Conditional Meeting with Army Commanders
Compiled by: Islamic Revolution Website
Translated by: Fazel Shirzad
2024-8-23
The army chiefs, who were intimidated after the Imam ordered the soldiers, rank and file officers to flee, insisted on negotiating with those who are related to the Imam. General Qarabaghi and several other commanders who were the directors of the army (through the same faction that was mentioned) said that we want to negotiate. It was brought up in the council. It seemed that this meeting could be useful but to "terms and conditions"
One of those conditions was that we had to tell Paris about it. Friends insisted that I be one of the people who participates in this meeting. And I also accepted on the condition that the meeting place is our home. I remember that one of my friends grumbled that day and said: What condition are you making? If meeting is useful for fighting, why do you set the meeting place as your own home? it doesn't matter? When the Council has approved it, why should you decide about it individually?!
I told him: No! In my opinion, meeting [with martyr Dr. Mohammad Hossein Beheshti] can be useful. They should not deal with us with the arrogance of military commanders!
He was scheduled to speak with Paris at the same council meeting. I spoke myself. When I called there, there were different people who could take messages for us and get answers. Because the Imam themselves did not talk on the phone, that day Ahmed [son of Imam] picked up the phone (we used to write down the message or record it on a tape to be accurate, they would take it and bring the answer). The answer was that there is no problem and I also announced my readiness.
The next day, they said: The army commanders did not accept and said that we do not have security! To come to your house!
I said: So I will not participate. If other friends want, they can participate…
A day or two later, they said: they are sending Mr. "Moghadam" Moadum on behalf of their group (because he was a member of their council), he is ready to meet at home.
Eng. Bazargan and I were at home, he also came. We talked in detail. In that open conversation, I brought the matter to the expression of the revolutionary power of the people. I brought up the influence of the revolution in the army. We were not really bluffing. I told him: I tell you frankly that even the army colonel is connected with the revolution.
Maybe some men think that saying these words was a trick in the fight. Anyway, I believed in this tactic and believed that the enemy should be intimidated.
I told him again: I tell you frankly that there are revolutionary elements in this very guard that you are relying on! Do not rely on your guard! I felt how much this type of dialogue puts us in a position of strength and the enemy in a position of weakness.[1]
[1] Lasting memories, the life of Ayatollah Dr. Seyyed Mohammad Hossein Beheshti, by Morteza Nazari, Tehran, Islamic Culture Publishing House, Chapter 1, 1999, pp. 176-178.
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