- News code: 1711758
Iranians from different walks of life have been participating in ceremonies to commemorate the 37th anniversary of the passing of the late founder of the Islamic Republic of Iran, Imam Khomeini.
In Tehran, mourners gathered at Imam Khomeini’s mausoleum in southern Tehran on Thursday to renew their allegiance to the ideals of the 1979 Islamic Revolution.
The ceremony began at 9:00 a.m. local time while religious eulogists paid homage to the architect of the Islamic Revolution.
Later, Mohammad Javad Haj Ali Akbari, Tehran's interim Friday prayer leader, read out a message from Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyyed Mojtaba Khamenei.
Imam Khomeini passed away aged 86 late on June 3, 1989. Hailed as one of the most influential figures in modern history, he led popular protests against Iran's former Pahlavi regime, which was a key ally of the United States.
Imam Khomeini spent many years in exile in Iraq, Turkey and France, from where he led a swelling grassroots movement which ultimately put an end to the monarchical rule in Iran.
The anniversary is one day ahead of another landmark, June 5, 1963, the day Imam Khomeini’s first revolt against the monarchy witnessed demonstrations in Tehran and Qom.