Wear a tie and take a photo!

Interview with Mohammad Hossain Jamalzadeh about Islamic Revolution in Arak

Yusef Nikfam
Translated by: Mohammad Bagher Khoshnevisan

2015-11-2

Note: Mohammad Hossain Jamalzadeh was born in the city of Arak in 1952. His life has been knotted with important part of the history of Arak; the history of the city which has had effective and decisive men and women. His unique photos from the history of revolution of Arak’s people in the last days of Mohammad Reza Pahlavi’s rule have great historical value.
With more than forty years of photographing record, He has an exquisite collection of the photos of history of Arak, lasting figures, sportsmen, theater and music artists, poets, writers, academics, physicians, and educated people of Arak.
Numerous photo exhibitions from him have been launched in Arak and he still continues to register important events in the city.

• When and how did the revolution’s serious political measure in Arak happen?

A special ceremony for women was holding in Arak’s Higher Science School on 7^th of January 1978. Many people were present at the salon most of whom were women. As Dehqanpour, the Governor of Arak was delivering a speech about the day of January 7, a number of students attacked from behind the salon and broke the windows. Colonel Baradaran, the head of police and the directors of government administrations were among the attendees. Slogans had already been written on the walls, but it was not so practical and public until that time. The present women in the meeting feared a lot and started screaming and crying. A few collapsed. The ceremony shut down. As colonel Bradaran was trying to call the police officers, the students escaped toward Mostofi Mountains. Tehran was informed that the students in Arak’s Higher Science School rioted and broke windows. A few people were interrogated but they reached no result. Finally the Imperial Guard of the Pahlavi regime was dispatched to Arak to control the situation. They interrogated every student who was coming out of the school. If anyone answered faultily or had beard, he or she was beaten. The guards had batons and shields and had surrounded the school. Everyone who stood against them, he or she was got in the car and taken by force. The situation of the school was the same for three days. This was the first revolutionary movement in the city and the students created it practically.

• Was there anyone who takes a photo?

No, there was nobody. Nobody dared to do so. The guards had a grandeur that one feared to approach them let alone taking photos from them. I just took photos from inside the salon. After shutting down the ceremony, we returned again to the salon as the situation became normal and the ceremony ended with fear.

• Which groups broke the windows?

It was not clear. No statement was issued by any group. It was just clear that they were students. After the incident, the school rented a big building, turning it into a club for students, preparing musical and pleasure instruments for them so that they were busy with other things. However, the students were busy drawing graffiti against the regime. The beating and detention of the students caused the people to become more informed. After that, the graffiti intensified and became more public. 

• Could you recognize the political tendency of the opposition groups through graffiti?

No, it was not possible. However, there were groups who were active clandestinely. When Imam Khomeini (God bless his soul) left Iraq for Paris, his communiques were brought and distributed in the city secretly.

• Who were they?

I don’t know. I didn’t know their names. They copied and distributed the communiques covertly. There was nothing special in Arak until August 1978. There were demonstrations and rallies in other cities. Public protests started in Arak from August. The people took to the streets and chanted slogans against the regime. The youth clashed with the police.one day in the month of August I went to Haj Naqi Khan Mosque. It was the end of Quran lesson. There was a clergy in that mosque named Haj Hamidi who had come from Qom and was teaching Quarnic lessons to the youths in the mosque’s basement. At that time, my uncle took part in the classes. I had gone to take photos from the mosque. I did so and when I was leaving the mosque, I saw many police officers there. They arrested me and confiscated my camera. As they were transferring me to the police station, captain Zomorrodi reached, asking the story. One said, “He had taken photos from the rioters.” Zomorrodi said, “He is a photographer, what is rioter! He has been invited to take photos. Let him go. He takes photos from state ceremonies. Let him go!” they gave back my camera and everything went good.

• Was anyone arrested there?

No, but the mosque was under supervision. Those who were inside the mosque, fled the main people immediately in order not to be arrested, and Haj Hamidi was said to leave the mosque from the behind door. The second time I went in front of the education department to take photos. First I was beaten by the revolutionaries, then the police forces arrested me, and took the negative out of my camera. I said I had taken no photos. I am a photographer and my job is this. They said, “Wear a tie and take a photo. We don’t arrest you!”

• Where were you arrested for the second time?

