Iran to mark Imam’s demise anniversary

Iranians have set to observe the anniversary of the demise of Imam Khomeini, the founder of the Islamic Republic.

Hundreds of thousands from across Iran are going to attend Imam Khomeini’s mausoleum in south of Tehran to take part in the commemoration ceremony on Saturday evening.

Millions of Iranians will also mark the anniversary across the country, as well as a large number of Iranian nationals and foreigners all around the world.

Born in 1902, Seyyed-Rouhollah Moussavi-Khomeini grew to become the iconic director of the Iranian nation’s fight in the 1970s against the centuries-old monarchical dictatorship.

He led a popular protest against the tyrannous policies of the Pahlavi regime and guided a grassroots society which was seeing the country’s religious values in danger.

Imam Khomeini was the founder of Islamic Republic of Iran and the leader of the country’s Islamic Revolution in 1979 which saw the overthrow of Mohammad-Reza Pahlavi, the last Shah of the country.

In the Western world he is known as Ayatollah Khomeini, an Iranian Shia Muslim religious leader, philosopher, revolutionary, and politician who was named Man of the Year in 1979 by American news magazine ‘Time’ for his international influence.

The founder of the Islamic Republic passed away on June 3, 1989, at the age of 89.

MG/MG