DATE=2/9/99
TYPE=BACKGROUND REPORT
NUMBER=5-42566
TITLE=IRAN REVOLUTION ANNIVERSARY
BYLINE=SCOTT BOBB
DATELINE=AMMAN
CONTENT=
VOICED AT:
/// EDS: ANNIVERSARY OF IRAN'S ISLAMIC REVOLUTION IS THURSDAY,
FEB. 11 ///
INTRO: IRAN IS MARKING THE 20TH ANNIVERSARY THIS WEEK/MONTH OF
THE REVOLUTION THAT OVERTHREW THE REGIME OF SHAH MOHAMMAD REZA
PAHLAVI [PRON: SHAH MOW-HAH-'MAHD 'RAY-ZAH 'PAKH-LAH-VEE]. THE
IRANIAN REVOLUTION ENDED A CENTURIES-OLD MONARCHY, SHOOK WORLD
ECONOMIES, AND ALTERED THE COURSE OF MIDDLE EAST POLITICS. IT IS
NOW UNDERGOING ITS OWN CHANGES, AS WE HEAR IN THIS REPORT BY
V-O-A'S MIDDLE EAST CORRESPONDENT, SCOTT BOBB.
TEXT: IRAN IS MARKING THE BEGINNING OF THE IRANIAN REVOLUTION 20
YEARS AGO, WHICH STARTED WITH THE FALL OF THE LAST GOVERNMENT OF
SHAH REZA PAHLAVI.
THE GOVERNMENT OF SHAHPOUR BAKHTIAR [PRON: SHAH-'POOR
'BAKH-TEE-AR] HAD BEEN APPOINTED BY THE SHAH SHORTLY BEFORE HE
WENT INTO EXILE. IT WAS AN ATTEMPT, BACKED BY THE U-S
GOVERNMENT, TO PROMOTE SECULARIST, PRO-DEMOCRACY INSTITUTIONS AND
COUNTER THE RISING INFLUENCE OF RELIGIOUS LEADERS LOYAL TO
AYATOLLAH KHOMEINI [PRON: EYE-AH-TOE-'LAH HO-MAY-'NEE], WHO HAD
BEEN LIVING IN EXILE.
/// ACT: CROWD WELCOMING KHOMEINI WITH CRIES OF "GOD IS GREAT" --
SNEAK IN, ESTABLISH, FADE UNDER ///
TWO WEEKS AFTER SHAH LEFT IRAN [ON JANUARY 16TH, 1979], AYATOLLAH
KHOMEINI RETURNED TO HIS HOMELAND, WHERE HE WAS WELCOMED BY A
CROWD OF MORE THAN ONE-MILLION PEOPLE. SHAHPOUR BAKHTIAR OFFERED
TO MEET THE AYATOLLAH, BUT INSISTED (IN AN INTERVIEW 20 YEARS
AGO) THAT THE MEETING BE ON HIS TERMS.
/// BAKHTIAR ACT ///
I WOULD LIKE TO HAVE AN ARRANGEMENT WITH HIM [KHOMEINI],
OF COURSE. BUT SOMETHING MUST BE UNDERSTOOD BETWEEN US
BEFORE THIS MEETING, I THINK. YOU MUST UNDERSTAND THAT
I AM THE LEGAL AND THE ONLY GOVERNMENT HERE. AND ALL
ARRANGEMENTS CAN BE DONE THROUGH THE CONSTITUTION AND BY
FREE ELECTIONS ONLY, AND NOT BY THE MOB AND PEOPLE IN
THE STREET.
/// END ACT ///
A FEW DAYS LATER, THE BAKHTIAR GOVERNMENT WAS GONE -- SWEPT AWAY
BY VIOLENT STREET DEMONSTRATIONS. THE AYATOLLAH APPOINTED A
REVOLUTIONARY COUNCIL AND OVER TIME INSTALLED AN ISLAMIC
CONSTITUTION THAT IMPOSED STRICT ISLAMIC LAW ON IRANIAN SOCIETY.
THE U-S GOVERNMENT CONTINUED TO PRESS FOR A DIFFERENT SYSTEM, AS
EXPRESSED DURING THOSE DAYS BY THEN-PRESIDENT JIMMY CARTER.