The students and teachers had gathered in a street in order to go and visit the patients in Pahlavi (the present Vali Asr) Hospital in Shahnaz Square. When they reached in front of Qasr-e Talaee Cinema, some people came out of the cinema with sticks and clubs, and started beating the students. They also broke the head of a teacher.

• The members of what group were the rioters?

I don’t know what group was supported by them. After the incident, the teachers and students arranged a sit-in in front of the Education Department. The teacher whose head had been broken started delivering a speech, and stressed, “We must respond to the rioters and the police should be held accountable and follow up the incident. The teachers and students were beaten in daylight.” I was taking photos and went up a wall to take better ones but the police forced me to come down and arrested and transferred me to the police station. The interrogation started. They asked me why I took photos from the riots. I said, “I had just come and had not started taking yet.” They knew me well due to many photos I had taken from government centers. Someone asked me the story. I said, “I was taking some photos for state newspapers that they arrested me.” They said again, “Why don’t you wear a tie.” I wore a tie only in formal meetings. Now I had decided to wear a tie. There was also a sit-in in front of the Education Department. At first most gatherings were carried out there. This time, as I was taking photos, anti-regime protestors beat me and did not allow to take photos, they said he was a SAVAK agent and taking photos for SAVAK. I told them, “I am a photographer and not a SAVAK agent.” But they did not accept. Finally one came and said, “He is not a SAVAK agent. He is taking photos for Tehran newspapers.” Eventually he saved me. When the rallies started since August, there were also clashes.  The two sides continued to beat me.

• What were the demands of the opponents and what did they want?

The schools had been shut down. Because the schools and government departments had been closed in Tehran and some cities since October, the teachers did not attend the classes and the students accompanied them. They came out of the schools and chanted slogans against the regime. 

• Although your photos of the revolution in Arak are not so technical, they have documental value. In what situation did you take photos?

Unfortunately, I did not keep the early photos I took from the blocking of streets and fires. The people set on fire the tires and blocked the streets; I sent the negatives to Tehran directly for Azadegan and sometimes for Ettela’at dailies. After a while, I thought why I sent the negatives and what a mistake I was making. Now I decided to archive the negatives and sent printed photos. I had a Mamia C330 which was very heavy. Most of the times, I took a photo from the scene and escaped and did not wait to be beaten.  I was young and bright and climbed up the walls. I had no time for focusing.

• Do you remember how many photos you took?

I took some 700 to 800 photos. I have kept most of them except the early ones that I sent to Tehran.

•  Except you, was there anyone else who took photos from the demonstrations and rallies?

Hassan Bidel and a number of the students of Arak’s Higher Science School also took photos from the demonstrations.

• Tell us about the rallies.

The rallies were not very disciplined in October and December. In December, the female teachers for the first time rallied with Chador (Islamic hijab). They came out along with the student girls. Prior to this, most women (employees) took part in the demonstrations with no hijab. A well-ordered big rally was held that day. The newspapers said, “Arak teachers rally”. And for the first time, the photos of Arak’s women with Islamic veil were published.

• Where were the demonstrations and rallies held?

Most gatherings were held in Baq-e Melli or National Garden. The people also gathered in Aqa Ziaoddin and Haj Taqi Khan mosques. They got out of the mosques, crossing over Mohseni and Hessar streets and joining gradually together in National Garden, the city center. Later, the tanks and personnel carriers were deployed in the National Garden. The military forces fired live rounds into the air and ground to stop the gatherings. Two teenagers were martyred in Saham al-Sulatn bazar. Due to intense police shooting, the people were dispersed on that day. Many bicycles and motor bikes had piled up in front of the National garden and all of them were set on fire. I think, after the incident, the army forces had seized the city and were maneuvering.
On the ninth and tenth of Moharram (December 11 and 12, 1978), the regime allowed the people to hold rallies. The biggest rally in Arak was held at that time. The people were mourning while at the same time chanted anti-regime slogans. Most slogans were religious.

• Who led the demonstrations?

At first, a number of teachers led the demonstrations. A meeting was held in Education Department and number of them founded the Association of Teachers which was an active group. Misters Hossain Fattahi, Ja’far Yahyaee, Hassan Babaee were among its important members.

• The workers of Mashin Sazi Company are seen in the demonstration in your photos from the revolution in Arak.

