Ruhollah Khomeini
About Ruhollah Khomeini
The founder of the Islamic Republic of Iran. Khomeini led the 1979 Iranian Revolution that overthrew the US backed Shah. He established a theocratic state with himself as Supreme Leader, a position above the president. Khomeinis regime took American embassy staff hostage for 444 days. He pursued the devastating Iran Iraq War from 1980 to 1988. Khomeini issued a fatwa calling for the death of author Salman Rushdie in 1989. He died days after the fatwa. Khomeini transformed Iran from a Western aligned monarchy into an anti Western Islamic state, fundamentally altering Middle Eastern geopolitics.
Related Leaders
George Washington
The first President of the United States and Commander in Chief of the Continental Army during the Revolutiona...
John Adams
The first Vice President and second President of the United States. Adams was a leading advocate for independe...
Thomas Jefferson
The primary author of the Declaration of Independence and third President. Jeffersons presidency saw the Louis...
James Madison
The Father of the Constitution and fourth President. Madison was the principal architect of the US Constitutio...