/// CARTER ACT ///
OUR GOALS ARE NOW AS THEY HAVE BEEN FOR THE PAST FEW
MONTHS: TO ENSURE THE SAFETY OF AMERICANS IN IRAN, TO
MINIMIZE BLOODSHED AND VIOLENCE, TO MAKE SURE IRAN IS
MILITARILY CAPABLE OF PROTECTING HER INDEPENDENCE AND
TERRITORIAL INTEGRITY, TO PREVENT INTERFERENCE OR
INTERVENTION IN THE INTERNAL AFFRAIRS OF IRAN BY ANY
OUTSIDE POWER, AND TO HONOR THE WILL OF THE IRANIAN
PEOPLE.
/// END ACT ///
THE IRANIAN GOVERNMENT'S SUPPORT FOR INTERNATIONAL TERRORISM
BROUGHT INCREASINGLY SEVERE ECONOMIC SANCTIONS. AND THE TAKING
OF 52 U-S HOSTAGES AT THE U-S EMBASSY IN TEHRAN MADE
REVOLUTIONARY IRAN, IN THE EYES OF THE WEST, A ROGUE NATION.
IN THE FOLLOWING YEARS IRAN CONFRONTED INTERNATIONAL ISOLATION,
BOMB ATTACKS AGAINST PUBLIC OFFICIALS, AND AN EIGHT-YEAR WAR WITH
IRAQ, FROM WHICH THE SOCIETY HAS YET TO FULLY RECOVER.
THE 20TH ANNIVERSARY FINDS THE IRANIAN REVOLUTION IN A PERIOD OF
CHANGE. CONSERVATIVE SUPPORTERS OF THE REVOLUTION ARE TRYING TO
HOLD THE LINE AGAINST REFORMISTS, WHO WANT GREATER FREEDOM IN
SOCIETY.
THE REFORMISTS, WHO ARE BACKED BY A LARGE SEGMENT OF IRANIAN
YOUTH, ELECTED PRESIDENT MOHAMMED KHATAMI [PRON: MOW-HAH-'MAHD
HOT-TAH-'MEE] BY A LANDSLIDE NEARLY TWO YEARS AGO, AND NOW
CONTROL THE EXECUTIVE BRANCH OF GOVERNMENT. HOWEVER, THE
CONSERVATIVES RETAIN CONTROL OF THE NATIONAL ASSEMBLY, THE COURTS
AND THE SECURITY FORCES.
CONFRONTATION BETWEEN THESE TWO FACTIONS HAS AT TIMES TURNED
VIOLENT. SEVERAL MEMBERS OF THE INTELLIGENCE SERVICES HAVE BEEN
ARRESTED ON CHARGES OF MURDERING DISSIDENT POLITICIANS AND
INTELLECTUALS.
IRAN'S SUPREME RELIGIOUS LEADER, AYATOLLAH ALI KHAMENEI [PRON:
EYE-AH-TOE-'LAH AH-'LEE HAH-MEN-A-'EE], HAS URGED POLITICIANS TO
AVOID FACTIONALISM, SAYING THEY ARE BEING EXPLOITED BY IRAN'S
ENEMIES. REFORMIST PRESIDENT KHATAMI HAS URGED IRANIANS TO TAKE
ADVANTAGE OF THE FREEDOMS THEY HAVE ACHIEVED SO FAR.
IN TWO WEEKS, IRANIANS ARE TO ELECT LOCAL COUNCILS FOR THE FIRST
TIME SINCE THE REVOLUTION. ALTHOUGH THE ELECTIONS ARE EXPECTED
TO FOCUS PRIMARILY ON LOCAL ISSUES, THEY ARE BEING VIEWED AS A
PLEBISCITE OF SORTS ON THE FUTURE COURSE OF THE REVOLUTIONARY
PATH IRAN TOOK UP 20 YEARS AGO. (SIGNED)
NEB/FSB/WDC/AHN/WTW
09-Feb-99 8:50 PM EST (0150 UTC)
NNNN
Source: Voice of America
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