ayatollah khomeini was in exile in france. he was implacable. the shah must go.cape abroad, a broken man, dying of cancer. throughout the revolution, sir david reddaway was a young diplomat in the british embassy. when we were in the middle of all the events of the collapse of the old iran, neither we nor really anybody else knew what was going to come out of it. and i don‘t think many iranians knew what they would be seeing over this timescale. 0n khomeini‘s flight back to iran, i asked him what he was feeling. he ignored me. a moment later, someone else asked the same question. "nothing", he said. his return was a huge defeat for the west and a massive boost to islamic fundamentalism. even today, the pictures are still extraordinary. these were the crowds outside. i mean, people say it was the biggest crowd in human history. it was certainly a couple of million, maybe 3 million. there was a brief showdown between the army and the demonstrators a few days later. i watched as the victorious crowds trashed a secret police headquarters. archive: the policeman‘s uni

the political initiative now lies totally with the ayatollah.n simpson reflects on the 40th anniversary of the ayatollah khomeini's return to iran, propelling a revolution. a baby girl is in hospital, after being left in a shopping bag in freezing temperatures, in a park in east london. i come from a very large family indeed. mammals, as a matter of fact. laughter and remembering jeremy hardy, the award—winning comedian, who's died, at the age of 57. and coming up on sportsday on bbc news... we're in dublin to preview the six nations, where the defending champions, ireland, kick off their campaign against england here at the aviva stadium. good evening, and welcome to the bbc news at six. the met office has issued weather warnings for snow and ice across large parts of the uk. more than a thousand schools in southern england and wales have been closed today, after the coldest night in seven years. the m3 motorway near winchester is blocked in both directions. flights from a number of airports — including cardiff and heathrow — have been cancelle

iran's ties to the west were radically changed and the ayatollah became the supreme leader of the newic republicf iran. our world affairs editor john simpson was on that flight froma s to tehran with the ayatollah and witnessed theol revolution ud. john: it was a key moment in modern history. under the shah, iran was increasingly westernized, but its vast oil wealth brought corruption and social upheaval, and that led to a year of violent demonstrations ayatollah khomeini was in exile in franc he was implacable -- the shah must go. soon the shah was forced to escape abroad, a broken man dying of cancer. throughout the revolution, a young diplomat in the british embassy. >> when we were in the middle of all the events of the collapse of the old iran, neither we nor really anybody else knew what was going to come out of it. i don't think many iranians knew what they would be seeing overle this timesca john: on khomeini's flight back to iran, i asked him what he was feeling. he ignored me. a moment later, someone else asked the same questio "nothing," he said. his return was a huge defea

the political initiative now lies totally with the ayatollah.tiar government will be declared illegal, but for vast numbers of people in iran the bakhtiar government is itself irrelevant. the real contest will be between the ayatollah and the shah's army which hasn't yet shown signs of abandoning its old loyalties. but its shows of strength have been dwarfed by the enormous welcome the ayatollah‘s supporters are giving him here. that was a younger version of yourself. does it take you back to that day? it does. i remember the whole flight so well and that extraordinary welcome that was given. there were perhaps 3 million people on the streets. why was it that they came out to greet him like that? what was so significant about that? what was so significant about that moment for the people of iran? everybody managed to convince themselves that he was their saviour. by everybody i mean the most extreme conservative clergymen who all believe, and they were right, that he was the way forward, but also the left—wingers believed that somehow or another

it was a turning point in the iranian revolution ayatollah khomeini arriving in tehran in february one nine hundred seventy nine after fourteen years in exile in iraq and france with khamenei on the flight from paris was apple has son bernie souter who later became the islamic republic's first president today benny sajid lives in exile in france he fled iran in one thousand eighty one but his memories of that flight forty years ago of fifty eight. some fit the plane would be shot down naturally we were scared but the excitement was stronger after thirty years of exile to see iran in the people it was more than we could imagine the enthusiasm the joy and. bunny sighed helped commenee join his exile in france in one thousand nine hundred eighty eight he says france was chosen because iranians didn't need visas at the time and there was freedom of expression the french government was an ally of evolved sharp it didn't prevent khomeini's arrival saying he was free to visit for nearly five months the ayatollah lived in the countryside near paris it was in this quiet village on this street t

