Tuesday, Jun. 28, 2011
Muharram Protests in Iran, 1978
On Dec. 2, 1978, more than 2 million people took to Tehran's Shahyad Square to call for the overthrow of Shah Mohammed Reza Pahlavi and the return of Grand Ayatullah Ruhollah Khomeini from exile. By Dec. 11, somewhere between 6 million and 9 million — or roughly 10% of the entire population — had taken to the streets in the Muharram protests (named for the Islamic month in which they fell). In a victory for the people, the embattled leader agreed to step down later that month.