Khomeini and the Iranian revolution: his ideas and actions

Abstract

The aim of this study is to examine the ideas and actions of Ayatollah Khomeini, the founder of the Shiite theocracy in Iran, in three periods: during his exile in France, during the 1979 revolution, and after his victory, during the founding of the new state (Islamic Republic of Iran). To write my study, I used primarily primary sources, such as articles in the international press of the time, which appeared in International Review periodicals, and the writings of the two largest Iranian dailies, Kayhan and Ettelaat. I also used some articles from the Tudeh party’s daily newspaper, Mardom, and a couple of Hungarian and English studies and books. This is a descriptive research focusing on the statements of Ayatollah Khomeini, the interviews made with him and his actual actions during the above mentioned three periods, and necessarily presents the events of the Iranian revolution with a focus on Khomeini’s actions. My research contributes to the knowledge about Middle Eastern and Iranian studies, which is important because few studies exist on this subject in Hungary.