Inside Story: The Road to Terror  

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Inside Story: The Road to Terror (1989) is a television documentary by Adam Curtis on how the Iranian Revolution turned from idealism to terror, drawing parallels with the French Revolution two hundred years earlier. It uses excerpts from Orphans of the Storm ("Robespierre - waiting the outcome"), excerpts from the May 1968 uprising in Paris, the Iran–Iraq War.

Curtis charts the manner in which the revolution in Iran in 1979 shifted from a revolution with broad support of various factions to a campaign of terror against some parties who initially supported it, especially after the Iran-Iraq war. drawing comparisons with the French revolution 200 years before. He interviews people incarcerated in Evin prison as well as a journalist who spoke to Ayatollah Khomeini when he was in exile in Paris and the exiled Iranian president Abolhassan Banisadr.

Adam Curtis has stated this is one of the first films he started to use his experimental montage technique interlacing scenes from silent film footage of the French revolution. The main voiceover is supplied by Ian McDiarmid.

The film ends with footage of Tank Man.

Subtitles

My husband was in Evin prison in Tehran; he had been tortured and spent nearly; four months in solitary confinement it; was the last days of the war we hoped; that with the end of the war the; conditions might improve on the day; after the ceasefire I went to visit him; as I was approaching the prison compound; I noticed the worried faces of families; of other inmates; I asked what had happened they said a; group had been executed I went inside I; asked the prison officials what had; happened but they wouldn't say I cried; and screamed but we were told nothing; didn't they called a member of my family; in and told him that my husband had been; executed they said that he had not; agreed to cooperate but he did not want; to be on their side so he had been; executed the prison officials would not; say where his body had been taken but; for years we had heard of a cemetery on; the cavern road that runs south of; Tehran where many of the executed were; buried we went there there were a number; of new graves some with bunches of; flowers I saw man coming towards us he; told us that he was the grave digger and; that he dug graves for all the executed; he asked if any of our relations had; been executed I said yes he said I was; not the only one and pointed to a part; of the cemetery no he said 60 bodies; were brought in the day before we asked; how one could identify them he said that; there is a tag around the ankle of each; with the name he said we could open the; graves if we wanted but he would not; help my mother and I started to dig we; judged by size the grave that might be; my husband the air smelt strongly of the; bodies which were buried just below the; surface her face fell out of the blanket; in which it was wrapped it was the face; of a young man of no more than 25 years; I brushed the dirt and blood aside he; seemed to have a smile on his face but; it was not my husband; by now I was crying and there were too; many graves it was impossible and we; knew that the security forces could; descend on us at any time we came back; one more time; but the cemetery was circled by security; forces they threatened to arrest us I; told them that they couldn't kill my; husband and expect me not to visit his; grave I told them if they wanted to; arrest me; so beard I went to the grave which I had; been told by other families might be my; husband's and laid flowers there then I; left around secretly for exile here in; Paris I am left now with a lot of; memories of the past my children are my; only source of happiness but the; important thing that occupies my; thoughts is the question of what it was; all for 10 years ago the Shah of Iran; was brought down by a mass revolution; ten days ago Ayatollah Khomeini the man; who became its leader died at the; beginning it was a revolution that; United all classes in Iranian society; against the corrupt regime that ruled; through violence and fear through; torture and execution together the; Iranian people took on the Shah and his; Western trained army and they won but; ten years on that unity has disappeared; the revolution that Ayatollah how many; did so much to create and shape survives; but it has been transformed under his; leadership it has become something that; seems intent on devouring its own; children; [Applause]; many hundreds of the regime's political; opponents have been executed in Iran's; prisons over the last year these are; lists of those executed published by; just one group the columns reveal; clearly who they were these are the; children of the middle classes who; eagerly embraced and fought in the; revolution ten years ago and now were; being destroyed by it the executions; disturbed even those at the heart of the; regime Ayatollah montessori who was then; Ayatollah Khomeini's spiritual heir; wrote this letter to his leader pleading; with him to stop the executions they are; he says a disregard for the law and the; ruling of judges they will be seen by; our own supporters as no more than an; act of vengeance and revenge; last year's terror in Iran was unique in; the world even in Iran's history because; at that time all political prisoners; were obliged to