Flag of the Islamic Republic of Iran
(work in progress)
Chronology of Iranian Revolution:
1977:
January 20: Jimmy Carter's inauguration.
May: Death of Dr. Ali Shari'ati.
August- Premier Amir Abbas Hoveyda replaced by Jamshid Amuzegar as the imperial
regime tried to improve the performance of the cabinet.
September- Amnesty International criticized the imperial regime for violating
human rights in Iran.
October- Publication of an open letter by a group of Iranian intellectuals
asking the shah to observe the constitution, free all political prisoners,
respect political freedoms and human rights.
November- The shah and empress' arrival in Washington D.C. was meet by a violent
and organized demonstration by Iranian student opponents of the imperial regime;
in a letter to the ulama, Grand Ayatollah Khomeini asked them to follow
the example of the secular intellectuals and write open letters to the
government and demand change.
December: The Fadaiyan bombed the city administration building in Zanjan and
Shahr-e Rayy in Tehran.
1978:
January: President and Mrs. Carter spent New
Year’s Eve in Tehran. Carter called Iran under the shah an island of
stability; Fadaiyan bombed the US-Iran cultural center for this occasion.
January 7- The publication of an insulting article on Grand Ayatollah Khomeini
in a Tehran Daily. This event triggered revolutionary events that led to
imperial regime's overthrow.
January 9- Qom theological school's demonstration in objection to the
insulting article on Ayatollah Khomeini. In clashes with security forces a
number of people were killed or wounded.
February 9- The Fadaiyan bombed a police center and the building of Rastakhiz
party in Qom.
February 18- In the fortieth day commemoration of those killed in Qom, Tabriz,
Shiraz, Mashhad, Kerman and Isfahan witnessed
violent demonstrations, a number of people were killed or wounded in Tabriz.
March 30- In fortieth day commemoration of those killed in Tabriz, Qom, Jahrom,
Yazd, Kerman, Shiraz, Isfahan, Tehran, Mashhad, and Ahvaz witnessed
anti-imperial regime demonstrations; On March 17, in defence of Tabriz, the
Fadaiyan bombed a police center in Shams-e Tabrizi Ave.
March 31- The "unholy alliance" of the red leftists and the black religious
reactionaries against the regime was attacked by the Rastakhiz party; the
Fadaiyan bombed a police patrol in Mashhad.
April 6- The government announced the
uncovering and smashing of a Soviet espionage network. It claimed to have
proof of Soviet involvement in Iran's extremist dissent.
April 9- Hunger strike by Qezel Hesar political prisoners.
April 11: Demonstrations by Tehran and Science and Industry university
students. A number of people were wounded.
April 30: Marxist coup in Afghanistan.
May 9- Renewed anti-government rioting swept across some 34 cities.
May 11- A large crowd of demonstrators in Tehran called for the overthrow of
the regime and clashed with the security forces.
June 5: Demonstrations in Qom, Tehran and other cities in commemoration of the
June 1963 uprising. The shah relieved Gen. Nasiri, the notorious head of the
SAVAK and replaced him by Gen. Naser Moqaddam.
August 5- The Society of Iranian Writers demanded the release of a number of
political prisoners. The shah declared that the next elections would be one
hundred percent free.
August 6- With the start of the holy month of Ramadan, demonstrations in
defence of Grand Ayatollah Khomeini intensified.
August 11- Mass violent demonstrations in Isfahan resulted in a number of dead
and wounded. Martial law was declared in a number of cities in the Isfahan
province.
August 20- A large fire in the oil city of Abadan destroyed the Rex movie
house and burned to death 327 people.
August 23- Demonstrations in Tehran, banks, movie houses and cabarets were
prime targets.
August 26- Amuzegar resigned as Premier and replaced by Ja'far Sharif-emami.
August 28- The Liberation Movement asked for the shah's removal in a
communique.
August 29_ The National Front under Karim Sanjabi asked for disbanding of
SAVAK, freedom of speech and trial for those who had killed the people.
September 4: A peaceful mass demonstration in Tehran celebrating Fetr the end
of Ramadan.
September 5- The Fadaiyan attacked and bombed a police command center in
Tehran.
September 8- Black Friday; the imperial regime declared martial law in Tehran
and eleven other cities; troops opened fire on unaware demonstrators in
Tehran; a number of people were
killed.
September 17- The first major strike by oil industry workers over pay and
political issues.
September 23- As schools opened, high school students joined the anti-imperial
regime demonstrations.
September 27- The beginning of a number of working class strikes in oil,
railroad and water industries.
October 1- The last Secretary General of the Rastakhiz party resigned
and the party closed doors.
October 5- Grand Ayatollah Khomeini left Najaf-Iraq for Paris; eighty six
political prisoners were released.
