Mahmoud Mahmoudpour Self-Immolation Outside Iranian Consulate (KRON-TV)

KRON-TV news footage from March 12th 1971 featuring an interview with the Iranian Consul General in San Francisco Dr. Parviz Adel, who is asked about what just happened with Shell service station operator Mahmoud (Mike) Mahmoudpour. Dr. Adel explains that: "I was in the office and one of our collegues told us somebody's burning himself. And then I rushed out and saw someone is burning himself. And I recognized him. He was one of, an Iranian that I used to know and we tried ... to save him." Also includes views of the book of matches and gas can that were used for this self-immolation. As described on page 3 of the 3/13/71 edition of the San Francisco Chronicle newspaper, Mahmoudpour took his pregnant wife Claire to work that morning, then drove from his gas station at 19th street and South Van Ness Avenue to the Iranian consulate at 3400 Washington Street and set fire to himself, before collapsing outside. He apparently told firemen at the scene that "I just want to die here." He was taken to San Francisco general hospital with 2nd and 3rd degree burns over 70% of his body. Mahmoudpour was 31 years old, had lived in San Francisco for 8 years and was a permanent US resident. There was a benefit for him on Norooz (Persian New Year) on 3/27/71 and he passed away on April 7th at San Francisco general hospital, without explaining why he chose to die by self-immolation. The Chronicle reported that Morteza Aliakbar, the Iranian consulate's head of student affairs section, said that Mahmoudpour had told him he was having business problems a few months prior to this tragic incident. Mahmoudpour was the son of Mrs. Masomah Rahatju and lived at 587 Burnett Avenue, in the Twin Peaks neighborhood. Opening graphic designed by Carrie Hawks.