repent their political; beliefs or they were systematically; executed Dossett epic to the present; near politique what did they oblige a; Buddhist or party who systematic boys; equity it was in fact a liquidation pure; and simple of all political prisoners of; all organizations who refused to repent; you need about a cup or so upon to you; say if you imagine hope at home okay; liquidation Likud se on Peru for example; I don't call the president a politic how; can the revolution come to this what; we've read haven't we that all; revolutions come to this; [Music]; I mean we were all revolutionaries we; intended with dual feelings I mean on; the one hand we thought we were gonna; make this into a different revolution; that as Stalinism gonna come out of it a; Robespierre isn't gonna come out of it I; mean; so that was one but on the other hand; his revolution its leadership was the; farthest away from us from our image of; the revolution right so so how could I; have made it into into the ideal one; into the one that the Russian one was; not the French one was not if you lied I; mean into that perfect one too many in; the West the Iranian Revolution seems; incomprehensible a unique upheaval that; is dragging around back to the seventh; century but behind it's strange images; there has been a struggle for power that; has followed a pattern common to many; other revolutions this film is an; attempt to understand that pattern the; road down which many revolutions have; gone before from liberation to; repression the road to terror; the first mass revolution began exactly; 200 years ago in Paris for the first; time ever in history the people raised; up as a mass to demand a change not just; in who ruled them but in the entire; social and political system they lived; under they wanted to change the world; [Music]; the challenge of the Revolution was to; the age old order of European rule to; the notion that men were made by God to; be an equal to the world of 1789 this; was terrifying one writer described it; as an inflamed passion which has become; a new kind of religion a religion that; has flooded the world with its fighters; its apostles and its martyrs; [Music]; 200 years later we in Western Europe; still live in the shadow of that; revolution for out of the ruins of the; old aquatic regime that fell apart that; summer of 1789 came an entirely new idea; of society it is the goal that the; Western world still pursues a society; where the people are sovereign but the; exercise of power will be guided above; all by a concern for individual liberty; and human rights; [Music]; due to its revolutionary tradition Paris; has since then been a home to political; exiles and today thousands of Iranians; who have fled the present regime live; here but ten years ago the man who was; about to become one of this century's; most famous revolutionaries was also; based here in exile Ayatollah home a; nice house in a quiet Paris suburb is; now a ruin blasted apart by a bomb; planted by an opposition group but ten; years ago it was home to the man around; whom the growing resistance to the Shah; was gathering; it all began here exactly 10 years ago; it was in November or December and it; was snowing at that time I was living in; Brussels unlike many other Iranians I; wanted to know why all the people were; talking about her meny; and so I decided to come here to see who; he was and what it was he was planning; she may just keep fit; I know opportunity to share the place; afternoon to kiss you I had prepared a; number of questions most of all I wanted; to know what he thought about women; about their role in society what would; happen to them when he returned to the; country and also did he plan to seize; power himself he began to make quite a; speech saying that under the Shah women; were treated as objects like dolls but; now they would be free to do what they; want and about power he said I shall; never take power I only want to return; to my country; I understand absolutely nothing about; politics I only want to go back home on; January 31st 1979 Ayatollah Khomeini; left to return to Tehran although the; airport had been closed against him he; and the group of revolutionary; intellectuals around him were convinced; that their time had come that the; opposition on the streets was now strong; enough to force the regime's hand; [Music]; [Applause]; Santee was security of Iran Tet the; revolu P all I had in mind was the; overwhelming desire to see my country no; one had ever imagined that we would be; able to return that the monarchy would; be brought down after centuries and; centuries of rule that feeling erased; everything else well now she wrong; that's a road through where this pastor; of our ope to failure to the rest middle; of you but in the plane I could see that; person trying to sit in a particular; seat and another person trying to stop; somebody else coming close to home eeny; Meeny to see shows that we don't vote; not very fleshy all this make me think; again what was going to happen once we; had succeeded were victorious what what; happened to our regime he was seen as a; leader as a populist leader who would; represent all and then who would step; aside and who would let democracy; flourish okay; [Music]; [Applause]; [Music]; but the first taste of what was to come; really was when this interview on the; Air France jet coming