Imam Khomeini entered Paris and two days later, he was stationed in the house of an Iranian, in Neauphle-le Chateau (a suburb of Paris).
During the four-month stay of Imam Khomeini in Paris, Neauphle-le Chateau was the most important news center in the world.
Imam Khomeini's various interviews and his visits revealed to the world, his views of Islamic government, and the future aims of his movement.
Thus a larger number of people of the world became familiar with the Imam's thought and his uprising, and it was from this stage and station that he guided the most critical period of the movement in Iran.
Iraqi troops had earlier laid siege to Imam Khomeini's house in Najaf. The news of the siege angered the Muslims in Iran, Iraq and in other countries.
In his visit to Imam Khomeini, Iraqi security chief, had indicated that if Imam wished to stay in Iraq he must give up his challenge and politics, and the Imam had strongly replied that, due to the responsibility he felt for the Muslim ummah, he was not willing to remain quiet nor was he willing to make a compromise.
On 12 Mehr (October 4, 1978), Imam Khomeini left Najaf for the border of Kuwait. The government of Kuwait did not let the Imam in on a hint by the then Iranian Shah regime. Previously, there was talk of Imam’s departure for Lebanon or Syria.
The Imam himself explains this event: "They (the Iraqi government) said that: 'due to the fact that we have certain agreements with the Iranian government and the actions of you and your companions do not observe these agreements, we can no longer have you here.' I answered that you have made agreements, I haven't. I have a religious duty, which I will carry out, and I will pay no attention to your agreements. I will preach on the Manbar issue statements and make recordings on tapes and send them. This is my duty. Whatever duty you have, carry it out… I then got ready to leave… under strict Iraqi supervision I went to the Kuwaiti border and the same pressure that was put on the Iraqi government was also put on the Kuwaiti government (and so refuge was not given to the Imam)…from there we returned to Basra and then we went to Baghdad. I realized that whichever Muslim country we go to it will be the same. It was for this reason that, without any previous thought on the matter, I decided to go to France."
However, officials of the Palace de l'Elyse apprised the Imam of the views of the French President that the Imam must not indulge in politics.
The Imam's sharp reaction and answer was that such limitation contradicts the France's claim to democracy, and that he would rather, commute between airports, from one country to another than give up his objective.
Meanwhile, the Killings of people by Shah regime were accelerated, though they did not effect the people's uprising. The desperate Shah asked the American and British embassies for a solution but none of their former plans had been useful.
Months before the final victory of the Islamic Revolution, multi-million-man demonstrations, which were termed "people's informal referendum against the Shah's monarchy", were held on the days of Tasua and Ashura in Tehran and other cities.
Shapoor Bakhtiar, a National Front top man was the U.S's last dice to be introduced to the Shah as the Prime Minister.
Following this, General Huyser, Deputy Commander of NATO, made a trip to Iran on a secret mission for two months.
He later revealed in his confessions that his mission was to secure the support of the military forces for Bakhtiar, to organize his government, break up the strikes and prepare a coup d'etat for returning the Shah to power--similar to what had happened on 28 Mordad 1332 AH.
But, Imam Khomeini's messages about the necessity to continue the struggle, made all Huyser's plans fall through.
In Day 1357/December 1978, Imam Khomeini established the Revolutionary Council.
The Shah fled the country on 26 Day, two days after calling to meeting the Council of Monarchy and obtaining vote of confidence for Bakhtiar’s cabinet.
News of the Shah's departure delighted the people in Tehran, and then all over the country people poured out in the streets, singing and dancing. Huyser's regular meetings with U.S military advisors and generals of the Shah's army could not help Bakhtiar to suppress the strikes and end the people's uprising.
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