October 7: With the opening of universities, students joined demonstrations;
nationwide demonstrations in Tehran, Brujerd, Sari, Dezful, Rasht, Arak,
Kerman, Mashhad and Zanjan.
October 9: Nationwide mass demonstrations in major cities and strikes in key
industries.
October 11: Political strike of newspapers; death of three persons in Tehran
University; injuring of eight Americans in a bomb blast.
October 11- the government gave in to the journalists' demands and ended
censorship in Iran.
October 15: Nationwide strikes in key industries; hunger strike by political
prisoners of Tabriz.
October 17- By Ayatollah Khomeini's invitation, a nationwide strike was
observed in memory of those killed on Black Friday.
October 20: Freedom for a number of political prisoners. Some Tudeh members
belonging to the Military Organization were freed after thirty years.
October 31- The strike by thirty seven thousand workers of the oil industry
over wages and political demands, brought the industry to a virtual
standstill; strikers demanded an end to martial law, release of all political
prisoners and the trial of Gen. Nasiri.
November 1- Iranian Air lines employees and
workers went on strike demanding political concessions; a large march in
Tehran commemorating the release of Ayatollah Taleqani; in clashes between
troops and demonstrators, twenty three were killed in Sanandaj and Zarshahr.
November 3- Sanjabi, the head of the
National Front, met Ayatollah Khomeini in
Paris and joined forces with
him.
November 5- Riots in Tehran; British embassy attacked; Sharif-emami's civilian
cabinet replaced by the armed forces Chief of Staff Gen. Gholam Ali Azhari's
military cabinet.
November 6- In a nationwide television address, the shah admitted to the past
mistakes and told the nation he had heard the sound of their revolution.
November 19- The government freed two hundred and ten political prisoners; the
shah renewed his pledge to end martial law and hold free elections.
November 21- The Soviet Union warned the United States not to interfere in
Iran's internal affairs.
December 2- Thousands of demonstrators marched through the streets of Tehran
and other cities in defiance of the curfew and clashed with troops, according
to various accounts, twelve to seventy people were killed.
December 3- Ayatollah Khomeini called on the soldiers to leave their units and
asked for resumption of strikes by oil workers.
December 4- The Fadaiyan attacked a police station in Tehran.
December 10- Millions demonstrated in vast and peaceful processions in
Tehran and other cities.
December 11- Two million people demonstrated against the imperial regime in
Tehran; demonstrations in other cities were violent; two imperial guard solders
attacked and killed a number of officers in the dinning quarter of the Lavizan
garrison, the main base of the imperial guard division.
December 12- Oil production dropped to 1.2 million barrels a day as the workers,
heeding Khomeini's appeal, refused to return to work after the religious
holidays.
December 18- Oil and other industrial workers staged a general strike, in
response to a call by Khomeini and the National Front.
December 30- Shapour Bakhtiyar was appointed Premier by the shah.
1979:
January 6- Bakhtiyar introduced his new cabinet to the shah.
January 8: Violent demonstrations in Tabriz; the State Department disclosed gen.
Robert E. Huyser's presence in Tehran.
January 13- The formation of a nine man Regency Council was announced by the
government, paving the way for the shah's departure.
January 14- Iraj Eskandari removed as the Tudeh's first secretary.
January 15- The Fadaiyan assassinated Maj. Majid Majidi, commander of Tabriz's
police station number one, and his driver; Bakhtiyar's cabinet was approved by
the Majles.
January 16- Muhammad Reza Pahlavi, the last shah of Iran, and Empress Farah left
the country unceremoniously and for the last time.
January 17- In a news conference Carter expressed support for the Bakhtiyar
government.
January 21- One hundred sixty two political prisoners were released, among them
were Mas'ud Rajavi and Musa Khiabani leaders of Moslem Mujahedin.
February 1- Grand Ayatollah Khomeini returned to Iran; over three million people
greeted him while he asked for the Bakhtiyar government to resign and suggested
he would name a new government soon.
February 5- Ayatollah Khomeini asked Mehdi Bazargan to form a government.
February 9- The Fadaiyan held its first open commemoration of the Siyahkal
operation as tens of thousands of supporters joined the organization; the
demonstration coincided with the beginning of armed clashes with the imperial
guard division.
February 10- As the air force base in Tehran rebelled against the government, it
was attacked by the imperial guard division; the Fadaiyan, from its base in the
Tehran University, joined the people in
attacking the imperial guard in defense of the air force.
February 11- Battle between the people and the
armed forces continued as the army's supreme council ordered the troops back to
their barracks and assured Bazargan that the military was ready to recognize his
government; Bakhtiyar government collapsed in the afternoon; Qasem Siadati, a
leadership member of the Fadaiyan, was killed while trying to capture Tehran's
main Radio station.
