Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini (1902 - 1989) was an influential religious leader and political revolutionary who led the 1979 Islamic Revolution and founded the Islamic Republic of Iran.
Khomeini was born into a family of clergymen and received an extensive Islamic education. He soon began to take an active role in political affairs and publicly criticized the Western-oriented government of Shah Mohammad Reza Pahlavi.
In 1963, Khomeini was arrested for his criticism of the Shah and sent into exile in Iraq. There he used his time to further develop his revolutionary ideas and expand his following. In the 1970s, Khomeini became a symbol of resistance to the Shah's rule and his support grew.
In 1979, Khomeini finally led the successful revolution that overthrew the Shah and established the Islamic Republic of Iran. Khomeini was named the country's spiritual leader and retained that position until his death in 1989.
Under Khomeini's leadership, Iran developed into a theocratic republic based on the tenets of Shiite Islam. The government espoused anti-American and anti-Israel rhetoric and supported various Islamic groups and movements in the Middle East.
Khomeini's ideology, known as the "Islamic Revolution," had a profound impact on politics, culture, and society in Iran and the Middle East.
After Khomeini came to power, he initiated a series of reforms to further the Islamization of the country. This included restructuring the legal system, introducing Sharia law, and promoting Islamic values in society. The Islamic Republic of Iran became a major player in the Middle East under his leadership, and his ideology of Islamic revolution inspired numerous Islamist movements around the world.