The concept of velayat-e faqih (Farsi: Guardianship of the Islamic Jurist) lay at the heart of Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini’s vision for Iran. This ideology, which granted a cleric supreme authority over state decisions, became the foundation for Khomeini’s theocratic ambitions.
Under this system, a cleric — the vali-e faqih — was to oversee governance to ensure alignment with Shia Islamic principles. Such a religious framework turned into a grim reality for all of Iran when the Ayatollah eventually returned from exile in February 1979.
The Shah’s Fall and Khomeini’s Return
Khomeini’s return coincided with political turbulence in Iran. The Shah’s regime, a close ally of the United States, faced growing opposition despite its military strength and modernization efforts. The Shah’s alliance/relationship with the U.S. made him a target for criticism.
Subsequently, many politically active groups, ranging from left-wing nationalists to communists, sought to overthrow his rule. Recognizing Khomeini as a religious leader, many of these factions joined forces with him, creating what the Shah described as an “unholy alliance between two extremist wings, black reactionaries and unpatriotic, destructive Reds.” However, these groups underestimated Khomeini’s true intentions, believing he would retreat to religious scholarship upon achieving power. They failed to foresee that their aspirations for a secular government would be obliterated in favor of a conservative Shia Islamic theocratic state.
Exiled in Turkey, Iraq, and later France, Khomeini skillfully mobilized support. His speeches, distributed on cassette tapes, reached rural and urban areas alike, criticizing the Shah’s regime and promising reforms. Khomeini portrayed himself as a unifying figure, vowing to reduce military expenditures and uphold rights for minorities. However, his promises concealed the radical nature of his revolutionary plans. In one such speech, he misleadingly suggested a type of “progressive Islam” that could even allow a woman to become president. These deceptive assurances rallied diverse groups behind him, unwittingly setting the stage for theocratic rule.
By the late 1970s, Iran’s political and economic situation had deteriorated. Public resentment against the Shah’s rapid modernization, financial hardships, and growing unrest brought the nation to the brink. Widespread protests, strikes, and a near-halt in oil production exacerbated tensions. At this critical juncture, Khomeini’s underground network orchestrated mass demonstrations, further destabilizing the Shah’s rule.
While in exile in Neauphle-le-Château, France, Khomeini communicated secretly with the U.S. government, assuring them his return would not jeopardize their interests. “It is advisable that you recommend to the army not to follow [Shah’s Prime Minister Shapour] Bakhtiar,” the Ayatollah reportedly said, adding, “You will see we are not in any particular animosity with the Americans.”
The Carter administration, trusting these vague assurances, discouraged the Iranian military from intervening, clearing the way for Khomeini’s return. This pivotal decision accelerated the Shah’s downfall, culminating in his departure on January 16, 1979.
Khomeini’s return to Iran on February 1, 1979, marked a turning point in Iranian and Middle Eastern history. Greeted by massive crowds chanting, “God is Great,” and “God is one, Khomeini is one,” his arrival ignited an outpouring of revolutionary fervor. Khomeini’s composed demeanor contrasted with the chaotic celebrations surrounding him. Yet beneath the jubilation lay the foundation of a new regime that would impose a rigid authoritarian Islamic theory on the nation, the region, and the world.
Consolidating Power: A Vision of Islamic Theocracy
Khomeini wasted no time asserting his authority. Upon arrival, he delivered a fiery speech at Behesth-e Zahra cemetery, declaring the Shah-appointed government “illegal” and vowing to appoint his own.
“I will slap this government on the mouth,” he proclaimed, solidifying his position as the revolution’s leader. Soon after, Khomeini relocated to Refah School in Tehran, which became his temporary headquarters and symbolized the clerical dominance that would follow.
Under Khomeini’s leadership, Islam became the central force in Iranian governance. He emphasized the clergy’s role in enforcing Sharia law and declared that “revolt against the government of the Sharia … is blasphemy.” To eliminate dissent, Khomeini established Revolutionary Tribunals led by clerical figures such as Ayatollah Sadegh Khalkhali, known as “The Hanging Judge.”
