Between January 1978 and February 11, 1979, the Muslim revolutionary people of Iran, under the wise leadership of Ayatollah Ruhullah Khomeini, the Founder of the Islamic Revolution, voiced their opposition against the secular and US-backed rule of Mohamad Reza Shah.
The regime of Mohammad Reza Shah had caused much suffering and economic gap and inequality in Iranian society and its Secret Police (SAVAK) had tortured Iranian youth brutally, therefore, widespread dissatisfaction among the lower classes, Shia clergy, bazaar merchants, and students led in 1978 to the growth of support for Imam Khomeini who was living in exile in Paris.
The dictator of Iran and his family fled Iran on January 16, 1979, and Imam Khomeini returned home after a 15-year- exile, and the nationwide demonstrations ended up with the Victory of the Islamic Revolution on February 11, 1979.
The impressive notions and ideologies of the Islamic Revolution became a role model for all independent Muslim countries and freedom-seeking nations.
Today, after passing 42 years, the Islamic Republic of Iran, under the leadership of Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei is at the forefront of the fight against global arrogance and oppressive powers like the United States and the Zionist Regime.
White Revolution
In January 1963, Iran’s Shah issued a set of reforms called the “White Revolution”. This six-point plan was claimed to be prepared for Iran’s further development; however, the anti-religious and Western nature of the program was clear for religious figures including Imam Khomeini.
Imam Khomeini saw these reforms in favor of the Shah and his monarchy, and a ground for more American and Zionist plots in Iran.
Talks between these religious figures and the representatives of the Shah all ended without any result as Shah refused to clarify the dimensions of the program.
Finally, Imam Khomeini and other religious figures decided to boycott the referendum on White Revolution. Two days later, the Shah took an armored column to Qom and delivered a speech harshly attacking the religious figures as a class. The referendum was carried out and the program was approved despite the opposition.
Historic Speech of Imam Khomeini
The religious and public opposition to the Pahlavi Regime continued in different ways, from declarations to the cancelation of the Nowruz (Iranian New Year) celebrations.
Yet, the turning point was the speech delivered by Ayatollah Khomeini on June 3, 1963, at the Feyziyeh Seminary School.
The ceremony was held to commemorate the tragic martyrdom of Imam Hussein (PBUH) in Karbala. In his speech, Imam Khomeini strongly criticized Shah’s government for its anti-Islam policies and drew parallels between the tyrant Umayyad ruler Yazid, by whose order Imam Hussein was killed, and the Shah.
Addressing a large gathering of people, students, and religious scholars, Imam exposed the treasons of the Pahlavi regime to the Iranian nation. He pointed out, "They are against the foundations of the divine religion of Islam and the ulema and aim at destroying Islam and the ulema. O People! you should know that our Islam and country are threatened. We are deeply concerned about the situation of Iran and the state of Shah’s despotic regime."
Imam Khomeini arrested, exiled by Pahlavi Regime
Two days later at three o'clock in the morning, security men and commandos of the Pahlavi Regime descended on Khomeini's home in Qom and arrested him.
Imam Khomeini's influence and popularity were to the extent that the commandos refused his request for waiting only 5 minutes to allow him to perform his morning prayers, in order to take no risk of people finding out about the detention.
Moreover, they even did not dare to start the car engine and pushed the car for some distance as they feared the sound of the engine would wake the neighbor who would for sure prevent the arrest. They hastily transferred him to the Qasr Prison in Tehran.
Imam Khomeini was first imprisoned, and then kept under house arrest from October 1963 to May 1964; on 4 November 1964, he was secretly taken to Ankara and then to Bursa, Turkey. On 5 September 1965, he moved to Najaf, Iraq, and stayed there until Saddam Regime deported him.
Finally, under the pressure of the Pahlavi Regime, he was exiled to Neauphle-le-Château, Paris on 6 October 1978.
Bloody uprising of Khordad 15th
The demonstrations of June 5, 1963, known as the 15th of Khordad Uprising can be considered as one of the most history-making events in contemporary Iran, that ignited the flames of the Islamic Revolution and touched off a series of a chain of events, leading to the victory of the Islamic Revolution some 15 years later.
On June 5, 1963, the Iranian people, wearing particular white clothes used for burying the dead as a sign of their readiness for dying for their cause, staged massive demonstrations against the US-backed Shah, following news of the detention of the Founder of Islamic Revolution, Imam Khomeini in the aftermath of his historic speech against the Pahlavi regime.
The regime attacked the people and brutally suppressed them, martyred and wounded a large number of Iranian Muslims.
The historical uprising known as the "15th of Khordad" marked the starting point of the Islamic movement which was to change Iran's destiny.
Though Imam Khomeini was exiled a year later, the movement culminated in his eventual return home in February 1979.
Dictator leaves Iran forever, Imam Khomeini arrives home after 15 years
In early 1979, political unrest, nationwide street demonstrations, and Iranian public dissatisfaction all over the country intensified and the dictator of Iran and his family fled Iran on January 16, never to return.
Only two weeks after Mohammad Reza Shah fled Iran, Imam Khomeini returned home triumphantly on February 1, 1979.
Upon his arrival to the country, Imam Khomeini, was welcomed by millions of Iranians.
Victory of Islamic Revolution, Collapse of Pahlavi Dynasty
On February 11, the commanders of the armed forces attended Imam Khomeini’s home and submitted their resignation, declaring support for the founder of the Islamic Revolution.
Following the armed forces declared neutrality and the regime's main institutions and all remnants collapsed, Shapour Bakhtiar, who served as the last Prime Minister of Iran under Mohammad Reza Shah Pahlavi, quickly fled Iran for France.
This influential event marked the end of 2500 years of monarchy in the country, Imam Khomeini called on the people to restore peace and order, and the independent Islamic Republic of Iran was established officially.
98% of Iranians voted in favor of Islamic Republic
Two months after the victory of the Islamic Revolution in 1979, the interim government held the Iranian Islamic Republic referendum on 30 and 31 March proposing to change the Pahlavi dynasty into the Islamic Republic.
All Iranians sixteen years of age and older, male and female, were asked to vote in a referendum on the question of accepting the Islamic Republic as the new form of government and constitution.
On April 1, the referendum results were announced, with 98.2 percent of the Iranians voting for the Islamic Republic.
Iran marks 44th anniversary of Islamic Revolution victory
Every year, Iranians mark the anniversary of their Islamic Revolution from February 1 to 11, known as the Ten-Day Fajr (Dawn) ceremonies.
Each year on the 22nd day of the month of Bahman on the Persian calendar (11th of February), Iranians turn out in ceremonies attended by high-ranking officials to renew their allegiance to the Islamic establishment and Imam Khomeini, the late founder of the Islamic Republic.