ayatollah khomeias in exile in france. he was implacable -- the shah must go.the shah was forced to escape abroad, a bron dying of cancer. throughout the revolution, a young diplomat in the british embay. >> when we were in the middle of all the events of the collapse of the old iran, neither we nor really anybody else knew what it.going to come out i don't think many iranians knew what they would be seeing over this timescale. john: on khomeini's flight back to iran, i asked him what he was feeling. he ignored me. a moment later, someone else asked the same question. "nothing," he said. his return was a huge defeat for the west and a massiveoost to islamic fundamentalism. ev today, the pictures are still extraordinary. these were the crowds outside. people say it was the biggest crowin human history. it was certainly a couple million, maybe 3 million. there was a great owdown thebrief showdown betwee army and the demonstrators a few days later. i watched as the victorious crowds trashed a secret police headquarters. e policeman's uniforms, even the files they

ayatollah khomeini was in exile in france. he was implacable. the shah must go.ion, sir david reddaway was a young diplomat in the british embassy. when we were in the middle of all the events of the collapse of the old iran, neither we nor really anybody else knew what was going to come out of it. and i don‘t think many iranians knew what they would be seeing over this timescale. on khomeini‘s flight back to iran, i asked him what he was feeling. he ignored me. a moment later, someone else asked the same question. "nothing", he said. his return was a huge defeat for the west and a massive boost to islamic fundamentalism. even today, the pictures are still extraordinary. these were the crowds outside. i mean, people say it was the biggest crowd in human history. it was certainly a couple of million, maybe 3 million. there was a brief showdown between the army and the demonstrators a few days later. i watched as the victorious crowds trashed a secret police headquarters. archive: the policeman‘s uniforms and even the files that they have found inside have been sca

iran seeks to recreate the ancient persian imempire under the dictatorship of the ayatollahs. they're attempting to carve out a corridor of influence through syriaened a lebanon hoping to create an unbroken passage for its armies and ideology and it's left a trail of devastation in its wake. in sir ark iranian troops have propped up the assad regime, fueling the dictator's brutal war on its people. hezbollah has built an arsenal of more than 100,000 rockets and missiles, equipped with iranian-supplied advanced guidance system. in yemen, they fired rockets, spreading chaos throughout the country. nd in iraq, iranian-backed militias are operating outside the government's control, targeting american interests, threatening minorities, stealing vital international aid meant to help iraq recover from the scourge of isis. -- and it's an's added fuel to a crisis. in syria hundred os thousands have been forced to flee from their home. in yemen more than a million have contracted cholera and millions more lack access to clean water. hunger is so widespread that every 10 minutes a child

after his long years in exile, the first hesitant steps of ayatollah khomeini on iranian soil. south africa's white government has

forty years after the islamic revolution ayatollah khamenei remains a hero for many are. any chance. as the revolution's legacy has been repression censorship and stagnation. oh my first guest grew up in iran under the shah and he became a student protest leader and was targeted by the shaws secret police after the nine hundred seventy nine islamic revolution he was arrested and sent to prison for daring to champion freedom of thought and speech he spent almost a decade underground with his family and now lives here in germany i'm happy to welcome tonight ralston condit is a writer and author and translator cliff good to have you on the program so iran is more for having me iran as marking forty years since the islamic revolution what do you see when you look at your home country well it depends from what angle i look but there are so the people who are making so many protests every day. they did intellectuals and they are human rights activists political activists being arrested almost every day and they are not they are harshly in prison and that norm they ordinarily pe

after the eastland make revolution ayatollah khomeini remains a hero to many iranians. as the revolutions legacy has been repression censorship and stagnation. let's bring in our correspondent theresa trumper she is in the iranian capital tehran teresa forty years have passed now since the revolution began do ordinary iranians feel that the revolution has by and large fulfilled its promise. well the people out here on the regions they usually do with the hordes of the hardliners unlike many conservatives yes they feel that they now have what they want to back them like independence from the u.s. . public of course people with more reforms as you said these stansell hoping for more personal freedom so that's something president rouhani promised them in the process of action and something that you haven't been able to deliver so far and ordinary iranians are also of course suffering from the sanctions a lot so with the country facing the greatest economic problem for decades the islamic revolution has really the biggest one that was better economic is that everyone here.

