In this way I didn't have to make copies in the studio.

At half-past-eight I left Jam-e-Jam for the Arya Hotel Sheraton. I had been told that my assignment would be divulged at the hotel. At this hour street demonstrations were spreading.

We drove past groups of people holding up or carrying banners and reached the Sheraton which was full of domestic and foreign journalists who were preparing their cameras.

Two buses stood in front of the hotel. A public relations officer from the palace invited the journalists to board the buses. About 160 foreign journalists from around the world including photographers, cameramen, reporters, commentators and newspapermen were led towards the buses. Although nobody had told us where we were going most of us had guessed that it was Mehrabad Airport and that our assignment was to cover His Majesty's departure.

We waited for a while in the buses expecting orders to move anytime. I was plunged in deep thought looking back at the events of recent months like scenes from a movie when suddenly I heard the screams of a woman. The woman was well-dressed and made up. She threw herself into the bus and started telling the foreign reporters of the crimes and tales of torture committed by the regime.

Moments later the same lady who was from the Ministry of Court's public relations office returned to tell us in English that the trip to the airport was off. As the foreign reporters and journalists got off the buses upset and cursing the same lady approached me and whispered that I follow her.