Outbreak of the Revolution

Ayatollah Kazem Shariatmadari

• First major demonstration was when the press had run a story attacking Khomeini and angry students
  
  
• Religious leaders protested against the claims in the city of Qom
  
  
• The army was sent in, breaking up the demonstrations and killing several students (2 according to the government, 70 according to the opposition)
  
  

• Leading cleric and political moderate Ayatollah Kazem Shariatmadari joins the opposition
  
  
• Shah appealed to the United States for support
  
  

• Over 400 people died in the Cinema Rex Fire arson attack in Abadan
  
  
• Movie theaters had been a common target of Islamist supporters
  
  
• Public believed SAVAK had set the fire in an attempt to frame the opposition
  
  

• The Shah introduced martial law, and banned all protests
  
  
• On Friday, September 8, a massive protest broke out in Tehran, and in what became known as Black Friday
  
  
  
  

• December 2, during the Islamic month of Muharram, over two million people filled the streets of Tehran's Azadi Square to demand the removal of the Shah and return of Khomeini
  
  

Crisis in Iran:

• This is a clip from a documentary titled "Crisis in Iran" by the History Channel with Mike Wallace
  
  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kY0ixG94cHE