IRAN PROGRESS AT A PRICE FOR THREE DAYS LAST WEEK, TEHERAN WAS 
A BATTLEGROUND ; CROWDS SHRIEKED, MACHINE GUNS CHATTERED, AND SMOKE FROM 
SMOLDERING RUBBLE MIXED WITH CLOUDS OF TEAR GAS . IRONICALLY, IT 
WAS A BATTLE AGAINST PROGRESS . THAT MOST UNUSUAL, REFORM-MINDED MONARCH, 
SHAH MOHAMMED REZA PAHLEVI HAS LONG STRUGGLED TO TURN HIS SHAKY, 
FEUDAL NATION INTO A MODERN, STABLE STATE . THE OPPOSITION IS 
FORMIDABLE . CORRUPT BUREAUCRATS AND OPERATORS ARE DETERMINED TO PRESERVE PISHKASH 
(A BRIBE) AS A WAY OF LIFE . BIG LANDLORDS TRY 
TO SABOTAGE THE SHAH'S AMBITIOUS LAND REFORM DRIVE ; THEY EVEN 
OPPOSED HIS INTENTION TO ELIMINATE THE WORD " SERF " FROM 
THE IRANIAN LANGUAGE (TO BE REPLACED BY " FARMER " ) 
. MOSLEM MULLAHS (PRIESTS) CONDEMN AS HERETICAL HIS PLANS TO GIVE 
WOMEN THE VOTE, AND MORE BITTERLY, PREACH FROM THEIR PULPITS AGAINST 
LAND REFORM, SINCE IT WOULD DEPRIVE THEM OF 10,000 INCOME-PRODUCING " 
SHRINE VILLAGES, " WHICH THE SHAH WANTS TO LEASE TO LANDLESS 
SHARECROPPERS . BURNING BAZAAR . IT WAS THE MULLAHS WHO TRIGGERED 
LAST WEEK'S TROUBLE . THEY TIMED THEIR PLANS TO COINCIDE WITH 
THE MUHARRAM HOLY DAYS . AS THE FAITHFUL JAMMED THE MOSQUES, 
THE MULLAHS ASSAILED " ILLEGAL " CABINET DECISIONS, URGED THEIR FOLLOWERS 
TO " PROTECT YOUR RELIGION . " SMALL-SCALE RIOTS QUICKLY BROKE 
OUT IN THE CLERICAL CAPITAL OF QUM, LED BY AYATULLAH (ROUGHLY, 
CARDINAL) ROUHOLLAH KHOMAINI, AND IN SEVERAL OTHER CITIES . POLICE STRUCK 
BACK, ARRESTED KHOMAINI AND SOME 15 OTHER RINGLEADERS . WITH THAT, 
BOTH SIDES DECLARED OPEN WAR, AND THE BATTLE WAS ON . 
SCREAMING " DOWN WITH THE SHAH, " 10,000 BAREFOOT, BLACK-SHIRTED MOSLEMS, 
JOINED BY THOUSANDS OF ARMED TOUGHS FOR HIRE, SWEPT THROUGH THE 
CAPITAL, CARRYING PICTURES OF KHOMAINI . THOUGH THE WHEREABOUTS OF THE 
SHAH WAS KEPT SECRET, ROWS OF WHITE-HELMETED TROOPS, BACKED BY TANKS, 
IMMEDIATELY SEALED OFF ACCESS TO ROYAL PALACES IN THE CITY AND 
SUBURBS . IN THE HEART OF TOWN, GREEN SOLDIERS WITH ITCHY 
TRIGGER FINGERS HELD THEIR FIRE FOR 40 MINUTES . FINALLY, WHEN 
THE MOBS, USING YOUNG BOYS AS SHIELDS, SURGED TOWARD THE RADIO 
STATION AND OTHER KEY GOVERNMENT BUILDINGS, THE TROOPS OPENED UP AT 
POINT-BLANK RANGE . THE CROWD FELL BACK IN CONFUSION, REGROUPED, AND 
RACED DOWN MAIN AVENUES . ARMED WITH CLUBS, ROCKS AND TORCHES, 
THEY DEMOLISHED STORES, SET FIRE TO TREES . TEHERAN'S ANCIENT BAZAAR 
WENT UP IN FLAMES . THE MOB BEAT UP EVERY WELLDRESSED 
MAN UNLUCKY ENOUGH TO BE ON THE STREET, ATTACKED UNVEILED WOMEN 
. ONE WAS YANKED FROM HER AUTOMOBILE BY THE ZEALOTS, FORCED 
TO UNDRESS, THEN WAS PUMMELED TO DEATH . CLOSED CEMETERY . 
NEARLY 7,000 TROOPS WERE CALLED OUT TO RESTORE UNEASY PEACE IN 
TEHERAN ; BY THEN DAMAGE WAS ESTIMATED IN THE MILLIONS, AT 
LEAST 1,000 WERE INJURED, AND THE OFFICIALLY REPORTED DEATH TOLL WAS 
86 . IT WAS UNDOUBTEDLY HIGHER, BUT SINCE THE PUBLIC CEMETERY 
WAS CLOSED AND UNDER HEAVY GUARD TO PREVENT FURTHER CLASHES AT 
THE GRAVESIDES, THE REAL NUMBER REMAINED UNKNOWN . FOR THE FIRST 
TIME IN A DECADE, MARTIAL LAW WAS IMPOSED ON THE CITY, 
ALONG WITH A DUSK-TO-DAWN CURFEW . HOPING TO PRESERVE QUIET FOR 
A WHILE, PREMIER ASSADOLLAH ALAM ALSO ANNOUNCED THAT TROOPS WOULD REMAIN 
ON EMERGENCY DUTY . THEIR ORDERS : SHOOT TO KILL . 
AT WEEK'S END THE SHAH EMERGED FROM SAFETY, PROMPTLY RESUMED HANDING 
OUT PROPERTY DEEDS TO LANDLESS PEASANTS . " WE WILL NOT 
RETREAT ONE MILLIMETER, " HE TOLD 12,000 NEW LANDOWNERS IN A 
CEREMONY AT HAMADAN, 175 MILES WEST OF TEHERAN . THE RIOTS, 
HE SAID, WERE " SHAMEFUL FOR A CIVILIZED SOCIETY AND A 
CRIME AGAINST HUMANITY . " MULLAHS, HOWEVER, REMAINED DEFIANT . HANDWRITTEN 
NOTICES BLOSSOMED ON WALLS IN QUM PROMISING THAT ANY MOSLEM WHO 
CUT OFF THE EARS OR NOSE OF A POLICEMAN WOULD GO 
TO HEAVEN ; THE KILLING OF A POLICEMAN WOULD BRING ALLAH'S 
IMMEDIATE FORGIVENESS OF SIN . 