Black Friday (1978)

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Soldiers and protesters in Schaleh Square, Tehran, on September 8, 1978

As Black Friday in is Iran Friday 8. September 1978 referred (17 Schahrivar 1357). On that day there was a violent demonstration in downtown Tehran , which resulted in an exchange of fire between demonstrators and soldiers of the army, killing 64 people. It was an important event in the context of the events of the Islamic Revolution .

Way to democracy

August 5, 1978 was celebrated as Constitution Day in Iran . On that day, 77 years earlier, Mozaffar ad-Din Shah had signed a decree in which he had ordered elections to a constituent assembly and the establishment of a parliament. Mohammad Reza Shah announced democratic reforms for Iran in a speech:

“This is a new chapter in the history of our country. … We will have the same freedom rights as in Europe and the limits of freedom in Iran will not differ from those in Europe. ... That means there will be parties, peaceful and unarmed parties ... We will have freedom of speech and freedom of the press on the basis of a new press law, which we will formulate along the lines of the press laws of the free world. The coming elections will be completely free; everyone has the right to vote and every vote will be counted. ... But it must be clear that no nation that calls itself democratic can tolerate fights, violence, provocations and lawlessness. "

The President of the Senate, Jafar Sharif-Emami, specified the reform plans and spoke of an “open political space” that was associated with an era of freedom of the press and freedom of expression. The secular opposition was impressed. Prime Minister Jamjid Amusegar even went a step further and said that the upcoming elections for the coming year would be completely free and that the open political space after the elections would be further expanded.

The leader of the Islamic part of the opposition movement, Ruhollah Khomeini , had already taken a clear position in May 1978 on the Shah's intentions to reform the political system. Khomeini had stated:

“What freedom is he talking about? It is not up to him to allow freedom. God gave man freedom. Islam gave them freedom. "

Arson attacks

Hotel Shah Abbas

Violent protests broke out in Isfahan three days after the Shah's speech . Protesters stormed the Hotel Shah Abbas (now Hotel Abbasi ), a former caravanserai that had been converted into one of the most beautiful hotels in Iran, and set parts of the hotel on fire. Two days later, on August 11, 1978, Islamists attacked cinemas, shops selling alcohol, banks, government buildings and the Rastachiz Party headquarters. Information Minister Dariusch Homayun reassured the public and said that this was the price a country would have to pay for more political freedom if it wanted to develop towards democracy.

The protests spread from Isfahan to Shiraz . There were also arson attacks here. The situation became so threatening that the Shiraz arts festival, which always took place at the end of summer, had to be canceled. Islamist groups also marched through the streets in Ahvaz , Abadan and Qazvin , setting fire to shops or looting.

On August 13, Khomeini spoke up from his exile in Najaf :

“The events of Isfahan and Shiraz are another example of the crimes of the Shah. People need to know that nowhere in the world do you get freedom served on a silver platter. "

On the same day, a bomb exploded in a restaurant in Tehran, which is particularly popular with American tourists, killing several guests. On August 17, Mohammad Reza Shah declared:

"I, the nationally-minded Iranians and the army will not allow Iran to fall into the hands of foreign agents."

He accused an unholy alliance of reds and blacks of wanting to lead the country back to the Middle Ages.

While the Shah and the government were talking about the “path to democracy”, Khomeini was working to lead Iran on the path to the Islamic state of God. On August 19, according to the Iranian calendar on Amordad 28th, the 25th anniversary of the fall of the Mossadegh government , 28 cinemas burned down across Iran. Most of the dead were recorded in Abadan in the arson attack on Cinema Rex . Mohammad Reza Shah spoke of the "great fear" that would grasp the country if the opposition took power in the country, and Khomeini accused the Shah of orchestrating the arson attack in Abadan, with over 400 dead, with the help of SAVAK to make the Iranian resistance movement, which is committed to justice, bad in front of the world. He now considered it the duty of the opposition to make the satanic plans of the Shah known in the world, and not to allow the humane Islamic movement to be sullied.

The opposition movement then began to organize demonstrations across the country. In Germany, Belgium, Denmark and the Netherlands, Iranian students and their German, Belgian, Danish or Dutch fellow students occupied the embassy buildings of Iran and demanded the resignation of the Shah. On August 27, Prime Minister Amusegar offered to resign. Mohammad Reza Shah accepted the resignation, a decision he would later regret bitterly. Jafar Sharif-Emami became the new Prime Minister .

Government of National Reconciliation

Sharif-Emami's family was closely associated with the clergy. He should form a government of "national reconciliation" and win back the clergy for the constitutional monarchy under Mohammad Reza Shah through political reforms . In his inaugural address, Sharif-Emami declared that "his government of national reconciliation wants to heal the wounds that have arisen, respect the constitution, uphold the people's rights of freedom and meet the wishes of the clergy." Sharif-Emami ordered the replacement of the newly introduced old Persian calendar with the Islamic calendar , the dissolution of the Rastachiz Party, the Iranian Unity Party, and the closure of amusement arcades and casinos. Political prisoners close to the clergy were released from prisons. In return, people who had previously served the constitutional monarchy were sent to prison on charges of corruption and human rights violations. All officials received a raise to offset inflationary losses.

