‘Ten Days of Dawn’: From Khomeini’s return to victory of Islamic Revolution

In 1979, just ten days passed between Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini’s return from exile in France and the fall of the monarchy, paving the way for the establishment of the Islamic Republic under his and other clerics' control.

Known as Dahe-ye Fajr (“Ten Days of Dawn”), this period is officially commemorated annually with various ceremonies. Due to differences between the Iranian and Western calendars, this period can begin on January 31 or February 1 and end on February 10 or 11.

For supporters of the Islamic Republic, Fajr (“Dawn”) symbolizes the "new era" in Iran’s history marked by the fall of the monarchy and the establishment of an Islamic governance.

Q: What are the key ceremonies during Dahe-ye Fajr?

On the first day of the ten-day "Dawn" period, a ceremony takes place at Khomeini’s mausoleum in southern Tehran, commemorating his return to Iran after 14 years in exile, the majority of which he spent in Iraq.

On the final day, state-sponsored rallies take place nationwide to mark the Islamic Revolution's victory. The president addresses participants at Azadi Square (“Freedom Square”) in Tehran, and the day is observed as a public holiday.

Q: How does the state’s media cover the events?

State-run television channels extensively cover all the ceremonies of Dahe-ye Fajr, particularly the Revolution Day rallies. These broadcasts often feature large crowds, which Iranian state officials claim reflect widespread support for the Islamic Republic and its Supreme Leader.

Q: What criticisms have been raised about the media coverage of these events?

Individual critics and opposition groups argue that participation in these rallies has significantly declined in recent years.

They also say that state authorities use incentives like gifts, paid leave, or implicit threats to compel attendance – particularly among civil servants, soldiers, students, and workers.

Q: How did the monarchy fall in 1979?

Months of massive protests forced King Mohammad-Reza Pahlavi, the Shah of Iran, to leave the country with his family on January 16, 1979.

He entrusted a Regency Council and opposition Prime Minister Shapour Bakhtiar to manage the country in his absence.

Khomeini had vowed to return to Iran. Bakhtiar initially attempted to block his return by closing Iran's airports.

However, widespread protests, led by both Islamists and leftist groups, compelled him to reopen them.

Q: What happened when Khomeini returned to Iran?

On February 1, Khomeini arrived in Tehran on a chartered Air France plane, accompanied by opposition figures who had supported him during his exile.

Upon arrival, millions of Iranians flooded the streets to welcome the 76-year-old cleric.

Khomeini traveled directly to Behesht-e Zahra, Tehran’s largest cemetery, to honor the “martyrs of the Revolution.”

In a fiery speech, he declared the Shah-appointed Bakhtiar government "illegal" and announced his intention to establish a new administration.

“I will appoint a government. I will slap this government on the mouth. I will establish a government with the support of the nation because the nation has accepted me,” Khomeini proclaimed.

Q: What did Khomeini do after his return to Iran?

A few days after that speech, Khomeini appointed Mehdi Bazargan, a moderate Islamist scholar and politician, as prime minister.

By February 11, revolutionary forces had seized control of all government institutions. The state broadcaster officially announced the monarchy's collapse the same day.

Q: What happened to Khomeini’s closest aides after his return?

Ironically, many of Khomeini’s close aides from his time in exile were later accused of treason or marginalized – and ultimately faced tragic fates.

Sadegh Ghotbzadeh, who served as foreign minister between November 1979 and August 1980, was accused of plotting to assassinate Khomeini and of attempting a coup to topple the newly established Islamic Republic in April 1982. He was executed by firing squad in September of the same year.

Another aide, Hassan Banisadr, who was elected as the Islamic Republic’s first president (from February 1980 to June 1981), was impeached and deposed by Parliament, allegedly for opposing the clerics in power. He went into hiding and later escaped to France, where he lived until his death in Paris in 2021.

In the now-infamous photos of Khomeini descending the stairs from the Air France plane upon his return to Tehran, state-run news outlets have edited out several of his aides who were by his side.

Today, the only individual still visible next to Khomeini in the official photos is the airliner’s pilot, holding his hand.