to Tehran right; millions of people waiting for him; estimated 5 million people waited; waiting for him in the streets of Tehran; the interviewer asked him how do you; feel returning to your country after; about twenty years in exile and he looks; and he says nothing that's it nothing; really shook us the most revered leader; you know throughout probably the history; of 20th century I mean in a way more; than even Gandhi because the Muslims had problems with Gandhi here you had; Armenians Jews or Austrians Communists; you know Muslims of a various sects; saying that okay you know let's do it; together your honor it's coming to these; people and he says nothing; okay yeah they did more like Lisa R 3; and then the mullahs came into the plane; and they came up and has circled him and; carried him away we were left behind and; I had the feeling that now we the; intellectuals our part was over our row; had been to look after him and now the; mullahs had come to fetch him to; establish their own power - Casey and; say my daughter Monica something rash; action; [Applause]; however Shah had fled Iran before her; main his arrival he had left behind him; a government and an army for the next; few days thousands of young; revolutionaries fought together on the; streets they came from all political and; religious groupings united against one; of the strongest armies in the world; that was crumbling in front of their; eyes hundreds of thousands of weapons; were seized and spirited off by a; multitude of revolutionary organizations; each with their plan before the; Revolution he imposes his authority; jimena had already announced the; provisional government the new prime; minister would be a man of impeccable; liberal and Islamic credentials; maybe Baazigar so everybody will obey; his government no Memorial is important; omoi the most important moment for me; was a few hours after the Shah had gone; immediately public opinion began to; search for something to replace him then; immediately after that in the public; imagination; the Imam took the place of Don Lee Maj; populaire Lee mama; oculoplastic sure because the shah's; departure after fifty years of his; family's rule had left his vacuum into; which Romania was then sucked poor; Hopleaf may or may me Navi banned him; Khomeini did not have the means to take; over power of surgery it was going to; take a whole series of events to; transform him from being a kind of; anti-shah to becoming a kind of; duplicate of the show and it would be a; diabolical process on Doha production do; shock certainty electic Bernard; as in other revolutions it was violence; that made the growing divisions clear in; May; Ayatollah Mata Hari one of her manias; closest advisers was mysteriously; assassinated his death heightened the; emotions surrounding the debate on what; should be the shape of the new; constitution to the Liberals and many of; the left is LA was to be separate from; the state and Parliament would be; sovereign but to those Islamic parties; that drew their inspiration from the; writings of Jimena himself sovereignty; belonged to God not to the people in; their society political power would lie; with the supreme Guardian who; interpreted God's law it was it was if; you like the exact opposite of what was; the main characteristic of the; pre-revolutionary days I mean then the; Iranian Revolution was the most United; the widest possible revolution I think; of all times I mean we were ha it seemed; that almost in his last days he was like; everybody together your families your; Sakuma said I did but little by little; it all began to fall apart and the; fundamentalists began to come and attack; people who were in political discussion; and then they would shout slogans about; her mainly fundamentalist slogans for me; Neelu just look on us here and take your; east of it; as in the French Revolution the crowd; the mass was now fragmenting parts of it; were becoming a force to be used by; those who wanted to push the revolution; on past the attempts to reform to; compromise with the country is corrupt; past towards instead their idea of a; completely new sort of society; officially Iran is now ruled by Prime; Minister Baz again but real power is in; the hands of Ayatollah Khomeini and the; Revolutionary Council during the char's; time this building housed Iran's; Parliament a largely nominal democracy; since he ruled as an autocrat today the; building is the headquarters of the; Central Committee Tehran's version of; the Paris Commune zat the French; Revolution real power on the streets of; Tehran lies not with the Prime Minister; and cabinet but with the committee's led; by Ayatollah Commission for power; intensified in August the committee; ordered its guards to close down the; newspaper ind gong which had; consistently criticized the; fundamentalist concept of the Islamic; state has been what we consider; anti-revolutionary from the very; beginning of the revolution its articles; have not been aimed unifying the people; in any direction to that end is that an; argument for shutting it down no we did; shut it down Ayatollah Khomeini said; after the last article in which which; was fabrication he said I will not; myself buy this paper again that is all; he said but that is enough but isn't; about freedom of the press up to the; point where the people guided by; Ayatollah Khomeini decide