Iran Press/Iran news: In an exclusive interview with Iran Press, Nosratollah Lotfi said that America felt threatened when the protests against the last king of Iran Mohammad Reza Pahlavi, reached to its peak on summer of 1978, ensuing the protests beginning from 11th January 1978.
The Deputy of Islamic Propagation Coordination Council added that on 8 September, thousands of men and women of any age gathered in Tehran's Jaleh Square, unaware that the government had declared martial law earlier.
"The massacre has been directly led by the US. In harmony between the US special envoy and the Pahlavi regime, martial law was announced without public awareness while they knew people were supposed to set a demonstration on the following day," he said.
"In fact, I must say that 17th Shahrivar's martyrs have lost their lives under the direct order of the US," Nosratollah Lotfi added.
He emphasized that today America has economically and culturally targeted Iranian people.
Friday 8 September 1978 (17th of Shahrivar 1357 on the Iranian calendar), later termed 'Black Friday', is one of the most eventful days of the Islamic Revolution of the Iranian people.
Between 84–15,000 people were killed because of the shootings in Jaleh Square by the Shah's army.
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