The city of Mashhad in Aban 1357  had witnessed the bitter events and would experience excitement times of Revolution. Increasing of workers and employees’ strike, the resignations of the governor-general, marching and shooting at the different places of shrine are the most important events that have caused the reaction of Iranian scholars and people.

• 1st Aban 1357, the hunger strike of professors, staffs and students at Ferdowsi University
Protesting to the Pahlavi government, academia of Mashhad Ferdowsi University began their hunger strike at 8 am of Monday 1st of Aban 1357 and issued a resolution as follows: "Although the will of Iranian nation is to achieve independence and lost freedom and no foreign power have possibility and ability to eliminate the solidarity of people and prevent reaching to these humanely holy goals; however, approving the national unity and protesting against and expressed outrage over the massacres and known operations, which exerted in Kerman and other parts of the country for destroying the integrity of our suffered and informed nation; faculty, assistants, interns, students, staffs of medical centers and administrators of Ferdowsi University…”
On the second day of 48-hour hunger strike of academics, a large number of individuals from different classes of society set off toward the central office of Ferdowsi University and Shahnaz Medical School to attend in their gathering and to express their solidarity with them and confirmation the academia’s demands. (1) While carrying baskets of flowers, large groups of people from the side streets reached to the central office courtyard and joined to academia. As in previous days, Mr. Tehrani, Marashi, Khamenei, Ayatollah Shirazi and Qomi were the vanguard of demonstrations.
Inserting a photo of teachers’ gathering in Mashhad, ‘Aftab Sharq’ newspaper depicted their hunger strike as the first revolutionary image. (2)

● Sunday 7th Aban 1357, people marching in Mashhad
The city witnessed widespread protests at this day. Demonstrators sprinkled sugar-plums and flowers on the soldiers’ head and observed prayer at Bahar Street. (3)

● Closing down of schools in Mashhad (4)
Following the invitation of Mashhad teachers’ society, a grand delegation and a majority of teachers from different schools of Mashhad and its suburbs gathered in Gymnasium, which was located at Danesh-sara Street, at 3 pm of Thursday, 11th Aban 1357. As a protest against the status quo and lack of making their political demand by government, teachers unanimously decided to avoid going to class from Saturday 13th Aban 1357 for a week; and during this period informed students about the reasons of their protests at school yard.

● 14th Aban, following up the demands of municipal workers
14th Aban 1357, workers of the Municipality of Mashhad sent a letter to ‘Khorasan’ newspaper and reflected their demands as follow: “800 Rials Non-cash payment, paying 1,500 Rials for housing, adding 20 per cent to wages, paying wages of 10-day public holidays in 1356, payment the partner’s allowance, giving the winter and summer clothes of 1357, adding the family allowance which is determined 630 Rials for each child from the beginning of the current year, housing mortgage to all workers, paying two months bonus every year." (5)

● 17th Aban, the municipal employees’ strike in Mashhad
Aban 17th 1357, municipal employees came on strike by presenting their twenty-one article claims and said that they won’t work until achieving result. The strike was conducted calmly and by sitting at work place. (6) They chose nine representatives for following up their demands, who were as follows: 1- Mahmoudi; 2- engineer Allah Qolizadeh; 3- engineer Ziaeian; 4- Reza Shadlou; 5- Sabouri; 6- Alizadeh; 7- Bouraghi; 8- Soleimani; 9- Houshang Salehi. (7)

● Thursday, 18th Aban 1357
Early hours on the morning, many people set off toward central office of university in the snowfall to participate in the seventh-day ceremony of victims of Tehran University. But government officials prevented people from joining to academia by blocking streets and alleys leading to the St. Ahmadabad and headquarters of University. Demonstrators showed their sympathy to dead of Tehran University incident. (8)

● 20th Aban, 300 thousand people marched in Mashhad on the day of Eid-e qorban (9)
Eid-e Qorban demonstration in Mashhad was the most unprecedented one in this city. It lasted 4 hours and different groups of people had participated. At the end, a resolution was read that its provisions are as follows:

1- Supporting all those who came on strike to reach to their right and to establish Islamic government, and because of some reasons they has ceased to work.
2- Israeli - Iran government complete breaking off.
3- Deporting all foreign advisors, especially advisors in the military.
4- Supporting all aspects of Palestinian people revolution.
5- Unconditional release of all political prisoners across the country.
6- Facilitating of Ayatollah Khomeini’s returning to Iran by government.
7- Establishing of Islamic government in the literal sense.

