ABADAN — 1978 · Major Tragedy
Cinema Rex Fire
On the evening of 19 August 1978, the Cinema Rex in the Iranian oil city of Abadan was set on fire during a screening. Between 377 and 470 people died in the hall, whose doors were reportedly shut from outside, making it one of the deadliest arson attacks in modern history. In the aftermath the Shah's government and the opposition blamed each other; the accusations widely believed at the time fuelled anger against the regime, and the fire is regarded as a turning point that accelerated the 1979 revolution. Later trials and historians' research established that the fire was set by politically motivated militants. It remains one of the most contested tragedies in Iran's history.
- Date
- 1978
- Place
- Khuzestan, Iran, Abadan, IR
- Category
- Major Tragedy
- Case Status
- Closed
- Coordinates
- 30.3400, 48.3000 ↗
Timeline of Events
- 19 August 1978Cinema Rex was set alight during a screening.
- 21 August 1978The press reported a death toll of 377.
- August 1978The dispute over responsibility fuelled nationwide protests.
- Later yearsTrials and research showed the arson was carried out by militants.
Sources
- The Washington Post — Terrorists kill 377 by burning theater in Iran (1978) washingtonpost.com ↗
- TIME — Iran: Holocaust in Abadan content.time.com ↗
- Wikipedia — Cinema Rex fire en.wikipedia.org ↗
- The Washington Post
- TIME
- BBC Persian
Source grade A: several independent sources, at least one an official record or reference work. If you spot a mistake or something missing, report it with "Suggest a correction" in the app.
Related Cases
More cases from the 1970s
Categories
Collections
🕯️ This record was prepared with respect, in memory of those who lost their lives.