History of Yazd Province: Constitution Movement

Yazd was among the first cities, which fervently joined Iran's Constitution Movement in 1906. Among those who embraced the idea of constitutionals were Hajj Mohammad Taqi Mazar, Molla Abdulkarim Haeri Mesgar (Imadul-Islam) and Said Abolqasem Shahzadeh Fazeli, who in protest to the government's suppressive measures, staged a sit-in in British Consulate in Yazd along with other groups of people.

Molla Abdulkarim Haeri was elected Yazd's first representative in National Consultative Assembly. The replacement of the system of Iran's government by a constitutional system led to the change of Yazd's ruler. Later, when Mohammad Ali Shah launched a coup d'etat against constitutionalism, the people of Yazd sent a wire to the capital, which reflected the view of Yazd people. The telegraph read:

“To the supervisory board of the Parliament whose foundation may God fortify: Four days ago a telegraph was received from Mohammad Ali Shah connoting a superficial leniency. But it could not touch any heart among us. And today we received the dreadful news that Shah has broken his promise and pledge. This has provoked the public's anger. Since we regard ourselves as the subjects of a Muslem King; we do not recognize the one who violates his own promise and Holy Quran as fit to rule Muslems. We are all, therefore, prepared to sacrifice our lives and property to attain constitutionalism, which is an Islamic motto. We await your orders to call us to Tehran to sacrifice our blood for the cause of National Assembly, to uproot the oppressors and evil-doers and make the Shiite religion prevail.”

Seti Pir Zoroastrian Temple
Photo by: Masoud Soheili