of Islamic Revolution, Imam Khomeini (RA) returned to Iran from 15 years of exile and was accorded an unprecedentedly glorious welcome by millions of people. After a short speech at Tehran’s Mehrabad Airport, he went to Behesht-e Zahra Cemetery to pay tributes to martyrs of the Islamic Revolution. In his memorable speech he dismissed as illegal the cabinet of the fugitive Shah’s premier, Shapour Bakhtiyar. The beloved leader took up residence in a simple house in Tehran from where he guided the Islamic Revolution to final victory on February 11. For this reason, the ten days since his arrival and the final victory are celebrated every year as the "Ten-Day Dawn", with special ceremonies and festivities.
On February 1, 1979, the US, as the principal backer of the Shah’s despotic regime, expressed discontent at the historical remarks against the meddlesome policies of the US in Iran, expressed at Behesht-e Zahra Cemetery by the Father of Islamic Revolution, Imam Khomeini (RA). The illegal Zionist entity also expressed concern over the return to Iran from 15 years of exile of Imam Khomeini, because of his firm support for the cause of the oppressed Palestinian people. Meanwhile, on this day, masses of people, who enthusiastically wanted to meet the Imam, flocked to his place of residence at Alawi High School in Tehran. The Beloved Leader delivered a keynote public speech, saying that monarchic rule was against wisdom and human rights, and that every nation has the right to take its destiny into its own hands.
On February 2, 1979 AD, amidst nationwide festivities marking his return home from exile, in a press conference, the Father of the Islamic Revolution, Imam Khomeini (RA) announced that he would soon set up an interim revolutionary government to set the stage for a referendum after drafting of Islamic Iran’s Constitution. He warned the fugitive Shah’s Prime Minister, Shapour Bakhtiyar, that in case of continued suppression of the people, he will issue a Jihad decree. Imam Khomeini also called on the army to join the people. Meanwhile, it was announced that till then 35,000 Americans had left Iran’s soil and 10,000 others would soon leave Iran.
On February 3, 1979 AD, in a futile bid to mislead the Iranian people, Shapour Bakhtiyar, the prime minister of the fugitive Shah, claimed support for democracy and freedom, saying he won't allow the Father of the Islamic Revolution, Imam Khomeini (RA), to name the provisional government. He made such bombastic statements while his regime no longer controlled the country, given the intensification of public strikes and demonstrations throughout Iran, coupled with desertion of troops from barracks and resignation of government officials.
On February 4, 1979 AD, officers of the Iranian air force, came to the residence of the Father of the Islamic Revolution, Imam Khomeini (RA) in Tehran to swear allegiance to him five days after his historic return to Iran from 15 years of exile. The Imam welcomed them and issued orders for forming of a provisional government, defining its duties and instructing that a nationwide referendum be held to determine the form of the post-revolutionary system of government as well as voting for the new parliament. The remnants of the fugitive Shah's army tried to create chaos over the next days but were overcome by the people's power and finally on February 11 the Islamic Revolution triumphed.
On February 5, 1979 AD, the revolutionary events in Iran took a crucial turn following the appointment of a provisional government by the Father of the Islamic Revolution, Imam Khomeini (RA), with millions of people taking to the streets of Tehran and other streets calling with one voice for the resignation of the regime of Shapour Bakhtiyar appointed by the fugitive Shah. Also on this day, General Robert Huyser, whom the US had sent to Iran a month ago to try to rally support for the tottering Pahlavi regime, left the country with the failure of his suspicious mission.
On February 6, 1979 AD, people of various walks of life thronged the residence of the Father of the Islamic Revolution, Imam Khomeini (RA), to pledge allegiance to him. The same day officers of the armed forces also came to the Beloved Leader, and in a moving ceremony hailed him as the “Saviour of Iranâ€‌ by reciting a rhythmical anthem in his praise. In his speech to the audience the Imam insisted that the fugitive Shah be brought to justice, and once again called on Prime Minister Shapour Bahktiyar to resign.
