Few figures in modern history stir as much debate as the bearded cleric who toppled a monarchy and created a new kind of state. Ayatollah Khomeini led the 1979 Iranian Revolution, founding the Islamic Republic and serving as its first Supreme Leader until his death in 1989.

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Born: 17 May 1900 · Died: 3 June 1989 · Role: First Supreme Leader of Iran · Title: Ayatollah · Key Event: Iranian Revolution (1979) · Religion: Shia Islam

Quick snapshot

1Confirmed facts
2What’s unclear
3Timeline signal
4What’s next

Eight key facts, one pattern: Khomeini’s life moved from small-town religious student to global political symbol, yet many basic details remain unknown to most readers.

Here are the confirmed biographical details.

Label Value
Full Name Ruhollah Mostafavi Musavi Khomeini
Born 17 May 1900, Khomeyn, Iran
Died 3 June 1989, Tehran, Iran
Title Ayatollah
Role First Supreme Leader of Iran
Religion Shia Islam
Spouse Khadsijeh Saqafi
Children 7 (including Ahmad Khomeini)

What was Ayatollah Khomeini known for?

What does the title “Ayatollah” mean literally?

  • The Arabic honorific “Ayatollah” translates to “Sign of God,” a title reserved for senior Shia scholars (Britannica (reference work)).
  • It signals high-level religious authority within Twelver Shia Islam, not a political rank by itself.

Khomeini held this title long before his political ascent, which is why his clerical identity was central to his legitimacy. The implication: his authority was rooted in religious credentials, not just popular support.

What were Khomeini’s key achievements?

The upshot

Khomeini coordinated opposition to the shah from exile in Iraq and later France, then returned in 1979 to lead what became the Islamic Republic (Britannica (encyclopedia)). The new system elevated a Supreme Leader above elected institutions, a structure that endures today (Leader of the Islamic Revolution website (Iranian state source)).

What this means: Khomeini didn’t just win a revolution — he designed and built a new kind of government that blended religious and political power, a model that still defines Iran.

Bottom line: Khomeini was the architect of Iran’s Islamic Republic and its first Supreme Leader, using his Shia clerical authority to justify a system that places a religious jurist above elected bodies. For researchers and students: his legacy is inseparable from the post-1979 political order. For casual readers: understanding the title “Ayatollah” helps explain why his leadership carried religious weight.

What happened to Ayatollah Khomeini?

What was Ayatollah Khomeini’s cause of death?

  • Khomeini died of a heart attack on 3 June 1989 in Tehran (Britannica (reference work)).
  • He was 89 years old at the time of his death.

How old was he when he died?

  • Born 17 May 1900 and died 3 June 1989, he was 89 years old (Wikipedia (crowdsourced encyclopedia)).

Who succeeded Ayatollah Khomeini?

  • Ali Khamenei succeeded Khomeini as the second Supreme Leader of Iran (Wikipedia (crowdsourced encyclopedia)).
  • The succession was controversial because Khamenei was not a grand ayatollah at the time, leading the constitution to be amended to lower the required rank (Britannica (reference work)).

What happened at his funeral?

The paradox

Khomeini’s funeral drew what is considered one of the largest crowds in history, with millions flooding Tehran’s streets — a testament to his deep support. Yet the crush of mourners grew so intense that the funeral procession was disrupted, and his casket was repeatedly opened as people tried to touch it (Britannica (reference work)).

  • The funeral reportedly drew millions of mourners, one of the largest gatherings in human history.
  • Chaos and stampedes occurred, forcing authorities to postpone the burial and eventually use a helicopter to transport the body.

The pattern: Khomeini’s death revealed the same emotional intensity that defined his political life — mass devotion mixed with disorder, leaving a complex legacy for those who came after.

What religion is Ayatollah Khomeini?

Was Ayatollah Khomeini Shia or Sunni?

  • Khomeini was a Shia Muslim, specifically a Twelver Shia cleric (Britannica (reference work)).
  • His religious identity was central to his political philosophy, particularly his doctrine of Wilayat al-Faqih (Guardianship of the Jurist), which holds that a Shia jurist should govern the state.

What religion was Iran before Muslims?

  • Before the Islamic conquest of Persia (7th century CE), Iran was predominantly Zoroastrian (Britannica (reference work)).
  • Zoroastrianism was the state religion of the Sassanid Empire and shaped Persian culture for over a millennium.

The trade-off: Khomeini’s Shia identity gave him religious authority but also placed him within a sectarian tradition that is a minority in the broader Muslim world (Shias make up roughly 10–15% of Muslims globally). For readers encountering his story, understanding Shia Islam is key to understanding his political goals.

Do Iranians like Ayatollah Khomeini?

Is Khomeini still popular in Iran?

  • Khomeini remains a revered figure among many Iranians, particularly older generations who lived through the revolution (Middle East Institute (Washington think tank)).
  • Public opinion data is limited and contested; official state narratives portray him positively, while independent polling suggests mixed views, especially among younger Iranians.

What are the criticisms of Khomeini?

  • Critics cite his human rights record, including the execution of political opponents after the revolution and the suppression of dissent (EBSCO Research Starters (academic database)).
  • His fatwa against author Salman Rushdie in 1989 drew international condemnation and remains a flashpoint in debates about free expression.
The catch

For outside observers, the gap between state-sponsored reverence and individual opinion is wide. Iranian state media projects near-universal devotion, but social media and diaspora accounts tell a more fragmented story. The real level of support inside Iran is one of the hardest facts to pin down (The Free Press (independent commentary)).

Why this matters: Whether or not Khomeini is “liked” is not just trivia — it affects how the Iranian government claims legitimacy, how opposition groups frame their arguments, and how foreign policy analysts predict Iran’s future stability.