● 21st Aban, introducing the new governor-general of Khorasan
From Shahrivar to Bahman 1357, three governors of Khorasan were dismissed. After resignation of Abdel-Azim Valian in Shahrivar, Seyed Hassan Siraj Hijazi, son of Hedayatollah (Siraj al-Sultan) became the governor of Khorasan. Seyed Hassan Siraj Hijazi's arrival to Mashhad was coincided with the peak of Revolutionary struggles, especially the various events occurred in Mashhad. He wrote a letter to all governors and province administrative authorities and recommended that for the implementation of the orders issued by Prime Minister through Interior Ministry, general managers and province executive officers as well as governors and district governors of towns and districts must always be available, so that referring them is easy for clients. (10)

After Seyed Hassan Siraj Hijazi’s entrance to Mashhad, ‘Khorasan’ newspaper reviewed the situation at that time in an editorial on ‘Our talks with the new governor general’ and pointed out: “Mr. Hejazi! You inherited problems, chaos, and oppressions which have occurred in the last few years in Khorasan Province, especially in the city of Mashhad and ... (11) the most important events which happened during Seyed Hassan Siraj Hijazi’s governance and deputy custodian period in Mashhad and Khorasan and led to the removal of him include: imposing curfew on Mashhad from 19th Shahrivar 1357; staff of Astan Quds Razavi’s few days strike in Mehr 1357 and their request for meeting with Siraj Hejazi; Tabas earthquake and the getting killed of many people; sit-in of public organizations, such as radio and television, taxi drivers, staff of water company, Ferdowsi University, rural cooperation and water company, Medical University, hospitals, etc… (12); Closing of schools and demonstration of 300 thousand people in Mashhad; entrance of about two thousand people from different categories to the shrine courtyard on the last night of Siraj Hejazi’s presence in Mashhad who have damaged there during their severe protests and shouting slogans. (13)
After Siraj Hejazi’s resignation on Monday, 21st Aban 1357, the Interior Minister, General Gharebaghi appointed Lieutenant General Sadiq Amir Azizi the governor general of Khorasan. At 10 am, 25th Aban, he arrived by plane to Mashhad and after welcoming formalities and meeting Astan Qods authorities, went to Holy Shrine of Imam Reza (AS). People’s fighting intensified by arrival of Lieutenant General Aziz to Mashhad, so that people were shot up at 29th Aban 1357 in the shrine of Imam Reza (AS).

● 29th Aban, opening fire at shrine sites
29th Aban 1357, at 5 pm, after the funeral ceremony of one of those who killed at the recent events in Mashhad at Abasgholi Khan School, a group of participants went to the courtyard of Imam Reza shrine and embarked on demonstration. Their activity made some of positive elements to react at the courtyard of holy shrine and a clash created between them. Police used tear gas and rubber bullets to disperse them. According to SAVAK, a person injured by a rubber bullet in the incident and three were injured due to the impacts of staff and knuckle.

Gholamreza Jalali, researcher on Islamic Revolution and one of witnesses of Revolution events in Mashhad, during an interview with ‘Khorasan’ newspaper has described the reasons for the attack on the shrine and his observations as follows:

"On 27th Aban 1357, two days before our considered event, accompanied with a number of my friends gathered in front of the Ayatollah Shirazi’s house, when people had been attacked by security forces and the military suddenly. There were a roofed corridor and a dead end in front of his house where I sheltered and witnessed bitter events. Escaping from the bullets of the military, people took refuge in Ayatollah Shirazi’s house, but they shot up its wooden door with heavy machine guns and I think more than 10 people were martyred in this case. One of them was Shahid Ahmadi who was a friend of mine and his child was born after this event. This crime of regime in one of the grand Ayatollah’s house has brought vast reactions and protests; and indicated that they did not care to people’s respected places.

