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)
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Source: Voice of America
.