16jan79

                                                                        JANUARY 16, 1979

                                                                    A DAY TO REMEMBER

In his hastily written memoirs, Answer To History, the late Shah of Iran, described his painful journey towards oblivion:

I cannot nor am I willing to express fully the sentiments which I felt on January 16, 1979, when I took the road to the
airport with the Empress and my children. I had in me a sinister foreboding for I knew all too well what could happen.

I wanted to persuade myself that my departure would calm the people,
decrease hatred, and disarm the assassins. I hoped that Shapour Bakhtiar
would perhaps be fortunate and that the country could survive, despite the
immense destruction being inflicted by the furious crowd.

An icy wind, usual for this time of the year, swept the airport at Mehrabad,
where rows of planes stood, immobilized by the strikes.

At the foot of the plane, our national leaders were gathered to say farewell
to us: Shapour Bakhtiar, the presidents of the two chambers of Parliament,
ministers and generals.

I advised them all to exercise prudence. As God is my witness, I had done
everything within my power to protect those who had served me.


                                                              The Imam Jom'eh who, during all my departures had been present to recite
                                                              the traditional prayers, was not there. Perhaps some people misunderstood
                                                              and gave his absence a significance which it did not have.

                                                              The poor man was really ill and died a few weeks later in Geneva. But I had
                                                              with me the copy of the Holy Koran that never leaves me.

                                                              I was completely overwhelmed by the expressions of loyalty given to me
                                                              when I left.

                                                              There was a poignant silence broken by sobs.


A DAY TO REMEMBER:

On January 16th 1979 Mohammed Reza Shah left Tehran the start of a long journey
of no return. Unlike previous times there was a simple farewell ceremony and only a
selected few were told to assemble at the airport. Oneof the few people who came to
see the monarch's emotional departure at Mehrabad Airport was Morteza Lotfi, a
reporter for the National Iranian Radio & Television (NIRT). What follows is his
eyewitness account of that historic day.

                               EYEWITNESS TO HISTORY

WHAT HAPPENED AT MEHRABAD AIRPORT?
MORTEZA LOTFI
TRANSLATED FROM KAYHAN LONDON
THURSDAY, JANUARY 23, 1997
ISSUE:641

On the morning of January 15th, 1979, I was sitting in my office at NIRT on Jam-eh Jam street reviewing the news
when I first heard the rumour that the Shah was planning to leave the country.The phone rang.I picked up the
receiver. Someone on the other side of the line who refused to give me his name started to shout in an emotional
voice: "The Shahanshah is planning to leave the country but a few friends of mine and I have gathered in front of
the palace to prevent the King's departure."

                                                                 This man was insisting that we run this story so that the people would
                                                                 rush to the palace and prevent him from leaving.Of course, we could
                                                                 not do this without without being sure of the news.

                                                                 At 5pm on that same day, the director of NIRT, summoned
                                                                 me to his office and said that tomorrow I was to go on an important
                                                                 assignment. As much as I tried to find out the nature and location of this
                                                                 assignment it was no use."You'll find out tomorrow," the director said.

                                                                 I didn't sleep all night. I kept asking myself on the true nature of this
                                                                 assignment. I couldn't understand why I was being kept in the dark. I
                                                                 suspected that it was either something to do with the latest taped message
                                                                 from His Majesty or the expected vote of confidence for the Bakhtiar
                                                                cabinet.

                                                                On January 16th, I took the NIRT press car and drove down Jam-eh Jam
                                                                street. In the early morning hours the streets were deserted except for a few
                                                                people who as usual were shouting revolutionary slogans. These small
                                                                groups who did not encounter any resistance became larger and larger
                                                                until they had turned into a huge demonstration. It was 8am when I
                                                                arrived at my office. The NIRT director was already there. The
                                                                cameraman and sound engineer were ready to go. Like me, they too were
                                                                unaware of their assignment. I took a tape recorderin case there was a
                                                                special message to record. The television reporters had a special camera
                                                                and recorder but in order not to use their equipment I took a portable
                                                                television recorder. In this way I didn't have to make copies in the studio.