nine islamic revolution a ceremony has been held at the mostly him of iran's first supreme leader ayatollah ruhollah khomeini to mark the day he returned from exile this report from the intel . when the man who led iranian revolution toppled the king and ended centuries of empire was buried his final resting place was a humble empty plot next to a graveyard now the muzzle iyam of ayatollah ruhollah khomeini iran's first supreme leader serves as a symbol of the islamic republic its grand halls a reminder to visitors perhaps of the reverence he is owed as men and women young and old civilians and soldiers packed into khomeini shrine to commemorate forty years since his return from exile iran is going through one of its most challenging economic decline the government remains clear about who is to blame. and that he had america be damned it does whatever it can to break the power of islam like the many sanctions they've been hosed they're waging psychological war they want to make people pessimistic about islam they haven't achieved it so far and they never will. iranian leaders often speak of

lived in the countryside near paris it was in this quiet village on this street that ayatollah khomeini planned the iranian revolution and each day dozens of his followers from across europe would come here to watch him pray and listen to him preach. the french government had hoped that harmony would bring iran democracy but if you changed after nine hundred seventy nine once france realized this wasn't just a transitory state and harmony's role wasn't only symbolic the french began to rethink then events such as the u.s. embassy hostage crisis meant france really changed its mind in the one nine hundred eighty s. france backed baghdad in the iran iraq war and relations with tehran broke down they continued to be strained for decades relations improved in twenty fifteen when france signed the iran nuclear deal they're far from one today but presidency matter will not cost supports dialogue with tehran so applause to. paris is iran as the only stable poland's middle east a ship that disappeared iraq and syria over so dear it isn't just a great power to prison and clark or like obama beli

it was a turning point in the iranian revolution ayatollah khomeini arriving in tehran in february one nine hundred seventy nine after fourteen years in exile in iraq and france with khamenei on the flight from paris was apple has son bernie souter who later became the islamic republic's first president today benny saturday lives in exile in france he fled iran in one thousand eighty one but his memories of that flight forty years ago of vivid. some fit the plane would be shot down naturally we were scared but the excitement was stronger after thirty years of exile to see iran in the people it was more than we could imagine the enthusiasm the joy and. the bunny side helped commenee during his exile in france in one thousand nine hundred eighty eight he says france was chosen because iranians didn't need visas at the time and there was freedom of expression the french government was an ally of evolved sharp it didn't prevent harmony's arrival saying he was free to visit for nearly five months the ayatollah lived in the countryside near paris it was in this quiet village on this street t

forty years since ayatollah khomeini's returned from exile and the one nine hundred seventy nine revolution in the weeks that followed how many's philip followers took on loyalists of the shah including police and soldiers shot had fled at the height of violent protests against his reign of course one of the same best ravi has this update from tehran. we're here at the shrine of ayatollah ruhollah khomeini the founding father of the islamic republic of iran if and here there are thousands of iranians coming together to commemorate forty years to the day since he returned from exile and rock the slummy revolution with now forty years later decades later the ideals of the revolution that he brought continue to fuel holocene here in iran and it continues to be a sort of living thing for which iranian leaders across trying to for example rally support for foreign wars that iran is involved but they simultaneously speak of this revolution to something fragile and precious that needs to be protected from external threats and while that may be the case that the revolution is also coming under crit

the report goes on to suggest ayatollah khomeini commands support. where is the intelligence failure? say there you could is a big difference between the analytical assessment of the general malaise and then being able to predict that you were going to have a revolution at a given moment. i think the american intelligence community and i would also include the state department was well aware of problems in iran. i don't think that really was the question. was should they have had a better idea a sharper late 1970's that this could actually escalate into a full-blown islamic revolution. if i was looking at agency files , which i looked at in a fair amount of detail, what was clear is that the americans were not trying to spend a lot of time understanding iranian society. the cia was not by the late 1970's. what has been said that henry kissinger had a deal with the shah that the americans were not really going to work the iranian targets. that the primary objective would be the soviet target, i think that would bear some fruit. i don't know how good a