Was Ayatollah Khomeini an Indian?

Why do some think Khomeini was Indian?

  • The myth that Khomeini was of Indian origin likely stems from confusion over the title “Ayatollah” sounding unfamiliar to non-Muslim audiences, combined with the presence of Shia communities in South Asia (Middle East Institute (Washington think tank)).
  • No credible source supports an Indian origin; the claim circulates primarily in informal online spaces and discussion forums.

Where was Khomeini born?

  • Khomeini was born on 17 May 1900 in the small town of Khomeyn, located in central Iran (Britannica (reference work)).
  • His family were religious scholars; his father, Mustafa Musavi, was a cleric who was murdered when Khomeini was an infant.
Bottom line: The Indian-origin myth is a persistent internet rumor with no basis in fact. Khomeini was Iranian, born in Khomeyn, and his family had been Shia clerics in Iran for generations. For researchers and students: cross-reference any claim about his birthplace against authoritative sources like Britannica or academic databases. For casual readers: if you see someone claim Khomeini was Indian, you now know it’s false.

Timeline

  • 17 May 1900 — Birth of Ruhollah Khomeini in Khomeyn, Iran (Britannica (reference work))
  • 1964 — Exile to Turkey, then Iraq, then France after criticizing the Shah and the White Revolution (Britannica (encyclopedia))
  • 1979 — Iranian Revolution; Khomeini returns from exile and becomes Supreme Leader (Wikipedia (crowdsourced encyclopedia))
  • 3 June 1989 — Death of Khomeini from a heart attack; Ali Khamenei succeeds him (Britannica (reference work))

The arc of Khomeini’s life — from religious student to exiled dissident to absolute leader — is compressed into four dates. But each of those moments represents a massive shift in Iran’s political and religious landscape.

Key facts at a glance

Confirmed facts

  • Khomeini was born in 1900 in Khomeyn, Iran (Britannica (reference work))
  • He died of a heart attack on 3 June 1989 (Britannica (reference work))
  • He was the first Supreme Leader of Iran (Wikipedia (crowdsourced encyclopedia))
  • He led the 1979 Iranian Revolution (Britannica (encyclopedia))
  • He was a Shia Muslim cleric (EBSCO Research Starters (academic database))

What’s unclear

  • Exact level of current public support in Iran (Middle East Institute (Washington think tank))
  • How much of the revolution’s success was due to Khomeini personally vs. coalition politics (Retrospect Journal (academic publication))
  • Whether his legacy will soften or harden as younger Iranians gain influence

Quotes & perspectives

“Ayatollah Khomeini was the architect of the Iranian Revolution and the founder of the Islamic Republic of Iran, a political system that merged clerical authority with state governance.”

— Britannica (reference work)

“One enduring myth about the 1979 revolution concerns Khomeini’s clerical status and the idea that the revolution was purely a religious movement, obscuring the coalition of leftists, nationalists, and clerics that actually brought it about.”

— Middle East Institute (Washington think tank)

“Khomeini transformed Iran into an Islamic republic after the revolution, becoming the country’s first Supreme Leader and holding the position until his death.”

— Wikipedia (crowdsourced encyclopedia)

Summary

Khomeini’s life story has been simplified into a hero narrative by supporters and a villain narrative by critics, but the truth is more layered: he was a Shia cleric who used religious authority to build a new political order, and his legacy is still being negotiated by Iranians today. For anyone trying to understand modern Iran — whether you’re a student, a journalist, or just a curious reader — the choice is clear: dig past the myths, or you’ll miss what’s really happening in the country he helped create.

Additional sources

iranshahr.substack.com, britannica.com, reddit.com, wpcdn.web.wsu.edu, thefp.com

For a deeper look into the life of Iran’s first Supreme Leader, read Ayatollah Khomeinis biografi in Danish.

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Frequently asked questions

What was Khomeini’s education background?

He studied Shia theology and jurisprudence in Qom, Iran, and became a senior cleric (marja’) by the 1950s (Britannica (reference work)).

Did Ayatollah Khomeini write any books?

Yes, he wrote extensively on Islamic governance, mysticism, and jurisprudence. His most famous work is “Islamic Government: Governance of the Jurist” (Velayat-e Faqih), which lays out his theory of clerical rule (Britannica (reference work)).

What is Wilayat al-Faqih?

Wilayat al-Faqih (Guardianship of the Jurist) is Khomeini’s doctrine that a senior Shia jurist should hold supreme political authority, serving as the guardian of the state and the community (EBSCO Research Starters (academic database)).

Why was Khomeini exiled from Iran?

He was exiled in 1964 after criticizing the Shah’s White Revolution and calling for the overthrow of the Pahlavi dynasty (Britannica (encyclopedia)).

How did Khomeini come to power in 1979?

After the Shah fled Iran in January 1979, Khomeini returned from exile in France and was widely embraced by revolutionaries. A referendum in April 1979 established the Islamic Republic, and Khomeini became Supreme Leader (Wikipedia (crowdsourced encyclopedia)).

What was Khomeini’s relationship with the United States?

It was deeply adversarial. He referred to the US as the “Great Satan,” and his supporters seized the US Embassy in Tehran in 1979, holding 52 hostages for 444 days (Britannica (encyclopedia)).

How many children did Ayatollah Khomeini have?

He had seven children, though only three survived to adulthood, including his son Ahmad Khomeini, who was a key political figure (Britannica (reference work)).

What was Khomeini’s fatwa against Salman Rushdie?

In 1989, Khomeini issued a fatwa calling for the death of author Salman Rushdie over his novel “The Satanic Verses,” which he deemed blasphemous. The fatwa led to a major international diplomatic incident (Britannica (reference work)).

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