                                                                At half-past-eight I left Jam-eh Jam for the Arya Hotel Sheraton. I had
                                                                been told that my assignment would be divulged at the hotel. At this hour
                                                                street demonstrations were spreading.We drove past groups of people
holding up or carrying banners and reached the Sheraton which was full of domestic and foreign journalists who
were preparing their cameras.

Two buses stood in front of the hotel. A public relations
officer from the palace invited the journalists to board the
buses. About 160 foreign journalists from around the world
including photographers,cameramen, reporters,
commentators and newspapermen were led towards the
buses. Although nobody had told us where we were going
most of us had guessed that it was Mehrabad Airport and
that our assignment was to cover His Majesty's departure.

We waited for a while in the buses expecting orders to move
anytime. I was plunged in deep thought looking back at the
events of recent months like scenes from a movie when
suddenly I heard the screams of a woman.The woman was
well-dressed and made up. She threw herself into the bus
and started telling the foreign reporters of the crimes and
tales oftorture committed by the regime.

                                                              Moments later the same lady who was from the Ministry of Court's public
                                                              relations office returned to tell us in English that the trip to the airport was
                                                              off. As the foreign reporters and journalists got off the buses upset and
                                                              cursing the same lady approached me and whispered that I follow her.

                                                              I did as I was told. She led me to a passenger car which had been parked in
                                                              a corner. Inside the car was the camerman of the Ministry of Arts and
                                                             Culture and a press officer from the Ministry of Court. The car headed for
                                                             Mehrabad. I asked the press officer of the Ministry of Court what had
                                                             happened? What is the news? Aren't the foreign journalists coming to the
                                                             airport? What has gone wrong that has caused the plan to be changed? He
                                                             replied that they had called from Mehrabad Airport to say that His Majesty
                                                             was not interested in seeing the foreign journalists and that there was to be
                                                             no press conference either. "Only the NIRT reporter can come to the airport
                                                             and ask any question he wants," he said. "That's why we cancelled the plan.
                                                             We are taking you to the airport to tape the Shahanshah's speech in the
                                                             Royal Pavillion."

                                                             The car passed Eisenhower Avenue and we left Shahyad square behind us
                                                             and turned into the airport area. The airport had been surrounded by elite
                                                             Javidan (Immortal) Guards and special units of His Majesty's bodyguards.
                                                             When I reached the Royal Pavillion I recognised Safa Haeri who was trying
                                                             to get in but was being refused entry. He is a smart and experienced reporter
                                                             who never loses an opportunity to hunt for news. I don't know how he had
                                                             made it to the airport alone but unfortunately he had run into the Imperial
                                                             Guard's impenetrable security ring.

                                                             Our car sped past him and after flashing our press card our equipment was
                                                             searched. We lingered in front of the Royal Pavillion for their Majesties to
                                                             come out. My curiosity made me peer inside the hall.

The late Shah was pacing back and forth as if he was awaiting someone. In fact His Majesty was awaiting Dr
Bakhtiar who was due at the airport shortly after receiving a vote of confidence in the Majlis.

The time was a few minutes past 10:30am. Her Majesty, the Shahbanou, was talking to His Majesty. The royal plane,
a 727 aircraft called "Shahin" was on standby at the tarmac. At this moment General Gharabaghi (the Joint
Chiefs of Staff) who was waiting in the hall approached His Majesty and offered him a pouch and exchanged a few
words. The Shahanshah and the Shahbanou remained in the Royal Pavillion for about an hour waiting for Prime
Minister Bakhtiar.

It was around 11am when Dr Shapour Bakhtiar's helicopter landed at
the airport. The Prime Minister walked speedily across the tarmac and
entered the Royal Pavillion. He was followed by the late Dr Javad Saeed,
the head of the Majlis. Once inside, Dr Bakhtiar bowed and kissed the
Shahanshah's hand. His Majesty asked him if he had received the vote
of confidence?