we're here at the shrine of ayatollah ruhollah khomeini the founding father of the islamic republic of iran if and here there are thousands of iranians coming together to commemorate forty years to the day since he returned from exile and rocked the slow make revolution with now forty years later decades later the ideals of the revolution that he brought continue to fuel policy here in iran and it continues to be a sort of living thing for which iranian leaders across trying to for example rally support for foreign wars that iraq is involved but they simultaneously speak of this revolution to something fragile and precious that needs to be protected from external threats and while that may be the case that the revolution is also coming under criticism internally domestically the country's economy forty years later is suffering president hassan rouhani vice president visited this shrine just days ago and he said that iran's economy was one of the worst days that it's ever been and he falls squarely on the show of american say all i can still write off even as supporters of the clerical

it was a turning point in the iranian revolution ayatollah khomeini arriving in tehran in february nine hundred seventy nine after fourteen years in exile in iraq and france with commonly on the flight from paris was apple has son bunny saga who later became the islamic republic's first president today benny cited lives in exile in france he fled iran in one thousand eighty one but his memories of that flight forty years ago vivid. to some fit the plane would be shot down naturally we were scared but the excitement was stronger after thirty years of exile to see iran in the people it was more than we could imagine the enthusiasm the joy and. bunny sighed helped commenee during his exile in france in one thousand nine hundred eighty eight he says france was chosen because iranians didn't need visas at the time and there was freedom. of expression the french government was an ally of iran sharper didn't prevent common his arrival saying he was free to visit for nearly five months the ayatollah lived in the countryside near paris it was in this quiet village on this street that ayatollah k

of course you have the theocracy you have the clerics the real rulers of iran the supremes leader ayatollah ali how many who has pronounced well ahead of this event on this historic day that he sees that the great satan effectively death to america as a message to donald trump to john bolton the security advisor and also to my pump the u.s. secretary of state there is such a change of atmosphere now compared with the last time i was here in fact nearly two years ago at the presidential elections when rouhani was seen as the moderate figure the nuclear deal was in place there were hopes are high hopes amongst people although there was still a lot of suffering with the economy since then it's got so much worse and i don't really think that will realizes just how desperate people are feeling and how restrained they are under the circumstances because this is a country of great wealth really there are many many resources not least of them all of course the politics is very different the whole religious fervor here is very different but there is now you hear when you look at that speech from rou

forty years on iran mocks its revolution and the return of the ayatollah a supreme leader. plus venezuela's self declared leader a tense exchange with the very security forces he's trying to get on his side. the u.s. is expected to announce within hours that it will stop observing a decade's old nuclear missile parts accusing russia of violating it and denies that and says the trump administration made up the allegation to get out of the treaty and develop new missiles or italians reports from moscow. it's a version of this russian cruise missile that's brought an end to one of the nuclear age is most important arms control agreements when russia displayed the nine am seven to eight last week it insisted the range of its update the nine m. seven to nine is too short to fall into the ban zone for the intermediate range nuclear forces treaty or i am af but the us hasn't believed that since it first raised concerns in twenty fourteen. standards are. consequent to. the standards so parties are. standard. that. standard other parties are allowed to manage. standard that undermin

forty years after the islamic revolution ayatollah khamenei remains a hero for many iranians. because the revolution's legacy has been repression censorship and stagnation. our correspondents theresa trouble is in tehran and she joined those crowds in the streets to gauge how people are marking this fortieth anniversary in the iranian capital. strength by the government secretary rice i was running not her years i was going to say that i was told still a little over the last. several. months saying from the audio codec you want me that you know that side of the main demonstrations back in nineteen seventy many of them are supporters of the revolution showing that race i don't believe any. one supreme leader. how many images they're carrying you know they also so to not come out and state to america not us however i'm just enjoying the fact that they can form their own city and conduct. a level with the country in the biggest economic growth years on that and i suspect that none of the recent. want to make a. better economic conditions where everybody. through it's a trouble th

forty years after the islamic revolution ayatollah khamenei remains a hero for many iranians. for those of revolution legacy has seen repression censorship and stagnation. let's bring in our correspondents raissa trial for she is in the iranian capital tehran teresa forty years have passed now since the revolution began to ordinary iranians feel that the revolution has by and large fulfilled its promise. well the people out here on these regions are yours and they do with hordes of the hardliners unlike many conservatives here they see is that they now have what they want a second like independent from the us public of course people with more reformist use are less than so hoping for more personal freedom so that's something president rouhani promised them in the past election and something that you haven't been able to deliver so far and ordinary iranians also of course suffering from the sanctions a lot so what the country facing the greatest economic problem for decades the islamic revolution has yet to fulfill its biggest. better economic abyss after what you. can we're st