that freedom; shan't exist; see if the majority want this then this; is democracy they arrested the Council; of the writers of I on the gun and its; editorial board whoever was there was; arrested; of course we in the National Democratic; Front felt this is the way this is the; day that we should make a very very; important stand if we do not make a; stand here for the freedom of press we; have not accomplished our duty to the; revolution we call for a rally in Tehran; in which almost a million persons turned; up on the roads a march towards the; prime minister's office we were attacked; by organised Hezbollah his; they attack them with knives they attack; them with stones they attack them with; bricks which they brought with them; laura's loads of stem but roots with; them they would unload them and they; threw them the people they actually; mobilized where the lump ends the; unemployed but especially many of those; who'd moved in from the countryside and; mainly lived in the shanty towns around; Tehran who could only fall back who had; not been integrated in the urban society; and and who could be mobilized and who; could get excited about that who felt; secure only in terms of within a; religious video and those religious; slogans and religious imageries and home; a knee and his radicalism and and and; and his authority you know just just; gave them all they needed they they; became they are mob to confront the the; other groups and organizations which; basically through their support from; very definite layers of the urban; society from students University; students high school students government; employees teachers professionals in; October when fundamentalist students; occupied the American Embassy Vasa Gong; finally resigned how I had now firmly; shifted from the Liberals to the Islamic; revolutionaries; but the new constitution that installed; ayatollah khomeini as supreme authority; also provided for a president and in; January 1988 Al Hasan Bani Sadr was; elected although he was close to her; many van Assad interpreted his 75%; majority as a mandate to pull back for; power that had slipped to the mullahs; their principal I wanted to realize the; principles for which the people have; made the revolution these were freedom; which I wanted to re-establish and; independence all of this would be within; an Islamic identity and I deliberately; stood as a candidate because of the; mullahs claim that the people were; following home a knee I said no it's the; opposite it is home a knee who has; followed the people public as a vehicle; me did your mother love contracts from; any case you needed that you van Assad; had learned his revolutionary theory not; just on the streets of Tehran but also; as a student in the Paris riots of May; 68 his imagination had been captured by; their apparent spontaneity and in his; Islamic Society it would be the people; who's spontaneous actions had brought; the Shah down who would be the; interpreters of God's will in its; peculiar mixing of Western revolutionary; theory in Islam it was a far cry from; her manias concept of the supreme; political authority of the mullahs so; how did we try and stop the mullahs; march towards dictatorship simply by; encouraging the people to remain; politically active to put them if you; like face to face with the mullahs; by the summer of 1980 many of the young; revolutionaries who had stood; side-by-side against the Shah now began; to fight and shoot each other openly; radical left-wing groups such as the; Mujahideen who offered an alternative to; the fundamentalist vision of society; began to attract thousands of followers; as Iranian society polarized originally; they had supported her mainly for his; radicalism now in the struggle for power; they found themselves attacked as; hypocrites who would destroy the; revolution but it was a revolution that; was in fact spinning out of control; [Music]; on the 22nd of September Iraq declared; war on Iran it was to become one of the; longest and bloodiest Wars of the 20th; century but its immediate effect was to; bring yet more suspicion and fear as in; revolutions before political opponents; now saw each other as potential or; actual traitors and Revolutionary Guards; used the war as a pretext to search for; and arrest anyone they considered; subversive in an atmosphere of crises; vanish Sadr rapidly became the focus for; a broad opposition one that reigned from; the Mujahideen to moderate liberals the; mullahs whose power lay in the iranian; parliament saw his growing popularity; and the direct threat and in June 1981; they persuaded Ayatollah who may need to; allow them to put forward a motion for; his impeachment once again the mob was; to play a crucial role; they're this you dig sank herbs are sold; individually he fouled a tripod they; decided that the deputies would have; five hours to speak against me I would; have five hours to defend myself but it; was all set up to prevent me replying; that is why I asked how meny; to publish a notice in which he; officially guaranteed that I would leave; Parliament alive after my reply text son; Gaddafi sienhua cuz your [ __ ] vivo de; Paloma I pray Mariposa married it never; arrived; never so it was clear that if I went to; Parliament they might kill me even; before I got there and claimed it was; the people who had done it but it was in; fact it was a