The result of this policy was catastrophic. Inflation was further fueled. The military and political tasks of the army and secret police had become completely unclear. Politicians loyal to the government were uncertain about the Shah's future political course, while the opposition saw itself on the right track and pushed for the overthrow of the government and the Shah. Khomeini declared: “We will not make peace at the expense of the blood of our martyrs. Closing casinos and cabarets is only intended to deceive the people and their spiritual leaders. No party, front or movement will make peace with this government. Peace with this government only means enslaving the people and betraying the nation. ”The National Front demanded the dissolution of the SAVAK and, in addition to the established political groups, suddenly new parties with self-appointed leaders who also felt called to respond to the demands arose To put the names of the people in the government.

Black Friday Week

Monday 4th September

On Monday, September 4th, 1978, at the end of the fasting month of Ramadan , the followers of Khomeini turned a festival of breaking the fast organized by the merchants of the bazaar into a large demonstration against Mohammad Reza Shah. The monarch, who had given a reception for the diplomatic corps of the Islamic states that day, was shocked. Since the days of Mossadegh , criticism of his person had never been so openly and bluntly expressed by demonstrators. Up until now he was still convinced that the political demands of the opposition, which were now publicly formulated as an expression of the freedoms that he and the Sharif-Emami government had decreed, could be met with reforms. After hearing with his own ears that the demonstrators were demanding his resignation, he was no longer so sure.

Wednesday September 6th

On September 6, 1978, Khomeini urged his supporters not to give in and not to allow the government's reform proposals to mislead them into compromises. The followers of Khomeini continued to demonstrate. Rumors circulated that Mohammad Reza Shah would set up a military government under General Gholamali Oveisi and that police and troops were instructed to shoot the demonstrators.

Thursday September 7th

Khomeini militants started a small demonstration in the direction of Shahyad Square. Live ammunition had not been issued to soldiers posted in the city in order to prevent any possibility of shooting demonstrators. The police initially tried to stop the demonstrators with tear gas, but withdrew as soon as it became clear that the crowd could not be stopped. The word quickly got around that the police and soldiers would not shoot and that the further demonstration would be peaceful. Now the clergy, who had initially held back, could personally express their displeasure with the Shah. They drove quickly to Shahyad Square in taxis and demanded freedom, independence, the release of all political prisoners, the dissolution of the SAVAK and an Islamic government under the leadership of Khomeini. Some Khomeini militants had moved to Schaleh Square and shouted "Death to the Shah". For the first time the demand for the abolition of the monarchy had been raised.

On the same day, Queen Farah visited cancer patients in the hospital of Tehran University in the city center. When the bystanders became aware of the Queen, they shouted "Long live the Shah". That evening the government convened the National Security Council. Prime Minister Sharif-Emami said he had information that Islamist groups were planning to gather in Schaleh Square on September 8, then march to the nearby parliament, occupy parliament and proclaim an Islamic republic. It was agreed to declare a state of emergency for the next day and appoint General Oveisi as military governor of Tehran.

Friday September 8th

On Friday, September 8, 1978 (17th Shahrivar 1357) the political conflict between the government and the opposition came to a head and went down in Iran's history as Black Friday. The government had mobilized troops to put a stop to further demonstrations in Tehran. On the Schaleh Square in downtown Tehran, soldiers wanted to bring a demonstration to a halt with shots in the air. A few minutes later, dead demonstrators and police were lying in the square without it being clear at first how the fatal shots had come about. The Islamist groups spread the news that "thousands of peaceful demonstrators had been massacred by Zionist troops." The demonstrators were allegedly shot at from tanks and helicopters. There were even witnesses who claimed to have seen the Shah personally shoot at the demonstrators from a helicopter. The story of the "Jaleh Square Massacre" was born.

What really happened that day was investigated by the military and reported to the press by Minister of Information Ameli Tehrani. Tehrani reported the number of people who died and were injured in clashes with the security forces throughout Tehran that day, with 86 dead and 205 wounded, 64 of whom were killed in Schaleh Square. He explained that the troops in Schaleh Square had been shot and that they then shot back. Trained professional agitators in Libya and Palestine had joined the march of demonstrators , who were supposed to fuel the mood. In the cabinet it was said that in addition to the 64 demonstrators, 70 police officers and soldiers were killed in the exchange of fire on Schaleh Square, but this should not be announced.

The news of "15,000 dead and wounded" spread by the opposition groups sparked further nationwide demonstrations against the government and ultimately led to a general strike that also affected the oil industry. Nobody wanted to believe the official figures of the 64 dead protesters on Schaleh Square. The "Jaleh Square massacre" was supposed to seal the fate of Prime Minister Sharif-Emami's government and, as it soon turned out, the fate of Mohammad Reza Shah as well. On November 5, 1978, Tehran was on fire. Administrative buildings of foreign companies, cinemas, shops selling alcohol, buses, cars and, above all, bank buildings had been set on fire by opposition groups. Almost 400 bank branches were set on fire that day. Prime Minister Sharif-Emami's government of national reconciliation had completely failed with its policy of concessions to the opposition. On November 6, 1978, Jafar Sharif-Emami resigned and left Iran a little later.