Dr Bakhtiar answered, "Yes, Sire." The Shahanshah congratulated him.
Soon afterwards, their Majesties proceeded to leave the Royal Pavillion.
I was waiting to go inside to tape His Majesty's farewell message.

Moments before His Majesty left the hall, Kambiz Yazdanpanah, the public
relations director of the Imperial Court, rushed over to me and asked me if
I could do the interview on the steps of the Royal Pavillion. Without
preparation I went forward and requested permission to do the interview.

His Majesty nodded his approval.

My first question was addressed as follows: "Sire, at a time when dark
clouds have returned to cover the skies of Iran and whilst the country is
burning in a fire of unrest and anarchy, what is the reason for Your
Majesty's trip?"

The Shahanshah answered me while gazing at the sky above , his face full of anguish for the future of the country.
"I have already said that for some time I have been feeling tired and in need of rest and medical attention. Now that
the new government has received a vote of confidence I have chosen to go on a trip."

I asked how long he intended to be away? His Majesty replied that it all depended on the state of his health. I asked
about the iteniary of his trip. His Majesty said that he intended to go to Egypt because President Anwar Sadat had
invited him and maybe later he would visit Morocco.

In regards to the vote of confidence His Majesty said he hoped the new government would prevail over difficulties and
the nation would finds its calm again and for this he added, "We will need the help of true patriots in the complete
sense of the word."

                                                               I then asked, "Does His Majesty have a message for the people of Iran?"

                                                               After a long sigh, His Majesty replied, "I have no other message than to
                                                               appeal to everybody's sense of patriotism to preserve our country."

                                                               I taped this final message which is available in the international archives
                                                              of major news organisations.

                                                              At the end of the interview I said: "All patriots await the return of the
                                                              Shahanshah Aryamehr!"

                                                              For this very sentence I was arrested a few months into the revolution in
                                                              Ahwaz by armed gangs.

                                                              After being transferred to Qasr prison I spent 6 months behind bars.In any
                                                              case, as the Shahanshah placed his foot on the last step, I found myself
                                                              overcome by emotion. I began to weep loudly.

The sound of my sobbing caused others in the royal entourage to weep. Even the King had tears in his eyes as he
walked towards the aircraft.

Everyone present in the airport was upset. Mr Rostam Amir Bakhtiar placed his hand on my shoulder and tried to
comfort me as did Her Majesty, the Shahbanou. Dr Javad and Dr Bakhtiar were also very sad as they followed the
royal couple.

An officer who was a helicopter pilot broke rank and threw himself at His Majesty's feet, and after that everyone paid
their final farewells to the emperor. There was no guard of honour or the usual pomp and circumstance on such
occasions.

Dr Bakhtiar, Javad Saeed, the head of the Majlis, the head of the Senate,
members of the Imperial Guard and the King's security men formed a ring
around the Shahanshah and the Shahbanou who said their goodbyes.

One of the Imperial Guards raised a tray bearing the holy Koran so that they
may pass underneath it and receive protection on the journey ahead of them.
It was a very exciting and emotional scene.

Everyone was in pain. General Gharabaghi ran towards the Shahanshah asking
in a loud voice how he should keep His Majesty informed of the military
situation while he was abroad.

His Majesty answered, "What reports? When I'm not here what reports do you
want to give? You decide whatever is necessary."

Before stepping into the plane, the Shahanshah turned to Bakhtiar and said: "We have worked very hard to build up
the Imperial Iranian Navy. Try not to cut anything from her annual budget."

General Gharabaghi went inside the plane. He returned a few moments later.His Majesty put on his dark sunglasses
and accompanied by the Shahbanou went inside the aircraft (the pilot was Colonel Moezi).

It was one o'clock on that wintry afternoon on January 16th (26 Dey) when the royal plane took off from Tehran's
Mehrabad airport.

CK - BN