coup d'etat so the idea; then was we should resist this right; whose is this and that was signaled by; the huge demonstration basically called; by majority were you that yes the; demonstration attracted thousands from; across the spectrum of political; opposition its size shocked the; fundamentals parties it was the direct; challenge to the power of their; revolutionary organizations using the; methods that had worked so well against; the shock from the committee's the; orders went out to kill in the; Parliament building the debate took; place in an atmosphere of Menace many of; the deputies who supported ban Assad did; not turn up fearing they would be; attacked or arrested then the result was; announced; [Applause]; [Applause]; [Applause]; that demonstration were bloodiest ever; in the sense I mean it was attacked by; the by the Revolutionary Guards were the; neighborhood committees it was defended; at various points with arms; various people were killed many were; arrested and many were immediately; executed I mean that's that's the; beginning of the reign of terror; Danny Sarge fled into my day the; Mujahideen and other opposition groups; declared armed resistance to the regime; street battles broke out in Tehran and; other cities and in the north Kurdish; rebels stepped up their attacks well; earlier I'd lost my own illusions about; where this revolution was going but I; think many had great illusions still; left but all of a sudden they saw that; ah the whole thing has ended and; something has begun which just in their; worst nightmares both sides used the; tactics of Terror six days after the; overthrow of an Assad a bomb exploded at; the headquarters of the largest pro; Jimena party it killed seventy four; people including Ayatollah beheshti; second only to her mania for cabinet; ministers 10 deputy ministers and 27; deputies two weeks later another bomb; killed the new president and Prime; Minister but the regime did not falter; in response thousands were arrested and; taken to the prisons such as Evin prison; and Tehran a centre of torture under the; Shah there they were shown on television; repenting and pledging their allegiance; to the party that now ruled Iran; Hezbollah the party of God many; thousands were also executed in Evin; sometimes over a hundred a night they; were under the control of the; revolutionary prosecutor as a dollar; large a body what he did after the reign; of terror was on the one hand go for for; immediate executions and declaring it; coming out on television saying we; killed we are going to kill giving; interviews showing and coming out and; saying no we are killing and in fact; they went so far as killing some members; of of the Revolutionary Guards; themselves that they were killing at; such a speed that in the confusion of; people just being taken to every; okay some guards were mixed up with; prisoners and they were simply shot in; right there I mean that came out the; identities are known to many the rulers; who will kill but in that it was very; effective; I mean that you know that here is the; result of its absolute terror as in; Jonas Matt very busy for those who want; to make war there is severe treatment; but the people themselves are in favor; of the regime the people themselves when; they give 16 million votes to our; president mr. Haney it shows that the; people are satisfied this rule is the; rule of the people themselves I heard; that one of my brothers had been; executed cause Sean tandra said you; there now and when I heard the news I; was so shattered so sad I just couldn't; understand I thought it's impossible so; many people had died for this revolution; just for the sake of going backwards to; have yet another fascist it's just not; possible for a revolution to go this way; and not office she's the city papa serum; Lucia read over this ear shelleyf; welcome home but also I can't understand; how people can kill can execute can; torture another human being just because; of his thoughts it's something I'm never; able to understand I don't even want to; understand it's so bloody vile it's so; terrible I'm Jaime I can conjure it year; is shinshin shush meanwhile con con she; gets it anymore; the EULA still more terrible; simple cordial fun; these pearl ashes in the heart of Paris; and not Iran this is a very important; and famous cemetery where many exiles; are buried included including Iranians; Iranians who fled from the terror of how; many mostly from 1981 onwards of course; this is the great side of polymers; anxiety a very prominent Iranian writer; and political thinkers but at the same; time the Iranian resistance had come; abroad and Paris had become the center; of the Iranian opposition one of the; most important reasons for which I came; to Paris was to do something about how; meny together with the rest of the; opposition which had gathered here the; first mass revolution brought with it; the first terror to Paris in 1793; thousands of suspected enemies of the; revolution were taken to prison such as; the Conciergerie from there that would; driven daily through the streets of; Paris to the guillotine; faced with invading armies and with; plots to overthrow the government a; small minority of revolutionaries led by; rib spear turned to terror as a method; of preserving their idea of the; revolution steady it was the same thing; that Stalin did during