On 29th Aban, I was at home when suddenly I heard the sound of gunfire and commotion of people. I came out of house and saw that people were running out of the shrine and say, soldiers have attacked to the holy shrine of Imam Reza. Quickly I went to the shrine. When I entered there, it seems the story had ended and the Atiq courtyard was empty. But the courtyard floor was filled with many Chadors, scarves and shoes. When I got closer I saw that they even have shot Golden Arch and the ricochet of bullets has destroyed some of ornaments. Everything showed the severity of the attack of regime's agents to people. A small number of servants were busy cleaning the floor of the shrine. I had been completely shocked.

No one could ever think of such an offense to the holy shrine of Imam Reza. One of my friends, Mr. Khoshbakht, who had been seriously injured in the same incident, explained that officers had directly targeted people and shot. There is no exact statistics about the number of martyrs and wounded of this event. Someone, like Mr. Khoshbakht was saved by the people. But according to the records of regime agents in events, such as Goharshad mosque event, the transfer of wounded and killing them was not unexpected. However, this event accelerated the revolution progression and after that, until Islamic revolution occurrence, every day we witnessed people's movement against the Pahlavi’s regime in Mashhad. "(14)

The incident caused Grand Ayatollahs and Clergymen’s reactions and protests. In a message, Imam Khomeini condemned this tragedy and announced 5 day public mourning. In part of the message we read:

“Day by day atrocities of decadent Pahlavi regime became more and more. Increasing of crimes volume is so that takes away the power of speech. In the last few weeks, losses throughout country has made Iran to mourn and has taken away Shah's power of thinking. Insurgent military government has shot up everyone by Shah’s order and one of the biggest hits of this criminal to Islam is shooting Imam Reza’s holy shrine with machine guns. During Reza Khan’s government it was shot and massacres of Gohar-Shad mosque occurred and at the time of Mohammd Reza Khan’s government this crime repeated and Shah’s henchmen charged to the shrine and killed people.
Muslim nation should disavow Shah and his rebel and usurper government and opposing it is necessary. All parts of the nation, especially the residents of villages should know that the usurper Shah and his rebel government wanted to hit Islam. All classes of people must rise up for falling of this tyrant system by all possible means. Obeying this system is forbidden. God protect Muslims from them. So, Sunday 25th Dhu al-Hijjah is announced day of public mourning. ‘Surely we belong to Allah and to Him shall we return’. Ruhollah Al-Musawi Al-Khomeinin." (15)

After this incident and killing people and desecrating to the Imam Reza shrine, scholars, academics, merchants and educators in Mashhad announced 30th Aban  a day of pubic mourning. In addition, the governor general of Khorasan by issuing a statement which was broadcast on the radio, condemned the tragic event of shrine and apologized people, and promised that to punish the agents of this incident. (16)

Attacking to the holy shrine has had a great reflection among scholars and revolutionaries in other cities. So that it has caused progression in demonstrations and people’s protest to Pahlavi’s government. Epic of 5th Azar 1357 in Gorgan had occurred because of this event. Gholamreza Kharkouhi, author of Epic 5th Azar 1357 in Gorgan, has written that the reason of Gorgan’s incidents is rooted in 29th Aban event in Mashhad, while investigating the subject. This 320-page illustrated book has been published by Razban Press in Qom, in 1387. The Epic 5th Azar 1357 is compiled of an introduction and 14 chapters. In Chapter one, by pointing to the attack on Imam Reza holy shrine, writer has dealt with regime affront to religious places. Then, by introducing martyr Mohammad Maqsoudlou (17), Gorgani student who lived in Mashhad, he has discussed 5th Azar Gorgan incident. Author of this book believes that: “the Muslim people of Gorgan who had become angry by regime forces’ attack on the holy shrine of Imam Reza (AS), were prepared to protest against this crime after hearing the message of Imam Khomeini. Despite the suffocation atmosphere, the message was heard by Muslim Ummah in the towns and villages mouth-to-mouth, which said ‘tomorrow morning (5th Azar 1357) demonstration will begin from the shrine of Abdullah in Gorgan.’ (18) Also, in this book writer has introduced fourteen martyrs of 5th Azar event.



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