Iran observes the Khordad National Uprising annually on June 5. The events of the 1963 protests against the Shah Mohammad Reza Pahlavi dynasty, also known as the Khordad 15 Revolt, are regarded as the beginning of the Islamic Revolution, and the anniversary is a national holiday in Iran. Iranians utilise the holiday to relax with their families and contemplate on their nation’s and religion’s past. As a means of preserving this knowledge for future generations, parents also impart this history to their children during this time.
The background of Khordad National Uprising in Iran
The Khordad Uprising occurred on June 5, 1963, when Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini was detained for criticising the Iranian monarch, Mohammad Reza Shah Pahlavi, and his government supported by the West. The detention of Khomeini angered Iranians, who took to the streets in large numbers to protest the arrest. This became the foundation for resistance against the Shah and his Westernised regime in Iran.
The entire Iranian nation was in turmoil for six days, giving rise to the Movement of Khordad 15. Surprisingly, the government promptly declared martial law, with a curfew from 10 p.m. to 5 a.m. The police and military mercilessly suppressed the protesters, resulting in the deaths of multiple civilians in various cities. The government issued shoot-to-kill orders to military vehicles and soldiers who confronted the protesters. At least 380 individuals were killed or injured in this conflict.
Khomeini was exiled in 1964, but annual protests on the anniversary of his arrest persisted for 15 years, and the government’s responses were always violent. During a rally in Khomeini’s hometown of Qom in 1975, the Iranian army opened fire with live ammunition, culminating in the death of several civilians.
In February 1979, however, Khomeini returned from exile, and the Iranian people adopted a national memorandum to establish an Islamic republic under a new constitution. The Shah was deposed, and Khomeini established a theocratic regime.
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5 fascinating facts about Iran
Due to the Khordad revolt and subsequent Iranian revolution, Mohammad Reza Shah Pahlavi became the final Shah of Iran.
Under the Pahlavi dynasty, the country’s official name was the Imperial State of Iran.
The White Revolution was the appellation given to the politically westernised movement of the Shah.
Khomeini referred to the first day of the Islamic Republic of Iran as “the first day of the Government of God.”
Following Khomeini’s demise in 1989, President Ali Khamenei assumed the position of Iran’s supreme leader.
KHORDAD NATIONAL UPRISING IN IRAN DATES
| Year | Date | Day |
|---|---|---|
| 2023 | June 5 | Monday |
| 2024 | June 5 | Wednesday |
| 2025 | June 5 | Thursday |
| 2026 | June 5 | Friday |
| 2027 | June 5 | Saturday |