is on the wrong mocks its revolution and the return of the ayatollah supreme leader. and venezuela's self-proclaimed president says his family is under threat as the government makes arrests over unless quote to overthrow miniature. senior figures and take his ruling ak posse have been meeting in the u.s. a u.n. investigators looking into the matter of the saudi john this jamal khashoggi an advisor to the turkish president has revealed details from that meets in which ended just a short time ago. and we speak to see them go so great she's joining us live from the capital and kurds checking send them that you can hear us what we've been hearing from these act bossy officials. that we don't have the line cliff to see them just at the moment we were timed in just a moment. so you want to other news and there's just one month until the u.s. tariffs on chinese goods will be heights to twenty five percent if the world's two largest economies can't reach a trade deal both sides say progress was made during two days of negotiations in washington but president donald trump ins

and then electively the supremes leader ayatollah ali how monday he has already made his stance he has said quite categorically that the americans what he says death to america is not addressing the american people is to stick distinctively said that it is addressed to the president of the united states and to his leadership as u.s. secretary of state and his also his national security adviser so this is a situation i want to expect to hear very very harsh criticism about that nuclear deal about the nuclear deal two years in the making of twenty fifth thing that was wiped away by president trump in may last year and now european states are trying to keep that nuclear deal alive with a very unusual arrangement of back trade deal which is very controversial not necessarily going to work there are real tensions around and also a diplomatic focus will be on a special conference which the iranians are deploring which will happen in warsaw responsible the united states they deny point blank this is an anti iranian conference but it is very controversial that is taking place on wednesday when

calendar year it was on this day forty years ago that the beginnings of change the upheaval that ayatollah ruhollah khomeini had envisioned for iran had taken hold and towns and cities across the country began to shift into the hands control of those towns and cities began to shift into the hands of khomeini supporters while the event is to mark a serious historical moment victory day is a public holiday in iran and here in much of the rally is a family affair and has the feeling of a fairground complete with balloons live performances and carnival games you could only find in iran here is it is in cities across the country the act of remembering the events of forty years ago is about more than just an excavation of history it's an annual opportunity to live in fortune actualize slummy ideals answering question sentiment of that time connecting the past to the present as a way to new force the shoshu and political status quo in iran today we met one woman who said she loved the supreme leader ayatollah khomeini more than her own husband who was standing right next to her at the time perhap

his supporters toppled the shah of iran dentist the from power so in basra the reports by the time ayatollah ruhollah khomeini stepped off the plane into one persian king here campaigned against for years from exile had left the country. the shah of iran was gone never to return and his government back home was about to collapse. over the course of the next ten days. overpowered the loyalists but cementing their control of the country was bloody work to this day people stand accused of widespread brutality and extrajudicial killings carried out in the frenzy of revolution but for iranians who supported him it was a time of hope and change every year iranians remember khomeini's triumphant return by retracing his steps. motorcade took him past the monument. renamed freedom tower after the revolution fast forward forty years and the events of that time that reshaped the region in the world continue to shape iran today. muscly at the car now a member of president hassan rouhani is government became a seminal figure in iranian politics after the revolution she rose to prominence as the public fa

the ayatollah khomeini took power in 179. what will it take for the mullahs to finally fall? in the presidential race, tulsi gabbard vying for the white house. and just this past week, the man who could have given us a break in the jimmy hoffa case. the man on the left. reports say he was one of the last two living suspects, taking whatever secrets he had to his grave. authorities say he was a former crime ring associate and teamster. >> come forward. this is the time. we always hoped somebody somewhere on their death bed would say i was involved. well, you should definitely see how geico could help you save on homeowners insurance. nice tip. i'll give you two bucks for the chair. two?! that's a victorian antique! all right, how much for the recliner, then? wait wait... how did that get out here? that is definitely not for sale! is this a yard sale? if it's in the yard then it's... for sale. oh, here we go. geico. it's easy to switch and save on homeowners and renters insurance. not having a good breakfast can make you feel like your day never started. get going with carnatio

