Last week I spent many engrossing hours reading a new authoritative book, in the Persian language, published by the United States’ Ketab Corporation in Los Angeles.
Written by Dr Hussain Haqiqi Shahed Soqoot-haye Segana (Witness To The Triple Falls) is a 550-page account of Iran’s history, with chapters covering each era.
Out of interest, I have selected one revealing which personalities behind the scenes lubricated a revolutionary machine and directly influenced subsequent events.
Although general readers are familiar with what happened in Iran during 1978-79, the whole truth has always been clouded from the masses.
This book takes us back post revolution – precisely to September 14, 1997 – when distinguished Iranian journalist Eraj Aareenpour, a senior reporter on Tehran’s Toos daily newspaper, interviewed former French President Valery Giscard d’Estaing.
Immediately after publication, Aareenpour was arrested and the paper banned by the Revolutionary Guard, “because Western leaders had backed toppling the Shah”.
The Iranian journalist had asked the French president: “Did you discuss Khomeini’s planned arrival in Paris with the Shah?”
The president disclosed that when Khomeini reached Paris from Iraq, he possessed a valid Iranian passport, and asked for political asylum as soon as he landed.
The question was, who issued that visa?
“I did contact the Shah through our ambassador in Tehran and explained the situation to His Majesty, who affirmed our procedure and requested that he be treated respectfully and his safety secured,” said d’Estaing.
“In fact His Majesty strongly stated to our ambassador that he would never forgive France if it did otherwise.”
The president confirmed that he believed the Shah thought that Khomeini, living comfortably in Paris, would neutralise opposition pressure on him in Tehran.
The second question Aareenpour had asked the president was: “What exactly happened during that confidential meeting on January 1st, 1979 in Guadeloup ( A French overseas territory in the south Caribbean Sea)?
He replied: “It was attended by US President Jimmy Carter and British Prime minister James Callaghan, as well as myself and German Chancellor Helmut Schmidt.
“From what President Carter said, it was clear that the British were in accord with him. That the Shah was finished, and would not be helped by the US to continue in power. Carter went on to reveal that ‘we are planning to appoint a military regime’, meaning a coup d’etat!
“Both myself and Helmut Schmidt were astounded by what President Carter was saying, and we found ourselves totally ignorant about political changes about to take place in Iran. It was eminently clear that the British and Americans were planning to remove the Shah.”
History shows that Giscard d’Estaing had no intention of being dragged into such a conspiracy, but sent a man from his foreign office to Khomeini requesting him to abide by the code of political asylum, by not issuing statements against Iran. He also informed the Shah of his intention to ask Khomeini to leave France and go to Algeria.
The reply he received from the Shah however, was so negative that it made the president hesitate. This answer was: “You are the master of your land. The decision on how to handle this matter is yours alone.”
There was no decisive directive from either the president or Shah, as turmoil escalated in Tehran, shortening the days of Iran’s monarchy.
The British and Americans were by then fully committed and active. The American general heading NATO, Robert Ernest Huyser, travelled secretly to Tehran and with American Ambassador William Sullivan, informed the Shah that he should prepare himself to leave.
Negotiations also began with Iranian generals for them to stay neutral and let history take its course.
At this time the BBC Persian Service virtually played the role of Khomeini’s personal radio station, broadcasting news and programmes as part of vastly extended coverage and air time, almost directing Iran’s street mobs.
It is sometimes important to go back in time in order to fully understand present-day events. The year 2010-11 in the Arab World almost duplicated what took place behind the scenes then.
Although one cannot predict what destiny is hiding for the rest of the Arab World, every nation should be fully aware and on alert that the game is not over – a dangerous ongoing political poker game.
But one thing is certain, that in the aftermath of what happened in 2010-11, no Arab leader, under any circumstances, will leave his shores and neglect his duties and responsibilities towards his country and people.
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