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Ayatollah Khomeini
has become the
symbol of the rise
of Islamic funda-
mentalism. The
religious revolution
he led in Iran has
had a ripple effect
around the world,
and it seems clear
that militant Islam
is a force that
will help to shape
global politics in
the 21st century 
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Iran was ruled until1979 by Mohammed Reza, the Shah of Iran. He was kept in
power by American guns and money. His rule, with its emphasis on modernisation,
westernisation and military power offended Iranians, religious and otherwise
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Khomeini had been 
an opponent of the 
Shah since the 
Forties. He had 
opposed the Shah's 
westernisation as 
un-Islamic. In the 
Sixties he was 
arrested, sent to
prison and driven
into exile in Iraq.
He finally took
refuge in France
in 1978. He orga-
nised resistance
to the Shah from
the safety of Paris
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In January 1979, 
the Shah was 
driven into exile, 
and Khomeini flew 
back from Paris
to take power. In
the first months,
non-religious 
Iranians as well
as hardline Muslim 
fundamentalists 
were hopeful for 
the new regime. 
Nearly all were
glad to see the
end of the Shah's
decadent rule
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In November 1979, 
students stormed
the US embassy in
Tehran, taking 100
Americans hostage. 
They demanded the 
return of the Shah 
from the United
States to face 
"Islamic justice". 
The hostages were
held for 14 months.
By the time they
were released the
Shah had died. Iran
was denouncing the
US as the "Great 
Satan", and the
two countries
had become bitter 
enemies
#
In 1980 the Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein took the opportunity to exploit the chaos in
Iran by invading. There had been tension between Iran and her Arab neighbours for
centuries. The war with Iraq lasted eight years and led to the death of one million
Iranians. When it ended neither Iran or Iraq was able to claim victory
#
The revolution in
Iran severely cur-
tailed the rights of
women. Few dared
even show their
faces. Stoning to
death, crucifixion,
flogging and amput-
ation were common
punishments for
criminals and for
political dissidents. 
According to Iranian
clerics this was in
line with Islamic
law, but it outraged
western opinion
#
Khomeini attempted
to extend his autho-
rity on religious
matters beyond Iran.
In 1989, soon before
his death, he issued
a fatwa (sentence
of death) against
the British writer
Salman Rushdie. 
It was said that 
Rushdie's novel 
The Satanic Verses 
blasphemed against
Mohammed. Muslims
around the world 
railed against
Rushdie, who was
forced to go into
hiding for fear of
Iranian death squads
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When Khomeini
died, thousands
upon thousands of
Iranians turned out
for the funeral. It 
turned into a mass 
orgy of grief. The 
Ayatollah's body 
was nearly dragged 
from its coffin by 
the crowds. He was
the embodiment of
the state, but the
state did not fall
without him. The
leadership passed
to men who were
younger and more
pragmatic in their
attitude to the
Iranian revolution
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After Khomeini's 
death, Iran seemed 
to seek compromise 
with the west. But 
the flames which
Khomeini had fanned 
are still burning, 
and even in death 
he continues to 
inspire Islamic 
fundamentalists
in the Middle East
and in other Muslim
communities  both
East and West
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