Every year Iranians mark anniversary of their Islamic Revolution from February 1 to 11, known as the Ten-Day Fajr ceremonies. February 1, 1979 was the date when Ayatollah Khomeini returned from exile.
On February 11 each year, Iranian people pour into the streets in their millions to commemorate the great victory of the Islamic Revolution.
Ten-Day Fajr (Ten-Day Dawn), starts on February 1, ten days before the victory of the Islamic Revolution, marking the return of the late founder of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini to Iran.
On February 1, 1979, Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini, the late founder of the Islamic Revolution returned to Iran after 15 years in exile.
Only two weeks after the Shah fled Iran on January 16, 1979, Imam Khomeini returned to Iran triumphantly, on Thursday, February 1, 1979, invited by the anti-Shah revolution which was already in progress. Conservative estimates put the welcoming crowd of Iranians at least three million.
It was originally planned that Ayatollah Khomeini would enter Iran on 26 January, but Prime Minister Shapour Bakhtiar announced that the airports would be closed. From Paris Khomeini declared that he would return as soon as the airports were reopened. The closure of the airports led to widespread protests and strikes. In Tehran alone, 28 people were killed. On 29 January, the airport was reopened.