Imam KhomeiniImam Ali Khamenei

Imam Khomeini role model in rising up for justice, initiating revolution: Imam Ali Khamenei

Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei has described the founder of the Islamic Republic Imam Khomeini as a role model in rising up for justice and initiating a revolution.

He made the remarks at Imam Khomeini’s Mausoleum in southern Tehran on Sunday while addressing tens of thousands of Iranians who came to mark the 34th anniversary of the late leader’s passing. 

Ayatollah Khamenei praised Imam Khomeini as “one of the preeminent figures in our history and not just in our time.” Such figures, maintained the leader, “cannot be erased from the history’s memory … and cannot be removed or distorted.”

He hailed Imam Khomeini’s preeminence in various fields, such as religious knowledge, jurisprudence, philosophy, theoretical mysticism, faith, and piety, noting that none of the prominent figures in Iran’s history had all these features at the same time. 

Imam Khomeini died at 86 years old in 1989, nearly ten years after the Islamic Revolution triumphed and toppled the Pahlavi regime in Iran, which was supported by the US and led by Mohammad Reza Pahlavi, also known as the Shah.

Imam Khomeini lived in exile for many years in Iraq, Turkey and France, where he guided a growing movement of people, who finally removed the Shah and created the Islamic Republic.

Imam Khomeini founded the Islamic Republic after a referendum in 1979 when more than 98 percent of Iranians who could vote said ‘yes’ to the Islamic Republic.

Ayatollah Khamenei also said that the late founder of the Islamic Republic brought about three “unprecedented” changes in Iran, the Islamic Ummah and the world.

Imam Ali Khamenei said Imam Khomeini transformed Iran from a monarchy that was subservient to powers into a democracy that was independent and proud, ignited the Islamic awakening movement among the Islamic Ummah and made the Palestinian cause the foremost issue of Islam.

Imam Ali Khamenei added that Imam Khomeini revived spirituality even in non-Muslim countries against the materialist trends.

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