These tribunals conducted summary trials, leading to mass executions of former officials affiliated with the Shah, military personnel loyal to the Shah, and perceived enemies of the revolution. One of the most infamous executions was that of General Nematollah Nassiri, former head of SAVAK, the Shah’s intelligence agency. Khomeini justified these actions, telling Khalkhali, “These people are guilty in any case. So hear what they say and then send them to hell.”
Public executions became a hallmark of Khomeini’s revolution. Crane-mounted gallows and firing squads served as tools of terror, silencing opposition and instilling fear. Even those who had shown mercy to Khomeini, such as Lieutenant General Hassan Pakravan, were not spared. The regime’s brutality extended beyond former Shah supporters, targeting leftists and nationalists who had once allied with Khomeini but now opposed his theocratic agenda.
On April 1, 1979, Khomeini declared Iran an Islamic Republic following a national referendum, marking the beginning of a systematic effort to enforce Shia Islamic values and suppress any opposition. Ardent Shia Islamic supporters of the Ayatollah formed revolutionary bands or komitehs, patrolling the streets of Iran and ensuring violent adherence to strict Islamic codes.
However, Khomeini’s consolidation of power peaked with the takeover of the U.S. embassy in Iran later that year. With the Ayatollah’s approval, militant students seized the embassy, holding 52 Americans hostage for 444 days. Khomeini praised the act, calling the embassy a “den of espionage.” This event further marginalized secular and nationalist elements within the government, solidifying clerical dominance.
Amidst the hostage crisis and the consolidation of clerical rule, Khomeini sought to export his vision beyond Iran’s borders. He sought to export the revolution through the Sepah-e-Pasdaran-e-Enqelab-e Eslami (Farsi: Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps [IRGC]), established in May 1979.
The IRGC, whose primary goal was to protect the newly established Islamic Republic, was the primary tool used to support Shia militant groups within the region and replicate Iran’s theocratic model across the Middle East.
The Iran-Iraq War and Khomeini’s Legacy
Khomeini’s revolutionary agenda faced its most significant challenge in 1980 when Iraq’s Saddam Hussein launched a surprise invasion of Iran. The Iran‑Iraq War, lasting eight years, devastated both nations and claimed over a million lives. Despite initial territorial losses, Khomeini rallied Iranians against the Iraqi invaders, framing the conflict as a religious duty. However, his refusal to accept a ceasefire in 1982 prolonged the war unnecessarily, leading to immense economic and human suffering.
By the end of the war in August 1988, Iran faced economic collapse, with inflation soaring and unemployment reaching unprecedented levels. Khomeini’s health deteriorated during this period, and he became increasingly reclusive — ashamed that he had taken, as he described, a decision that was more “deadly than taking poison” to end the eight-year bloody conflict.
On June 3, 1989, Ayatollah Ruhollah Musavi Khomeini, the founder of the Islamic revolution and the first Supreme Leader of the Islamic Republic of Iran, passed away, leaving behind a legacy marked by repression, violence, and the imposition of a Shia Islamic theocratic regime.
From the 1990s to the mid-2000s, supporters of Khomeini’s ideals sought to advance the former Supreme Leader’s vision by bolstering Shia and Sunni militant groups such as Hezbollah (The Party of God) and Hamas. This formed a “Shia Crescent” linking Tehran, Baghdad, Southern Lebanon, Gaza, and Sana’a.
Khomeini’s vision of velayat-e faqih transformed the nation of Iran into a rigid theocracy that prioritized Shia Islamic religious orthodoxy over individual freedom and economic stability. His consolidation of power, marked by mass executions, suppression of dissent, and exportation of revolution, influenced profound and enduring harm on Iran and its people.
At the same time, his vision reshaped the Middle East by fueling the rise of Islamic terrorism among Sunni and Shia factions, setting the stage for confrontation against Western civilization that still lingers to this day.
