Black Friday was named after the protests that occurred on September 8, 1978 (17 Shahrivar 1357 AP) in Zhaleh Square Tehran, Iran. The Iranian Government declared martial law in response to protests against the Shah's Rule. According to the anti-government sources, the military of Iran used deadly force, including tanks and helicopter gunships, to break up the largely peaceful demonstrators. Unsubstantiated reports at the time put the death toll at 88 to 89 demonstrators (including three women) [1] [2] [3] killed. Protests continued for 4 more months, shutting down the petroleum industry that was essential to the administration's survival. Support for the Shah, in Iran and abroad, was virtually destroyed clearing the way for the Iranian Revolution, led by Ayatollah Khomeini, which saw the destruction of the monarchy less than a year later.
See also
References and notes
- ^ A Question of Numbers.
- ^ Islamic Revolution of Iran.
- ^ Black Friday.The 600 figure is not the confirmed number. It comes from the exaggerated reports of the revolutionaries at the time.
