A Story Drawing Closer to Reality
Translated from the original Persian post. The cover image is an editorial visual for this page, not an image from the X post.
A story that will soon become real.
Warning: this may make you cry.
I suggest you prepare yourself before reading. I cried throughout the writing of it, and I think you may feel the same.
The story of the historic moment Reza Shah II sets foot on Iranian soil.
At last, after three hours in traffic and making our way through enormous crowds, we reached Mehrabad Airport. It was an extraordinary sight. As far as the eye could see, men and women, young and old, stood with flags in their hands. The military had fenced off a route from the airport to Shahyad Square, with soldiers standing along its length.
Television screens and projectors had been set up in different places, showing everything live.
It was nearly ten in the morning. The plane could arrive at any moment. A special correspondent standing beside the runway was breathlessly reporting that it was over Tehran and would soon land.
While he was speaking, suddenly, behind him, from among the clouds, a Boeing appeared with several fighter jets escorting it in front and on both sides.
The crowd erupted, shouting “Long live the Shah” so loudly that we couldn’t hear what the correspondent was saying.
The aircraft approached the airport and circled once above it. Then the main plane lined up with the runway, drawing closer and closer. On the screen the runway seemed to shimmer with heat, and the rays of the sun gave the scene a strange, epic quality.
At last the plane landed at Mehrabad Airport, the airport built by Shahanshah Aryamehr. Three fighter jets landed behind it. The others climbed again and moved a little way off in formation. They turned toward the sky above the airport, and suddenly one trailed red smoke, another white, and a third green. They had unfurled Iran’s flag before the world to honor the Shah’s arrival.
Even the correspondent could no longer speak. He had turned to watch. Military personnel took their positions around the plane. A special staircase was brought to its door.
After a while the door was opened from outside and several members of the military went in. Everything seemed to move in slow motion. You could almost see each blink of an eye. The people fell silent. An uncanny hush spread across the airport and the streets.
What was I seeing? The Shah, the Shah of Iran, His Majesty Reza Shah II, emerged from the plane, tears in his eyes and a smile on his lips. He raised his hand, and all at once the crowd leaped up, screaming and crying. I can hardly describe the state we were in.
The Shah descended step by step. Each footfall seemed to beat through our bodies like a heartbeat. Behind him came Shahbanu Yasmine, Princess Noor, Princess Iman, and Princess Farah, whose hand he held. They too reached the bottom of the stairs.
Then Her Majesty Shahbanu Farah Pahlavi appeared in the doorway. As she stepped outside, she closed her eyes for a moment and breathed. Then she raised a hand in greeting. People seemed unable to stand any longer. They sank to the ground and wept.
It was the moment Iran had awaited for forty-five years, the moment the future of Iran began.
About an hour passed before we were told the Shah’s car was ready to move. We lined both sides of the route. I stood about five meters back from the street. As soon as the escort cars appeared, some people lifted their flags and the rest began to clap.
The car carrying the Shah of Iran passed before my eyes, and I held my breath. After a few minutes, when it had gone into the distance, the soldiers opened both sides of the route and people began walking toward Shahyad Square.
Shahyad Square, and the first meeting between the Shah and the people on Iranian soil.
Long live the Shah.
#KingRezaPahlavi
Return of the Pahlavi monarchy (#بازگشت_پادشاهی_پهلوی)