Investigations carried out after the Islamic Revolution on the events on September 8, 1978 revealed that the initially widespread figure of “15,000 dead and wounded” increased to 84 dead and an unspecified number of wounded, 64 of them dead on Schaleh Square, had to be reduced. This confirms the figures announced by Information Minister Ameli Tehrani before the Islamic Revolution.

How did the shots come about? The soldiers were instructed to shoot in the air. Hushang Nahavandi, the former Chancellor of Tehran University, reported:

“The subsequent investigation of the events revealed that the soldiers had initially been shot out of the crowd. Armed Palestinians had mixed with the demonstrators. The investigation of some of the fatalities showed that they had been shot dead from close range from among the protesters. Nahavandi also reported that in 1980 he met a former supporter of the Islamic Revolution who had since fled to France. He told him: 'My apartment had a window that opened onto Jaleh Square. Before the planned demonstration, I was contacted by Islamic Marxists. Two armed Palestinians came by on Friday. From the window of my apartment, they opened fire not only on the soldiers, but also on the demonstrators. More Palestinians shot like snipers from the roofs of the surrounding houses and from other apartments. '"

This statement coincides with the radio communication recorded on tape between the soldiers and their commander. The soldiers reported that they were being shot at from the houses and from the roofs on Schaleh Square. They immediately requested reinforcements equipped with live ammunition, as only blank cartridges had been issued to the first task force. Huschang Nahavandi further reports:

“Two days after Black Friday, the police arrested a certain Ayatollah Alameh Nouri. It turned out to be Sheikh Yahya Nasiri. He had been arrested for seditious behavior and arson. In his apartment there were several passports made out to Arab countries, considerable amounts of cash and documents that indicated a planned 'provocation' at the demonstration last Friday. "

Ahmad Samii described the demonstration on Black Friday as follows:

“The first thing they did was light the gasoline they brought with them. When panic broke out in the crowd, cars were knocked over and set on fire. Then a shop was opened on Ave. Farahabad set on fire. Suddenly we heard machine gun fire. "

Masud Mohit also confirms that Palestinian guerrilla fighters had illegally entered Iran across the Iraqi border. More than a hundred Palestinian guerrillas had been arrested by the military and taken to Daschte Mishan prison in Khusestan. Some of the fighters had apparently managed to get to Tehran.

The further development

In the following two months there were demonstrations and work stoppages by civil servants, as well as strikes by workers. The strikes and work stoppages usually began with demands for higher wages to compensate for the increased prices. Gradually political demands were added to the economic demands, such as the lifting of the state of emergency, the dissolution of parliament, the dissolution of the SAVAK, freedom for all political prisoners and the return of Khomeini from his exile. At the end of October 1978 work in the authorities and in the economy had almost come to a standstill.

Since soldiers and police were instructed not to shoot after the incidents in Schaleh Square, they became more and more the target of violent attacks. Soldiers, police officers and SAVAK employees were literally executed. Fear spread in the families of the members of the police and the armed forces, as they were almost defenseless against attacks by militant Islamists without being able to use their firearms. Family members and relatives were also increasingly threatened by soldiers and police officers. The willingness to stand up for a government that could not protect them diminished day by day.

Individual evidence

  1. Gholam Reza Afkhami: The life and times of the Shah. Syracuse University Press, 2009, p. 457.
  2. Gholam Reza Afkhami: The life and times of the Shah. Syracuse University Press, 2009, p. 456.
  3. http://www.abbasihotel.ir/ Website of the Hotel Abbasi
  4. a b Gholam Reza Afkhami: The life and times of the Shah. Syracuse University Press, 2009, p. 458.
  5. ^ Payam-e Enghelab: Collection of messages and speeches by Imam Khomeini from MD Qajar. Payam-e Azadi, Vol. 1, 1341 - Sept. 1357, p. 264.
  6. Gholam Reza Afkhami: The life and time of the Shah. University of California Press, 2008, p. 459.
  7. a b Gholam Reza Afkhami: The life and times of the Shah. University of California Press, 2009, p. 461.
  8. Abbas Milani: Eminent Persians. Syracuse University Press, 2008, p. 310.
  9. a b Gholam Reza Afkhami: The life and times of the Shah. University of California Press, 2009, p. 462.
  10. Gholam Reza Afkhami: The life and times of the Shah. University of California Press, 2009, p. 464.
  11. a b Gholam Reza Afkhami: The life and times of the Shah. University of California Press, 2009, p. 465.
  12. Ervand Abrahamian: History of Modern Iran. Cambridge University Press, 2008, pp. 160 f.
  13. a b c Manouchehr Ganji: Defying the Iranian revolution. Praeger Publishers, 2003, p. 15.
  14. ^ Interview with Alireza Meybodi with an officer of the army units involved in the events, Pars TV, March 2009.
  15. Manouchehr Ganji: Defying the Iranian revolution. Praeger Publishers, 2003, p. 16.
  16. Masud Mohit: Atash biaraneh duzach ('The arsonists from hell'). Iranian Entesharat, London 2009, p. 168.