Word: banisadr
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Dates: during 1970-1979
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...from grace, the state-run radio, which until three weeks ago was directed by Ghotbzadeh, praised the students' criticism of him and declared: "There is no room for diplomatic games in our revolution." It was clear warning that Ghotbzadeh may face the same fate as his predecessor, Abolhassan Banisadr, who was fired as Foreign Minister after 18 days of service because he seemed too conciliatory about the hostages. For the rest of the week, the normally loquacious Ghotbzadeh made no more public statements. Said a longtime associate: "It is the first time that Ghotbzadeh has not fought back when...
Soon afterward, a three-member commission from Tehran, headed by Economic and Finance Minister Abol Hassan Banisadr, arrived in Tabriz to negotiate a truce with Sharietmadari's supporters. But the emissaries were immediately discredited by Banisadr, who announced insultingly that he would deal only with individual Azerbaijanis, not with Sharietmadari's political organization, the Muslim People's Republic Party...
...Banisadr did, however, manage to have talks with scores of prominent Azerbaijanis. In one session with 30 mullahs, he was presented with an eight-point resolution demanding that all government appointments in the region be vetted by Sharietmadari and that secular curbs be placed on the near dictatorial powers given Khomeini under Iran's new constitution. A mullah then rose and recounted acts of brutality committed in Tabriz by the revolutionary guards. Whereupon all the other mullahs wept profusely...
Undaunted, Banisadr organized a pro-government rally at a soccer stadium. Carrying Khomeini posters, some 4,000 people-hardly a crowd by Iranian standards-gathered in the middle of the field. Suddenly, they were charged by some 2,000 Azerbaijanis waving Sharietmadari posters and chanting "Down with Bani-sadr!" Gradually, a phalanx of Khomeini supporters drove the Sharietmadari forces out of the stadium...
During the interview, Banisadr provided some revealing glimpses into Iranian leaders' misconceptions about Americans. He insisted that by exposing the "entire network of corrupt dealings and ties between the Shah and U.S. Government officials," he might have caused Americans to turn on the Carter Administration. Said he: "It is only this policy that can persuade Americans to push for a different regime." He claimed that the Administration was playing a cynical game with the lives of the hostages. Said he: "I don't think that the Americans are concerned very much about the fate of the hostages. They...