Despite martial law being declared at 6:00 AM, many residents of Tehran either did not know about it or deliberately ignored it.
-
The main demonstration was called for at Jhaleh Square in southern Tehran, organized by local activists and clerics such as Yahya Nouri, who lived near the area.
-
By early morning, thousands had gathered in the square and along Jhaleh Street, chanting slogans against the Shah and calling for an Islamic republic.
The Military Deployment
-
Soldiers, tanks, and armored vehicles surrounded the square under the command of General Oveisi.
-
The crowd was ordered to disperse, but eyewitness accounts suggest many demonstrators believed the soldiers would not open fire on civilians.
The Shooting
Around 9:00 AM, the army opened fire directly into the crowd.
-
Unlike previous clashes where soldiers sometimes fired into the air, this time live ammunition was used against unarmed demonstrators.
-
Panic ensued as protesters fled in all directions. Some tried to shelter in nearby houses and mosques, while others attempted to carry away the wounded.
-
According to official reports, 64 people were killed in Jhaleh Square alone, with total casualties across the city amounting to 87–88 deaths. Opposition groups claimed hundreds or even thousands were killed, and French philosopher Michel Foucault, then reporting from Iran, repeated these higher estimates.