Most protests were carried out by the company workers in October. They came on foot two times from the site of Mashin Sazi until the city and joined the people. Later all the factories joined them and the strikes spread.

• A placard is seen in a photo on which has been written, “The teacher’s demand is not salary”.

Mr. Bahrami was the Director-General of the Education Department. One day, he invited the teachers, asking them to attend the classes and promised to rise their salaries. The next day, they came out with a placard on which had been written, “The teacher’s demand is not salary.” The clergy accompanied the teachers.

• Who were among the clergies?

 Haj Aqa Mir Mahdi, Haj Aqa Mir Ja’fari, Haj Aqa Emami, Haj Aqa Va’ezi, Haj Aqa Azimi (two brothers), Haj Aqa Davoodi, Haj Aqa Bayat, and Haj Aqa Mousavi who were among the revolutionary activists.

• How did the pulling down of the Shah’s statue happen?

 I was not present the first time the people decided to pull down the Shah’s statue. The police had fired and the people had escaped. The second time, a big rally was held in the city on the morning of January 16, 1979. The noon and evening prayers were said in Higher Science School. Then, a number of people moved to seize SAVAK office in Arak. The people attacked the SAVAk at around 1 PM. They set on fire the office, breaking the doors and entered there. After it was reported in the news that the Shah had left the country, more people gathered on the same evening. The police head was Colonel Baradaran, the police commander Brigadier General Shokouhi and the head of Arak’s SAVAK Colonel Saqafi. They almost supported the people. They were informed that the Guards were coming and the people were asked to disperse immediately. But nobody listened. Even Haj Aqa Ja’fari insisted them to leave there for their houses but to no avail. The people were moving toward Seyedha Mosque that the guards reached and attacked. The firing started. I escaped. A number of people were martyred or injured. The guards had been deployed from Tehran with tanks and personnel carriers. I was taking photos from a far distance.
The people for the second time tried a lot to pull down the statue but to no avail. I think it was around February 10, 1979 that the military forces for preventing from blood shedding and the people’s massacre had split the statue underneath and transferred it. The police forces almost backed the people.

• Did you take a photo from the statue while being pulled down?

No unfortunately, the statue was pulled down far from the people’s eyes. 

• What happened to the statue?

I don’t know what they did with the statue and where it was transferred. There were also four metal lions around the National Garden which it was said that they were transferred to the store of the municipality. It is still said that they are in one of the stores of the municipality.

• What happened after the statue was pulled down?

After the people’s first measure for pulling down of the Shah’s statue, the military forces were patrolling in the city until morning and were shooting. They cut the wires and made everywhere dark. After the incident, the city was at the hands if rioters for two days. They were brought from the surrounding villages and broke the windows of the car or shop of anyone who had not put the Shah’s photo.
Since the Imam sent a message that the army is our brother, the people put flowers on the guns of the military forces. They were still patrolling in the city but had nothing to do with the people.

• What happened in January and February 1979?

There was news that the Imam would arrive in Iran since January 26, 1979 but it was postponed. Several buses were dispatched to Tehran for welcoming the Imam. It was interesting that some breads and primary accessories were also sent to Tehran. It was announced that first aid accessories were needed for those who had been injured in Tehran clashes. Immediately, a pickup full of necessary accessories was sent to Tehran. Finally it was said that Imam Khomeini (God bless his soul) would certainly arrive in Tehran, on 1st of February 1979. Again more people from Arak went to Tehran. With the arrival of the Imam, everything had become calm in the city. When Engineer Bazrgan was appointed as prime minister by the Imam, the people took to the streets for two days to back him. Unfortunately I could not go to Tehran for photographing, but still continued my job in Arak.
I remember that many places that were seized were renamed. For instance, the Higher Science School was renamed as Asgari Zadeh. He was an activist who had been martyred in Tehran. Or Pahlavi School was renamed as Dr. Shariati by the teachers.

After the victory of the Islamic revolution in February 1979, I took some photos from Arak’s first Friday prayers. A huge rally was held on that day and the people moved toward the fooball field of the Industrail town and the Friday prayer was held there. Ayatollah Khansari was the Friday prayer leader.  After Tehran’s Friday prayer led by the late Ayatollah Taleqani, most cities started holding Friday prayer. The first Friday prayer of the Qods Day was also held in the Industrial Town.