TEHRAN On February 8, 1979, a group of Air Force leaders from the Shahs program went to Imam Khomeinis house to pledge their allegiance to him, announcing that they were signing up with the prevalent advanced movement.Many Iranian Air Force workers, known as Homafaran, had taken specialized courses in the United States, such as electronic devices and mechanics, prior to the Islamic Revolution in 1979.
Numerous of them had signed up with the transformation before Imam Khomeinis go back to Iran, weeks prior, and some had even gone to Imam Khomeinis home while he was in exile in Neauphle-le-Chteau, a residential area of Paris, however were arrested and banished upon going back to the country.But on that particular day in winter, a group of these Air Force personnel covertly went to Imam Khomeinis short-lived home at Alawi School in eastern Tehran, not caring about the fact that they could face the very same consequences their peers did in the past.Reportedly, the workers used casual clothes on the way to Alawi School to avoid the imperial guard and altered back into their uniforms when inside the school.
They proceeded in order and then got in the conference with Imam.
They pledged their obligation to the revolution and its extremely popular leader in a communiqu they check out aloud.During the conference, due to hazards against the Homafarans, security checks were carried out to avoid photography.
Hossein Partovi, a photographer with the Tehran-based Kayhan newspaper, was permitted to take images from behind the soldiers to protect the Homafarans identities from the overbearing Shah regime.Imams mentions at the conference: In a short speech, Imam Khomeini thanked the Air Force personnel, referring to them as soldiers of Imam Mahdi, the 12th and just living Shia Imam.
He expressed his gratitude for the efforts made by the Air Force and Army personnel towards the facility of an Islamic government.
As you have proclaimed previously, you were serving Taghut, which has annihilated our entire being; Taghut, which has actually cleared our treasury and turned us into slaves at the service of foreigners.
From now on, you are in the service of the Imam Mahdi, may Gods peace be upon him, and the glorious Quran, which has actually guaranteed the wellness of all mankind; the glorious Quran, which assures well-being in this world and the hereafter to anyone who remains under its banner; the wonderful Quran, which advocates liberty and self-reliance.
We are all followers of the wonderful Quran and Islamic precepts and ordinances.
Everybody, consisting of the clerics, are grateful to you, Imam Khomeini stated at the conference.
We wish to emancipate our country and clean it of all injustice.
We desire the armed forces to be devoid of control by Israel or America, Imam Khomeini added.In their communique, the Air Force personnel expressed hope that the staying workers still serving in the Shah regimes military would follow in their steps, understand their task, and sign up with the nation.
They desired be free and make their beloved nation independent.The Air Force staffs promise of obligation took place simply 3 days before the success of the Islamic Revolution.
It considerably sped up the subsequent events, particularly the armys declaration of neutrality and its eventual turning against the interim Shahpour Bakhtiar regime.After the meeting: Following Kayhan newspapers afternoon front-page protection of the meeting, with the headline Air Force workers pledged allegiance to Imam Khomeini, Shahpour Bakhtiar, the last Shahs Prime Minister, tried to deny that it had occurred.Kayhan also published an image of the conference, illustrating a group of Homafarans in uniforms at the Imams house; nevertheless, the image revealed the backs of the soldiers to protect their identities.
The Bakhtiar regime stated the picture a montage and provided an arrest warrant for the professional photographer.
Imam Khomeini later on confirmed the conference, making rejection impossible.Imam Khomeini subsequently issued a caution, prompting public awareness versus the Pahlavi routine, which he had picked up was trying to restore power.
On February 10th, the day before the revolutions final success, followers of the Pahlavi routine prepared a military coup by declaring martial law, but it failed due to the caution of the Imam and the people.Sporadic armed clashes erupted, particularly in eastern Tehran, in between armed residents (who had acquired weapons after taking barracks and ammo depots) and rebel troops, who overwhelmed the Shahs significantly less loyalists.The Iranian Air Force, together with Army workers, played a crucial role in the nations supreme success over the dictatorship.The day the Homafaran met Imam Khomeini was later marked as Air Force Day in the Iranian calendar.On among the anniversaries of this historic conference, the current Leader of the Islamic Revolution, Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei, specified, What the Air Force did in 1979 was an effort and a prompt action to move on with a confident aim to the future.