the Russian; Revolution up to the point where he did; not feel himself threatened Stalin; accepted the ways of the Bolshevik Party; but from the moment he realized that; movements were leading to his own; elimination he turned to terror I really; mean SEO he's a little onion said that I; make sure in the Iranian Revolution it; was the same a small minority took; advantage of the danger created by the; war a neon rush of the revolution to; seize the reins of power and then it; used terror as a means of governing you; to prove our it will prove us cement an; accomplice electric till easy let it all; come and we're yeah; but Reb spheres problem as it would be; for many other revolutionaries in the; future was how to justify the use of; terror; yet still persuade the people that the; aims of the revolution had not been; destroyed at the height of the; executions Reb spear made a speech in; which he tackled this problem head-on; terror he admitted was the main force; behind despotic government the very sort; of government that the Revolution had; fought to destroy but for a; Revolutionary Government terror was; something very different because it; meant the destruction of those whose; moral corruption barred the way to a new; society of virtue terror has now become; he said the despotism of Liberty against; tyranny; another nother Jacobin Saint-Just to put it more simply, we must force the people to be free; and this is the other legacy of the; French Revolution that has echoed down; through many other revolutions of the; past 200 years there comes a time we; went to preserve the purity of your; revolution and your power it is; necessary and justified to kill in order; to regenerate a society that is not; fully aware of what is good for it; [Music]; [Applause]; I think most of them were doing it; because they thought here are infidels; here are our enemies of God here are; those who are rising against the; government of Allah you know Han and his; representative on earth I think that for; many it became so easy to do it so easy; to do it because as many other; revolutions in the past had done it for; them for the sake of history right; history you know history will justify; did I mean this is the history demands; you to kill I think these people thought; that they were doing it for the sake of; God that they were doing it following; the God's commandment can you compare it; to something like the terror in the; French Revolution to the extent that it; was it was done self-righteously to the; extent that he was done for for for high; motives for ideals you know mean to that; extent it wasn't done for for petty; advancement by many I think to that; extent they're comparable I mean they're; comparable to terror in any other; revolution where it's done for for pure; for selfless motives if you like you; know but I think intertwined with that; and how can be separated is is power is; the lost for power is the losing of; power I think that was very much there; too I mean remember this here here but I; mean here on in this sense in some ways; maybe also like the French Revolution; but certainly more than the Russian and; the Chinese in many others here was a; real revolution the sense that many; people from the lowers the status of; society where were you know were brought; to where they felt not they were on top; now they were on top and now I think; there was also an element of revenge; don't forget that he was I mean that; element of revenge I think was very; important was central was there I mean; remember the Shah just on every level; these people felt degraded from from; from Khomeini and HD down as mullahs as; they representative an old dying culture; in Iran they felt degraded they had this; vengeance and they wanted; that is hard and I think that shooting; see who were they shooting who were they; killing they were killing the cream of; the Iranian society remember that they; were killing the brightest university; students who usually would become; political they were killing the; brightest high school students they were; killing these modern political women; just just you know what they hated and I; mean they were killing them they were; killing professionals physicians lawyers; they were killing the kind of society; that had been developing in your arm for; for over the past you know hundred years; to paint around thousands and thousands; of people on a march in a procession; which is both religious and political; these are the poor of South Tehran and; the fuel and basis of Ayatollah; Khomeini's revolution as long as they; support the Ayatollah it doesn't matter; if cabinets are decimated by death exile; or disgrace; [Music]; ayatollah khomeini had now established; his idea of a revolutionary Islamic; society in Iran but in the process he; had used terror to create that new order; like the French Revolution it also; became a regime committed to exporting; its ideas ferociously criticizing those; in the West who will criticize it; Britain and America had used violence; for over 50 years to dominate Iran as; part of their empires yet now like; hypocrites they pretended a concern for; human rights to serve Islam is to serve; mankind mankind is today enslaved in the; hands of those who supervise them in; tyranny all nations are caught in the; talons of these powers who consider; themselves pious and competent; [Music]; in