The arson killed up to 470 people and helped catalyze the 1979 Iranian Revolution by fueling mass anti-Shah sentiment.
Key Facts
- Date
- August 19, 1978
- Death toll (low estimate)
- 377 people
- Death toll (high estimate)
- 470 people
- Number of perpetrators
- 4 individuals
- Accelerant used
- Airplane fuel
- Perpetrator motive
- Islamic extremism
By the Numbers
Location
Cause → Event → Consequence
Four Islamic extremist militants, motivated by religious ideology, planned a mass-casualty attack on a cinema in Abadan, Iran. They obtained airplane fuel to use as an accelerant, targeting a crowded public venue on August 19, 1978, a date that also coincided with the anniversary of the 1953 coup.
The perpetrators doused Cinema Rex with airplane fuel and set it ablaze while the building was filled with patrons. The fire killed between 377 and 470 people, making it one of the deadliest arson attacks in history. Despite the attackers' Islamic extremist affiliation, opposition groups blamed the Shah's secret police, SAVAK, exploiting widespread public mistrust of the government.
The fire dramatically accelerated anti-Shah sentiment across Iran. Disinformation blaming SAVAK persuaded many previously neutral Iranians to join the opposition movement, broadening the revolutionary coalition. This shift in public opinion contributed directly to the Iranian Revolution of 1979, which overthrew the Pahlavi monarchy and fundamentally transformed Iran's political order.
Human Cost
Each dot represents approximately 10,000 deaths. Total estimated: 377 (fire)
Range: 377 – 470