Timeline of The Iranian Islamic Revolution - 1978

1978

• January 7 (17th of Dey): An article in the Ettela'at newspaper by the Information Minister Daryoush Homayoun, titled "Black and Red Imperialism" accuses Khomeini of homosexuality and other "misdeeds". Later in his book, Homayoun claimed that this was done by Shah's order.
• January 9 (19th of Dey): Demonstration of 4,000 students and religious leaders in the city of Qom against the article. The armed police was provoked by the angry demonstrators which resulted in death of between 10 to 72 demonstrators. Protests credited with breaking the "barrier of fear" of security forces "at the popular level".
• February 18 (29th of Bahman): Arbayeen (i.e. 40th day observance) of Qom's fallen protesters. Groups in a number of cities marched to honour the fallen and protest against the rule of the Shah. This time, violence erupted in Tabriz. According to some reports approximately 100 demonstrators are killed.
• March 29 (8th of Farvardin): Arbayeen of Tabriz's fallen protesters by demonstrations in various cities. Demonstrators are killed by police in Yazd.
• May 10 (20th of Ordibehesht): Arbayeen of Yazd's fallen protesters. Demonstrations in various cities. In Qom, commandos "burst into" the home of Ayatollah Kazem Shariatmadari, a leading cleric and quietist, and shoot dead one of his followers right in front of him. Shariatmadari then joins opposition to the Shah.
• June 6 (16th of Khordad): Head of SAVAK, Nematollah Nassiri, dismissed and Nasser Moghadam is appointed instead. "First significant concession to the unrest."
• June 20 (30th of Khordad): 40th day cycle of marking demonstration deaths passes with little violence, thanks to calls by Shariatmadari's for observance in mosques not on the streets. Inflation subsiding. Regime's "carrot and stick" and anti-inflation measures seem to be working.
• August 6 (15th of Mordad): Shah pledges free elections by June 1979 in broadcast to the nation.
• August 12 (21st of Mordad): Killing of demonstrators in Isfahan.
• August 16 (25th of Mordad): Jamshid Amouzegar declares martial law in response to vast demonstrations.
• August 19 (28th of Mordad): 477 die in arson fire at Cinema Rex in Abadan. Regime and opposition blame each other.
• August 27 (5th of Shahrivar): Jamshid Amouzegar is replaced by Jafar Sharif-Emami as the prime minister. Sharif Emami "reverses" some of the Shah's policies. Closes casinos (owned by Pahlavi Foundation), abolishes the imperial calendar and declares all the political parties have the right to be active.
• September 4 (13th of Shahrivar): Mass march at Eid al-Fitr of hundreds of thousands in Tehran by Khomeini supporters.
• September 8 (17th of Shahrivar): dubbed "Black Friday" Shah declares martial law in response to protests against Pahlavi dynasty. The military of Iran use force including tanks and helicopters to break up the largely peaceful demonstrators. About 88 demonstrators (including three women) are killed. Opposition leaders falsely spread the death count figures as high as "tens of thousands".
• September 24 (2nd of Mehr): Iraqi government embargoes the house of Khomeini in Najaf and bans his political activities.
• September 25 (3rd of Mehr): Rastakhiz party is disbanded.
• October 3 (10th of Mehr): Khomeini leaves Iraq for Kuwait after being pressured by Iran's neighbor Iraq to "tone down his anti-compromise rhetoric". He is refused entry at the Kuwait border.
• October 6 (13th of Mehr): Khomeini embarks for Paris.
• October 10 (17th of Mehr): Khomeini takes up residence in the suburb of Neauphle-le-Château in a house that had been rented for him by Iranian exiles in France. He enjoys media attention from journalists across the world who come to France to interview him. His image and words became a daily feature in the world's media.
• October 11 (19th of Mehr): Strike of Newspapers
• October 16 (24th of Mehr): Arbayeen of protesters killed on "Black Friday". Some people were killed in the main mosque of Kerman. "A rapid succession of strikes cripple almost all the bazaars, universities, high schools, oil installations, banks, government ministries, post offices, railways, newspapers, customs and post facilities," etc. and "seal the Shah's fate."
• October 21 (29th of Mehr): Iran Oil industry workers go on strike.
• November 4 (13th of Aban): Destructive riots frustrated by Shah's unsuccessful attempts at conciliation with his opponents, military hardliners decide to order troops "to stand aside and allow mobs to burn and destroy to their hearts' content." Thousands of shops, banks, restaurants and other public buildings damaged. Conciliatory Prime Minister Sharif-Emami resigns. Army raid in Tehran University, students participating in demonstrations are killed.
• November 5 (14th of Aban): Mohammad Reza Shah broadcast on television a promise not to repeat past mistakes and to make amends saying, "I heard the voice of your revolution... As Shah of Iran as well as an Iranian citizen, I cannot but approve your revolution."
• November 6 (15th of Aban): General Gholam Reza Azhari appointed as the prime minister. Enforces martial law.
• November 8 (15th of Aban): Mohammad Reza Shah arrests thirteen prominent members of his own regime.
• November 27(6th Azar): Millions throughout the country celebrate "weeping" and "jumping" after seeing Khomeini's face in the moon, after rumour sweeps the land that the Imam's face will so appear on this night. Even the Tudeh Party embraces the story.
• December 10 and 11 (19th and 20th of Azar): Tasu'a and Ashura. As many as 17 million people "up and down the country march peacefully demanding the removal of the Shah and return of Khomeini." 17-point resolution is presented during the demonstration "declaring the Ayatollah to be the leader of the Iranian people," and calling on Iranians to struggle until the Shah is overthrown.
• December 29 (9th of Dey): Long-time opposition politician Shapour Bakhtiar chosen as prime minister by Shah as the Shah prepares to leave the country. Last prime minister of the Pahlavi dynasty.