Revered by millions as the founder-leader of the 1979 Islamic Revolution, Imam Khomeini fundamentally reshaped not only Iran’s political destiny but also the intellectual and geopolitical contours of the entire Muslim world.

His revolutionary movement toppled one of Washington’s most loyal client monarchies in West Asia, shattered the foundations of Western hegemony in the region, and introduced a new and groundbreaking political discourse rooted in Islamic self-reliance, resistance to imperialism and Zionism, and authentic popular sovereignty.

Imam Khomeini emerged at a time when secular nationalism and imported ideologies were widely seen as the only viable paths for developing nations, when many believed religion and religious beliefs had no place in modern governance.

Defying those unfounded assumptions, he constructed and explained a revolutionary framework that fused spirituality with politics, religious identity with mass mobilization, and anti-imperialist struggle with Islamic governance.

His leadership empowered millions in Iran to rise against the unpopular, West-backed Pahlavi monarchy and later inspired oppressed nations and resistance movements worldwide to challenge foreign domination and occupation.

His legacy, however, extends far beyond the Islamic Republic he founded. From Palestine and Lebanon to Latin America, Africa, and Asia, his ideas helped shape a living axis of resistance against colonialism, Zionism, and global arrogance.

Fearlessly championing Muslim unity, he defended the oppressed regardless of sect or ethnicity, elevated women’s role in political and social life, and constantly emphasized cultural independence and self-reliance.

On the 37th anniversary of his passing, Imam Khomeini remains not merely a historical figure but a living force in global political consciousness – an enduring symbol of brave resistance, dignity, and Islamic awakening.

The emergence of a revolutionary scholar

Born in 1902 in the town of Khomein in central Iran, Imam Khomeini was raised in a deeply religious family known for a legacy of scholarship and resistance. From an early age, he displayed exceptional intellectual ability and spiritual discipline. He pursued advanced studies in Islamic jurisprudence, philosophy, mysticism, ethics, and political thought, eventually rising as one of the leading Shi’a scholars of his generation.

Yet Imam Khomeini never confined himself to the traditional boundaries of clerical life. As Iran descended deeper into authoritarianism under the West-backed Pahlavi monarchy, he increasingly emerged as a political voice against tyranny, corruption, and foreign domination.

The Pahlavi dictator’s aggressive Westernization policies, close alliance with the United States and the Israeli regime, systematic suppression of religious institutions, and relentless erosion of national sovereignty deeply alarmed the Imam.

The turning point arrived in the early 1960s when the Shah launched the so-called “White Revolution,” a program heavily backed by Washington. Imam Khomeini denounced these “reforms” as a mechanism for consolidating dictatorship and deepening dependence on foreign powers. His fiery speeches against the Shah and his American patrons shook Iranian society and transformed him into the leading face of opposition to the dictatorship.

His arrest in 1963 triggered nationwide protests, many of which were brutally suppressed. But repression only elevated his stature further.

One year later, after he strongly condemned a law granting legal immunity to American military personnel in Iran, he was exiled. What the monarchy believed would silence him instead amplified his voice across the entire Muslim world.

Leader of the Islamic Revolution, Ayatollah Seyyed Mojtaba Khamenei, issued a message on the 37th anniversary of Imam Khomeini’s passing.

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— Press TV (@PressTV) June 4, 2026

Exile and the construction of a revolutionary movement

Imam Khomeini spent years in exile – first in Turkey, then in Iraq, and finally in France. Yet exile became the very incubator of a global revolutionary movement.

Through recorded sermons, written messages, and extensive networks of students and activists across Iran, he maintained direct and sustained influence over Iranian society.

Unlike many opposition figures who focused solely on replacing the Shah, Imam Khomeini articulated a comprehensive political vision for the country. He insisted that Islam was not merely a spiritual faith but a complete system and a way of life – capable of governing society, establishing justice, and resisting all forms of oppression.

His doctrine of Wilayat al-Faqih, or Guardianship of the Islamic Jurist, laid the intellectual foundation for an Islamic government led by a qualified jurist during the occultation of the Twelfth Imam of Shi’as. It offered an indigenous political alternative to both monarchy and Western secularism, rooted firmly in public welfare and Islamic awakening.

More profoundly, Imam Khomeini transformed the struggle against the Shah’s monarchy into a moral and spiritual movement. He linked contemporary political resistance with the legacy of Imam Hussain and the immortal tragedy of Karbala, framing the battle against tyranny as a sacred duty of the people.

Ashura thus became the beating heart of revolutionary mobilization. Imam Khomeini repeatedly emphasized that every day is Ashura and every land is Karbala. This infused the revolution with extraordinary emotional power and formed a culture of sacrifice and steadfastness, a culture that continues to define the Islamic Republic and resistance movements to this very day.

The triumphant return and collapse of the monarchy

On February 1, 1979, after fifteen years in exile, Imam Khomeini returned to Iran to a reception unprecedented in modern history. Millions flooded the streets of Tehran to welcome him home. The scenes stunned global media outlets, many of which had previously underestimated both his popularity and the revolutionary movement he led.

His triumphant return symbolized far more than the homecoming of an exiled leader. It fundamentally reshaped the entire geopolitical order of West Asia. The Pahlavi monarchy, once considered one of the most stable and heavily armed allies of the American hegemony, disintegrated and vanished within days.

Western governments were caught completely off guard. For decades, they had viewed Iran as an unshakable pillar of American influence and intervention in the region. The popular revolution led by Imam Khomeini shattered that assumption entirely and replaced a pro-Western monarchy with an independent Islamic state openly opposed to Western imperialism and Zionism.

Imam Khomeini’s rise fundamentally altered the political vocabulary of the Muslim world. Independence, resistance, self-determination, and Islamic governance became central, living themes in regional politics.

Islamic Revolution: How the revolution, led by the late Imam Khomeini, brought an eternal end to monarchical rule in Iran

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— Press TV (@PressTV) February 4, 2026

Challenging Western hegemony

One of Imam Khomeini’s most enduring legacies was his uncompromising and steadfast opposition to Western domination and hegemony. He consistently and logically insisted that many Muslim nations suffered not merely from domestic corruption but from profound dependency on foreign powers.

The Islamic Revolution directly challenged Ameri...

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