our yard birds you know I either; kanata Hyde Park; you know e KH and as Nazare Inara me; Molly and Jason sauce nominee Shawnee a; marble oratory fatale acid on ha our; soul oye stay away please; Parimal a most as a fake man on TV most; any future horrors; [Music]; wanna go he goes Arabic in vino; dharmaiah beam Saguna imperialism topic; resulted Giuliani part re talabani hora; not an hot [ __ ] money Makana John rod; armor as a new maryam nias alright; there are those who claim to be; followers of Jesus Christ who said if; one slapped your face you should turn it; so that he would slap it on the other; side Jesus Christ would not make such an; error do you think that we in the; Western press and the Western media can; sit and make simple judgments of right; and wrong about issues such as human; rights in a process as complicated as; the Iranian Revolution has been Sunnah; or Wow ah good camp popular I do not; believe that any people or individual; was the right to judge a whole nation; with simplistic and short judgments; they're not kebab low I think these; usual SAP; [Music]; mean all our Java says said but for the; French Revolution this period of terror; was relatively short for the Iranian; Revolution Mossad Li is this clear; cutter terror is not finished; na fini ba one of the most important; reasons is the home a nice idea of the; society he wants to create in Iran is; not clear oh yeah hoon associated on; your heart well nip back Claire mm so; poor Jenny Butler don't bother you dare; you to be the hot dog on the one hand; there is a vision of a utopia that goes; back to the society had 14 centuries ago; but that is an anachronism in Iranian; society is actually a complex authority; of the late 20th century; this means that Helene is Islamic rules; and ideas that have remained static for; centuries it must be exploded and; reshaped to fit today's society; she ever stood on down this Jacqueline; in mobile so bull vets cichlid 6 plus is; Soho constitute; sewer limited to associate actual or; around and the other hand would have to; regress to fit the Angela tribal society; March 14th centuries here this is not; possible and it is this tension that is; the root of the violence Sasaki; Creighton via NASA in the French; Revolution was safety afforded by; victory in war began the end of the; terror for Iran the war went on and on; its cemeteries becoming elaborate; memorials to a crusade that seemed; without end by the spring of 1988 Iran; prepared to accept the United Nations; ceasefire and at that point the; Mujahideen invaded from their bases in; Iraq to the regime and many ordinary; Iranians weary of eight years of; fighting this attack was pointless; treachery and alliance between the; opposition and the enemy the invasion; was repulsed but in the climate of; insecurity created by the failure to win; the war it gave another twist to the; machinery of terror thousands of; political prisoners from all opposition; groups some who had been in; jail for over six years were asked to; repent if they refused they were; executed we all were part of the; revolution our families also were part; of a troop but a large number of them; have been executed recently Reza said; that his brother was executed following; his execution and results brother-in-law; was executed his cousin was executed and; also his another cousin who was the 13th; and a member of his family who were; executed when his family went to know; about the body of the prisoners they; told her that they haven't been buried; as such they are all being put in a; cemetery far away somewhere in Tehran so; it was up to the families themselves to; find the bodies of their beloved I know; that I am NOT alone I know that there; have been many thousands of executions; in the prisons in the last year what is; important for me is to know why these; people have lost their lives I remember; my husband and I used to talk together; neither of us could understand how a; revolution could become like this but I; also know that without revolutions in; the past the world would not have; changed and for me the struggle; continues against another dictator I; regret having lost a man who had been my; best friend I loved him and still do but; I do not regret what has happened; because I know that this revolution is; not finished yet it is important to note; that my husband did not die for a; personal end; he resisted torture and finally died for; something he loved and once one is in; love one is capable of anything; [Music]; when I see but Rhonda a leisure suit; venue idiot diesel this is the place; where I came ten years ago because I was; waiting so impatient Lee for the Iranian; Revolution this is where hour after hour; we listened to the radio for the news of; what was happening ten years have gone; by thousands of people have become; victims of the revolution and it goes on; I have lost two close members of my; family in the executions and many other; close friends for me this is no longer; what the Revolution was about for me the; revolution is what I saw when I first; went back to Iran it is what I had read; about in history but we also know that a; revolution always goes forward never; back or Nirvana Jamie Michelle

See also

• Hedayatollah Matin-Daftari
• Abolhassan Banisadr
• Gholam-Hossein Sa'edi
• Maximilien Robespierre speech defending terror
• Albert Memorial