The opposition showed more of its clout on December 11, 1978, during Ashura, the climactic day of Muharram, when its representatives in Tehran – speaking on behalf of Imam Khomeini – reached an understanding with the government. The government agreed to keep the military out of sight and confined mostly to the northern wealthy parts of the city. The opposition agreed to march along prescribed routes and not raise slogans directly attacking the person of the shah. On the climactic day, four orderly processions converged on the expansive Shahyad Square in western Tehran. Foreign correspondents estimated the crowd to be in excess of two million. The rally ratified by acclamation resolutions calling for the establishment of an Islamic Republic, the return of Khomeini, the expulsion of the imperial powers, and the implementation of social justice for the “deprived masses.” In this as in all these demonstrations, the term velayat-e faqeh was intentionally avoided. The New York Times wrote that the message was loud and clear: “The government was powerless to preserve law and order on its own. It could do so only by standing aside and allowing the religious leaders to take charge. In a way, the opposition has demonstrated that there already is an alternative government.” Similarly, the Christian Science Monitor reported that a “giant wave of humanity swept through the capital declaring louder than any bullet or bomb could the clear message: ‘The Shah Must Go.’” Many treated the rally as a de facto referendum.
Mobilization of Elites: New Regime Evolves under Imam Khomeini