On February 7, 1979 AD, millions of people all over Iran staged rallies in support of the provisional government announced by the Leader of the Islamic Revolution, Imam Khomeini (RA). Later in the day, officers of the air force, clad in their uniforms, assembled before the Imam to declare their allegiance. Imam Khomeini said in a famous statement: "Till now you had been in the service of the wayward, but have now returned to the way of the holy Qur'an.
May the holy Qur'an be your Guardian and Protector, and hopefully, with your support the people of Iran will succeed in forming the government of Islamic justice." The remnants of the Shah's regime were frightened at this development. In view of the importance of this event, every year, air force personnel on this day assemble before the Leader of the Islamic Revolution to renew their allegiance to the ideals of the Islamic Revolution. Following the victory of the Islamic Revolution, the 19th of Bahman, was named Air Force Day.
On February 8, 1979 AD, mercenaries of the tottering Pahlavi regime in the Iranian army attacked base of the air force units in Tehran following the swearing of allegiance of air force officers and personnel to Imam Khomeini a day before. The public on hearing of this dastardly attack rushed to the airbase and despite being lightly armed overcame the Shah's mercenaries and rescued the air force personnel. This was an important development in the events of the Islamic Revolution that eventually triumphed two days later.
On February 9, 1979 AD, the fugitive Shah's generals extended the martial law following the abortive attack of the regime's forces on an airbase in Tehran in retaliation for the pledge of allegiance of its personnel to the Father of the Islamic Revolution, Imam Khomeini (RA). The aim of the generals was to crush the people's aspirations, to arrest the Imam and other revolutionary leaders, and if possible to assassinate them. Imam Khomeini, however, showed his foresight by calling on the people to ignore the illegal martial law and to come out in great numbers on the streets in order to thwart any mischief by the Shah's generals.
Millions of Iranians took to the streets and clashed with the remnants of the tottering Pahlavi regime in Tehran and other cities. As a result the rank and file of the armed forces refused to obey the orders of the officers and many of them joined the people. In frustration, the Shah's premier, Shapour Bakhtiar, made his last attempt to save his illegal cabinet from total collapse, by presenting a bill to the unelected Senate to dissolve the dreaded SAVAK torture apparatus with promises to try its personnel, thereby admitting the widespread oppression and corruption of the British-installed and US-supported tyrannical Pahlavi regime against the Iranian nation. The next day the Islamic Revolution finally triumphed following severe clashes between the regime's forces and the masses, in what is known as the Battle of Tehran.
On February 10, 1979 AD, the Islamic Revolution triumphed in Iran under the leadership of Imam Khomeini (RA). It is the day that totally transformed the history of Iran and with the heart-soothing cries of Allah-o Akbar threw into the dustbin of history the despotic monarchial regime of the British-installed and US-supported Pahlavi potentate. It is a glorious day in Iran's history and every year marks the culmination of the 10-Day Dawn celebrations. On this day the unarmed Muslim masses of Iran, including men, women and children, took to the streets of Tehran and other cities, in defiance of the Shah's military which tried to block their way with tanks and armored cars.
During the clashes many senior officers of the military lost their lives and the revolutionary people quickly took over the important military bases. The army surrendered, while the fugitive Shah's premier, Shahpour Bakhtiyar and his cabinet fled the country, moments later Iran's Radio and TV stations announced the downfall of the regime and victory of the Islamic Revolution. The announcer said: "Attention please! Attention please! This is the voice of the revolution". The whole nation was filled with joy and Iran emerged as a truly independent Islamic State which serves as a model for the aspirations of freedom and justice of not just the Muslim countries but all the oppressed people of the world. Every year on this, tens of millions of peoples hold rallies to renew their allegiance to the idols of the Late Imam Khomeini and the goals of the Islamic Republic system of Iran.