khomeini in one thousand nine hundred nine the supremely has been ayatollah ali hominidae it was he who initiated the negotiations even before the election of president rouhani . the the the supreme leader had realized that the situation trina cleared was not sustainable economically or ron was not in a sustainable situation inflation was about forty percent unemployment was at a really high rates of around twenty five forty percent for you. and the economy was shrinking at a rate of minus seven percent. and this was not as they will situation or as succession. there leader of the new it's time to move iran agreed to take part in these negotiations. in order to emerge from isolation. and to reestablish links with the outside world. economic sanctions notably those of the united nations and the embargo were factors that brought us to the negotiating table. in order to end. but there's another reason why the leader accepted nuclear negotiations the memory of the green movement of two thousand and nine. following the widely disputed reelection in june of the ultra conservative mahmoud

it was a turning point in the iranian revolution ayatollah khomeini arriving in tehran in february nine hundred seventy nine after fourteen years in exile in iraq and france with khamenei on the flight from paris was apple has sun bunny solder who later became the islamic republic's first president today benny sided lives in exile in france he fled iran in one thousand eighty one but his memories of that flight forty years ago the fit. some fit the plane would be shot down naturally we were scared but the excitement was stronger after thirty years of exile to see iran in the people it was more than we could imagine.

the political initiative now lies totally with the ayatollah.e 40th anniversary

and with that they turned a market economy and body industrial state upside down the new leader ayatollah ruhollah khomeini wanted an islamic economy is moved to crush opposition and execute political opponents many of iran's best and brightest to flee the country the seizure of hostages at the u.s. embassy led to decades of u.s. sanctions forty years on the iranian economy still finds itself isolated and once again by the u.s. government but the country remains as defiant as ever and is not without economic allies even reluctant ones to circumvent.

the rebirth in iran's most notorious prison for political dissidents when a hardline shiite cleric ayatollah khomeini proclaimed the islamic republic of iran in one nine hundred seventy nine it was the start of a theocracy that brutally persecuted its critics and opponents to which saudis parents belonged in her film she tries to get her parents to talk about their time in prison. to home where you are and i was going. through a portion. from. the first. round as. her mother finds the topic much more difficult to talk about. i even showed her a trailer i had made and hope that it would open up a conversation and we would finally talk and cry a little and everything would be said and in fact she was very moved but eventually the conversation did not come up. and most of my i'm sorry's documentary movingly depicts her need to understand her family's history but it ends with her understanding how difficult it is for her parents to revisit that traumatizing past this is handguns and. yes i'm very glad to be joined here by actress and director of i am sorry rector of born a fiend thank you for jo

where we're here at the shrine of ayatollah ruhollah khomeini the first supreme leader of the islamic republic of iran and the leader of the revolution in one nine hundred seventy nine that toppled the king and ended centuries of the empire now packed into full meaning. or married into being young and civilians and soldiers and they're all here today to commemorate the forty years to do when many returned to iran and brought revolution which. by the time artillery khomeini stepped off the plane into one persian king he had campaigned against for years from exile had left the country. the shah of iran was gone never to return and his government back home was about to collapse. over the course of the next ten days. overpowered the loyalists but cementing their control of the country. to this day people stand accused of widespread brutality and extrajudicial killings carried out in the frenzy of revolution but for iranians who supported him it was a time of hope and change every year iranians remember khomeini's triumphant return by retracing his steps. motorcade took him past the monume

to be impartial effectively it was the end of the shah's rule and the beginning of the revolution ayatollah khomeini taking power allness day forty years ago so it's a mixture of religious song revolution grieve and also a sense of commemoration for all the losses and a lot of concern about modern day wrong how were the objectives of the revolution actually delivered it's a mixed picture but not all people fully strongly in the revolution. i very high degree however there are deep seated concerns about the future but feeling about the economy and in the run up to all of these celebrations here in tehran the capital and all over the country there are likely to be hundreds of thousands of people celebrating and commemorating the anniversary but beyond that this concern about the economy is right and the reason is because mainly because of the sanctions imposed by the united states reinstated last may because donald trump this. last. nuclear deal which rigs and again because he had to go the years and came into place in twenty fifteen under the obama administration now the shock waves of this