The Iranian Revolution of 1979

The Iranian Revolution of 1979 was ignited by a pro-Khomeini demonstration in Qum in January 1978. Police stepped in to control the demonstration and in a matter of minutes it turned into a riot, about 70 people were killed before calm was restored. Khomeini, from his exile in Iraq, called upon his followers to commemorate the victims on the 40th day after their deaths, in accordance with Iranian mourning customs. In February they held services at mosques throughout the country, and demonstrations in Tabrīz exploded into riots during which more people were killed. Thus began a cycle of nationwide mourning services every 40 days, most of which turned violent and resulted in more wounded and fatalities. By late summer, when it became clear that the government was losing control of the streets, the shah imposed martial law on 11 cities as well as Tehrān. This move only escalated tensions. Employees in different industries and offices began striking to protest martial law, and within six weeks a general strike had paralyzed the economy, including the oil sector which is a vital part of their economy and government. By October the strikes/riots and demonstrations were becoming a unified revolutionary movement. Protected by his exile in Iraq, Khomeini continued to denounce the corruption and injustices of the shah's regime, as well as its dependence on the United States. His sermons were recorded, duplicated on endless amounts of cassette tapes, and smuggled into Iran. The tapes appealed equally to religious Iranians and members of the secular middle class. Alarmed by Khomeini’s growing influence, the shah persuaded the Iraqi government to expel him. Khomeini immediately found asylum in France, where access to the international media made it even easier for him to communicate with supporters in Iran. In November the shah realized that the army could not indefinitely contain the mass movement, and he began making plans for his departure from Iran. He left the country in mid-January 1979. Two weeks later, Khomeini returned to Iran in triumph after more than 14 years in exile. On February 11, 1979, the royalist government was overthrown, and in a referendum on April 1 Iranians voted overwhelmingly to establish an Islamic republic.