ʿAṢR-E ENQELĀB

 

ʿAṢR-E ENQELĀB, later ʿAHD-E ENQELĀB, a journal of news and political comment published at Tehran in 1333-1915. Both titles mean “the age of revolution.” Publication under the first title began on 15 Rabīʿ I 1333/31 January 1915. One issue per week was printed until no. 6, thereafter two and later three per week. The holder of the publication license was Mīrzā Āqā Khan Hamadānī (1881?-1945), a former Maǰles deputy and high official (who later adopted the family name Faryār). The editor until issue no. 15 was Dabīr-e Ḵalwat.

Although ʿAṣr-e enqelāb lasted less than one year, it was an important constituent of the Iranian press in World War I because it voiced support for the Germans and the Ottoman Turks and opposition to the contemporary Iranian cabinets. For this reason it was banned, but it reappeared for a time under a slightly altered name.

ʿAṣr-e enqelāb described itself as a “national, liberal, and independent newspaper which would speak up for the country’s interests and the principle of (national) sovereignty.” ʿAyn-al-dawla (Solṭān ʿAbd-al-Maǰīd Mīrzā), the former grand vizier at the start of the constitutionalist movement, was appointed prime minister in April, 1915. ʿAṣr-e enqelāb vigorously objected, and in Raǰab, 1333/ June, 1915 it was banned after exception had been taken to an article in its issue no. 29 headed “Islam and the present world situation: The Ottoman empire and the war.” Three months later, however, it reappeared with the title ʿAhd e enqelāb under a separate license also held by Mīrzā Āqā Khan Hamadānī. Only thirteen issues of ʿAhd-e enqelāb, which came out twice a week, were produced; the first issue is dated 10 Ḏu’l-qaʿda 1333/21 September 1915, the last 3 Moḥarram 1334/11 November 1915. Its demise coincided with the banning of numerous other journals, particularly mouthpieces of the opposition, in the wake of the events which prompted the departure of prominent nationalists to Qom and concomitant outbreak of widespread disorders and clashes.

Seven years later, in July and August, 1923, six or eight issues of ʿAhd-e enqelāb were printed, under the same publication license, as substitutes for the then banned journal Omīd, of which Saʿīd Nafīsī was the editor; these consisted of four five-column pages measuring 54 x 37 cm. Earlier, in 1922, one issue entitled ʿAṣr-e enqelāb and four issues entitled ʿAhd-e enqelāb had been brought out to fill the gap left by the suspension of the newspaper Šafaq-e sork²; the five issues were brought out by Šafaq-e sorḵ’s licensee and editor, ʿAlī Daštī. Another journal with the title ʿAṣr-e enqelāb appeared in July, 1925, the licensee being Āqā Khan Hamadānī’s son ʿAbdallāh Faryār, but its life was short.

The ʿAṣr-e enqelāb of 1915 consisted initially of two four-column pages, later of four five column pages measuring 62 x 39.5, while ʿAhd e enqelāb had four five column pages measuring 59 x 42 cm. Both carried advertisements and small numbers of illustrations. The price of each was five šāhīs per copy. The annual subscription rate for ʿAṣr-e enqelāb was 40 qerāns in Tehran, 45 in the provinces, and 60 abroad; for ʿAhd-e enqelāb fifty, fifty-five, and sixty qerāns respectively.

A compete set of these two journals is preserved in the National Library at Tehran. Incomplete sets are available in the other main libraries in Iran.

 

Bibliography:

M. Ṣadr Hāšemī, Tārīḵ-eǰarāʾed wa maǰallāt-e Īrān, 4 vols., Isfahan, 1327 Š./1948-1332 Š./1953, nos. 211, 799, 831.

Ali Nô-rouze (Ḥasan Moqaddam), “Registre analytique annoté de la presse persane,” RMM 60, 1925, pp. 40, 45 (nos. 36-45).

G. Kohan, Sānsūr dar maṭbūʿāt-e Īrān, Tehran, 1362 Š./1983, II, pp. 641-42, 644-47.

L. Bouvat, “La presse à Téhéran en 1915,” RMM 30, 1915, pp. 275-76.

Search terms:

 عصر انقلاب asr e enghelab  asr e enqelaab

 

(N. Parvīn)

Originally Published: December 15, 1987

Last Updated: August 17, 2011

This article is available in print.
Vol. II, Fasc. 8, pp. 792-793